I've never had to do a credit card charge back. is it the right course of action?

Submitted by tdring22 t3_ygsdio in personalfinance

My wife and I reserved a hotel at a holiday inn and suites for this weekend using my discover card. We were seeing family so we got tested for covid before we left and she tested positive. We did the test and called the hotel Wednesday night at about 6pm. The hotel only refunded one day because we did not cancel before 3pm two days before. I called quality inn and was given the same answer after 20 minutes on hold. That's what the website says for a refund policy but I kinda assumed there would be exceptions for positive covid tests.

I've never cancelled a hotel or done a charge back. Is this an acceptable use for it? Does it effect my card in any way if it doesn't work?

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samniking t1_iua72kc wrote

You’re going to lose on this one, they just have to send a copy of the contract you signed over and you’re boned

Be grateful you got the one day

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tdring22 OP t1_iua7ckj wrote

Is there a downside to trying it even if we lose? It doesn't sit right with me to pay for a hotel we can't use

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graphixgurl747 t1_iua7waw wrote

I mean you'll essentially waste everyone's time. And a charge back is the nuclear option. You're better off writing an email and falling on your sword.

There are other hotels with more lenient policies so you're better off using one of those in the future.

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axz055 t1_iua9qel wrote

You could get put on a blacklist by the hotel chain.

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ThaiEdition t1_iua9bfu wrote

How about other family try to get a hotel room and all book up. The business already reserved room for you. Then you canceled in short notice and want a full refund.

If people keep doing this, Noone won't be able to make reservations anymore. At the end hotels will be empty because Noone shown up.

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tdring22 OP t1_iua9shs wrote

Better the hotels be empty then for people to be incentivised not to get tested or to lie about being positive and go anyway

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ThaiEdition t1_iuac0nn wrote

Well in that case do whatever you want, you already have your answer set in mind.

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graphixgurl747 t1_iua75tj wrote

It's 2022 and as Covid is a known thing companies aren't doing Covid exceptions anymore. Also this is not how a charge back works. The hotel is going by their policies that are established and you agreed to when you booked the reservation. Just because you don't like the outcome doesn't mean you didn't get the services you paid for.

I'm glad you and your wife are being careful but unfortunately this is just how it shakes out.

You cannot do a charge back for this. It would be one thing if you had paid, shown up and they denied you a room so in that case you're not getting what you paid for. In this case the hotel is following policy so you would not win the charge back.

You may try and contact the manager and see if perhaps you can get a discount for a future stay by emphasizing how you're being responsible but they are not obligated to give you anything.

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tdring22 OP t1_iua7tsh wrote

Thank you for the advice this is really shitty. I asked the front desk person when I cancelled to have the manager call me and never got a response

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graphixgurl747 t1_iuaebeu wrote

Try emailing and go up the chain of command with a "paper trail." And just use a hotel with a 24 hour policy in the future to save yourself the headache. I hope your wife feels better soon.

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WingedBeagle t1_iua6rld wrote

I’m going with No on this one. They’re doing you a solid by refunding the one day.

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tdring22 OP t1_iua708l wrote

I mean it followed the refund policy but 3pm on a Wednesday is a really shitty deadline for cancelling

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WingedBeagle t1_iua7ppt wrote

That’s probably when their standard check in times start, I bet it’s not an arbitrary time they pulled out of thin air. Unfortunately refund policies are pretty standard, and everybody thinks that their reason for cancellation shouldn’t apply.

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tdring22 OP t1_iua8dda wrote

It is their standard check in time

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Pupitoto t1_iuaapse wrote

You agreed to this when you booked, it is a contract. I wish you the best and good health for your wife. They partially refunded which was kind of them. Thinking you can charge back will only result in their showing the contract you accepted when booking and a quick decline. This is how travel has been for years and it is getting more difficult. In some hotels, you can pay different rates which vary if you want less notice for canceling. My suggestion is booking with those that still allow 24 hour notice with no penalties.

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rolliejoe t1_iuaa07q wrote

This isn't what credit card chargebacks are for, since the merchant in this case did absolutely nothing wrong (and even did more than they were required to). Next time, be more responsible about booking stuff like this and pay extra for either travel insurance or a flexible cancellation policy.

All that said, you can try to chargeback and you might get lucky, but keep in mind banks can and do drop customers who abuse chargebacks. If this is your first one that won't be an issue however, even though it isn't legitimate.

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IndependentFilm4353 t1_iuagw8g wrote

I know that this sounds reasonable in your head. But to a neutral third party (as you're seeing in this thread,) it looks a little less reasonable. It looks like you disagreed with a policy, so you thought you could write a new one and the hotel just had to deal with it. And you now think the credit card has the power to reverse your written contract to align with your invented policy?

Your credit card has no business (and no interest in) reversing a contract both parties entered into voluntarily. That would be bad business on their part, and frankly would give them no legal leg to stand on.

Reversing charges is for fraudulent activity, which can mean failure to deliver what was contracted. But the hotel's cancellation policy was in writing, and they delivered according to their policies. I'm afraid this is one of those painful situations where you have to abide by the agreement you entered into. I'm sorry. Because it sucks to lose your money. But this isn't what a chargeback is for.

You may have better luck getting a voucher for a future stay with the same hotel, but even that would be a courtesy more than an entitlement.

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dwinps t1_iuae8zg wrote

No it is not an acceptable reason for a chargeback.

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jypfoto t1_iuapmnj wrote

You won’t win the chargeback, you accepted the terms and conditions when you booked. Which is why often times hotels will have an option that’s a few bucks more expensive with an option to cancel within 24 hours. Your booking that room was one less room they could’ve sold.

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Broad-Astronomer1717 t1_iubq058 wrote

The best way to get around it is to not cancel right away. Ask to reschedule your booking for a few weeks out. Then call back a week later and cancel well outside of your stay

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CCHARLIEL t1_iuc0rd0 wrote

I’ve heard of people being able to change the dates of the stay so that it isn’t a cancellation, and then cancel those dates?

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tdring22 OP t1_iuc0yk7 wrote

This is interesting I'm curious if this actually works but I doubt I could do that because it's for tonight m still an interesting thought for the future

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graphixgurl747 t1_iuc4eup wrote

That probably won't work once you pass the cancellation window. This OP can just book a hotel with a more lenient policy in the future.

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