Contest that fine

You can get a refund most of the time, but only on one condition – you ask for it.

I had a booked a hotel on a last minute trip to London. On getting where the hotel was my partner suggested we walk past the hotel, check out the condition before going in to confirm our booking.

What we saw was not encouraging, paint to the stucco fronted elevation was flaking, the sash windows were rotten and the reception looked grotty and un-kept. As expected, we decided not to go in but to look at other hotels in the area. We found one two streets away, well presented and clean, and the rate was only a few pounds more than the one we had booked.

While I was happy to have found a better hotel, I still had the issue of cancelling the booking on our original hotel. I did think I was going to lose my deposit – small amount – but I wasn’t expecting to be charged “administration / cancellation fee” which was quite high. The main issue being I hadn’t given enough notice for cancellation.

Anyway, I complained about the extra fees and asked to speak to a decision maker at the head-office, as I could see I wasn’t going to get any joy for the rep on the phone. As far as he was concerned, nothing could be done.

Maria, from the head-office called me about an hour later. I think she was Spanish. She waived the fee and cancelled my deposit, which meant I came out of the deal not having to pay anything.

I remember my sister had a similar situation where a rep told her nothing could be done. However, when she spoke to a decision maker, her fine was reduced. Sometime back, I had to contest a late fee with my bank, I got the same result - the fine waived.

These are everyday situations you and I go through but only few of us go the extra mile to contest a fine even when we are in the right. This is why car parking and traffic management is big business because a high percentage of their fines are never contested because you and I are to scared to do so, or should I say we see it as a time consuming bother.

Did you know it is also part of the strategy to have reps prevent you taking your complaint further? Their job apart from selling to you is also to paint an impossible picture of you getting what you want if you feel they have acted wrong.

My point - always contest any unfair fine. Ask to speak to a decision maker and eight times out of ten the decision will be in your favour. However, there is one condition – you will need to be polite and friendly. Ask nicely, as my mum used to say.