2008
As thousands prepare to jet off for some half term sun, Consumer Direct is advising people what to do should their holiday not quite match the brochure.
Consumer Direct took more than 1320 holiday complaints from people in London last year, while the service nationally logged 14,000 complaints.
Consumer Direct receives hundreds of calls every year from people whose holidays don't live up to expectations. The key is to complain while you're there to give hotels and tour operators the chance to put things right. If you wait till you get home, it might be too late.
So if the hotel's under construction, the 'short walk' to the beach turns out to be a half hour trek or the food causes major stomach upsets, Consumer Direct has a list of helpful tips to help you complain effectively.
- Take the holiday details with you, a copy of the brochure or any description you have of what facilities are included on your holiday
- If things go wrong or the facilities promised in the brochure are not available make a complaint in the resort at the time of discover
- Make a note of the person you complained to, the persons name, date you complained, the time and what the nature of the complaint was, whether it was the Hotel manager or the holiday rep.
- If it is possible take photographs of any problems, it may be uninvited creepy crawlies in the bedroom or the swimming pool being empty, any physical evidence may help you to complain when you return home.
- Collect contact details of other holiday makers who have experienced the same problems, being able to provide evidence of similar complaints can also help
- If the complaint relates to an illness, suspected food poisoning etc, make sure you see a doctor at the time of the sickness, ask the doctor to put something in writing about the nature of your sickness
- If you incur additional costs if, for example your luggage doesn’t arrive on time then keep all receipts. Any costs must be reasonable, if they are too much then you may not get all your expenses back
- Remember any offer of compensation made in the resort could affect any claim you make when you return home.
- On returning home any complaint should be put in writing to the tour operator, pointing out the problems you had with the holiday and asking for a remedy within a specified time limit.
- If you don’t get the response you want or the tour operator doesn’t respond, call Consumer Direct for further advice.
Advice and information on all consumer issues is available by calling Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or by visiting the website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk
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NOTES
1. Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service managed by the Office of Fair Trading. It offers consumers clear, practical and impartial advice and information.
2. Consumer Direct has around 350 trained advisers in 11 centres based in London, the South East, the South West, the East of England, the West Midlands, the East Midlands, Wales, Yorkshire and the Humber, the North West, the North East and Scotland.
3. The information and advice helpline is available on a single national telephone number - 08454 04 05 06 from 0800 – 1830 Monday to Friday, and 0900 – 1300 Saturday, excluding bank holidays and public holidays.
4. A Welsh-speaking Consumer Direct service is available on 08454 04 05 05. Minicom users should call 08451 28 13 84.
5. Calls to the Consumer Direct 0845 numbers are charged at no more than four pence per minute from a BT landline. Call charges from other landline providers or mobile phones may vary. Please check the rate with your phone service provider.
