By Dean Dunham 13 February 2022
With Covid restrictions being withdrawn, it is paving the way for more people to book an overseas holiday. But following the holiday refunds saga that we have seen during the pandemic, with tour operators either taking an eternity to refund for cancelled holidays or refusing to do so, consumers are rightly nervous. One of the most popular questions I’ve been asked over the last few weeks is how can we safely book a holiday? Here’s what you need to know:
Package holidays
If you book a package holiday (typically the travel and accommodation booked together) you will be protected under the Package Travel Regulations. The Regulations provide consumers with a great deal of protection, including the right to a refund within 14 days if the holiday is cancelled.
Credit card
Paying by credit card gives consumers a natural insurance policy if something goes wrong, thanks to what is known as ‘Section 75’. Section 75 enables consumers to claim their money back from the card provider if there is a breach of contract concerning the goods or service they purchase and the trader fails to provide a suitable remedy. There is no time limit for a claim but the ‘purchase price’ must have been between £100.01 – £30,000 and the payment made ‘direct’ to the trader and not via a third party. So if your holiday is cancelled and the operator fails to refund you, you would be able to make a section 75 claim as this would be a breach of contract on the tour operators part.
