Booked Alton Towers Hotel for this weekend and they are saying I booked for last weekend & will have to pay?

Question

I booked in the middle of October to stay at Alton Towers Splash Landings Hotel for a two night weekend break and I booked it for this weekend coming, but received no confirmation email. My sister has also booked and has received hers. When I rang to enquire about it I was told that my booking was for last weekend and that I never turned up. I disputed that they had put the wrong dates and they will have none of it. What is worse is that my Son has come over today from Australia and I booked this weekend for the three of us as my husband has been diagnosed with prostrate cancer and is due in hospital on Tuesday for a big operation. I am at my wits end as I can't afford to pay for it again and I feel I have let my family down. I thought I would have some rights as I didn't receive a confirmation email. Do I have any redress does anyone know, would be grateful for any help.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

It is a recognised point of law that when you make a booking in the UK that you are also accepting that company or business Terms and Conditions. You should have read the smallprint although a lot of people don't bother to do so. Alton Towers Terms and Conditions are laid out clearly in the link below
http://www.alton-towers-breaks.com/terms…
It quite clearly states that you will get a booking confirmation so when you didn't get one within 7 days you should have contacted them to find out why not. They even give you the option to change your booking or cancel without incurring any charges. They have no way of knowing if you have received your booking so it is up to you to say so.
When you knew your sister had received her confirmation why didn't you then get in touch with Alton Towers?
If you had paid by credit card you could have claimed from the credit card insurance but without a receipt even that is doubtful.
You can try the Citizens Advice but they will probably quote what I have written above.
I really, really wish you could get your booking cancelled or the booking moved but don't think it is going to happen. You are now relying on Alton Towers goodwill and they don't appear to have any.

Answer 2

Go and talk to the Citizen's Advice Bureau. The Distance Selling Regulations give you a cooling off period in which to cancel an email or internet order. The normal period is 7 days but to start this period running the supplier has to give certain particulars about your order - in writing. If they fail to do so the cooling off period runs on for 3 months. Since Alton Towers failed to email you I think you may still be able to cancel whatever you or they think you arranged and get a refund - even though, according to them, it was for last weekend. However, since services are involved I am not 100% sure of the law, which is why I suggest you approach the CAB for guidance - or the Trading Standards officer of your local council.