HOW TO DEAL WITH PROBLEM BOOKINGS

÷ NO ROOM AT THE INN

“If you book a hotel room through a booking agent and you turn up and find there’s no room available, go to the booking agent first and complain,” said Rory Boland of Which Travel. “It can sometimes be difficult to get money back from booking agents in these instances.

“If the agent is not forthcoming, go straight to your bank and request a chargeback.”

A chargeback is where your credit or debit card provider agrees to reverse the transaction — on the basis that the goods were not delivered. You may need to pay for another room in the hotel — or in another hotel — if the room you originally booked through an online booking agent is unavailable.

“If it costs you more for that room than the room you originally booked, put your complaint in writing [to the booking agent] and ask to be reimbursed for any extra costs that were incurred,” said Martina Nee of ECC Ireland.

Before booking alternative accommodation, contact the booking agent first, as it may be able to make alternative arrangements for you — and you may lose out on the chance of compensation if you do not give the agent the chance to put things right. ÷ POOR ROOM STANDARD

If you are disappointed with the standard of a hotel room or accommodation, it is usually the hotel or accommodation provider who is at fault and who must rectify the problem.

In these instances, you should first complain to the hotel — and give it a chance to rectify the problem.

“In any transaction, you should get what you paid for — and the product or service should be as described. So, you can sometimes rely on consumer legislation [if making a complaint],” said Nee. It might also be worth contacting the online booking agent to see if it can help. If you are unhappy with the hotel’s response to your complaint, you may be able to seek help from

ECC Ireland (if the trader is outside Ireland but within the EU), or from the CCPC (if the trader is in Ireland). ÷ COMPLAIN CORRECTLY

Know who you need to complain to if you run into problems with a booking made through an agent. With some problems, it may be the hotel that you deal with; with others, it could be the booking agent. “Sometimes, you should complain to the booking agent as well as the hotel — as the booking agent may be able to make arrangements for you [to resolve your problem],” said Nee. Be aware, too, that you may need to make a complaint within a certain time. Otherwise, your complaint could be rejected and you may lose the chance to get compensation.

To improve your chances of having your problem resolved, and speedily, make your complaint in writing, and keep a written record of all correspondence related to your complaint, advised Nee.