Charged full rack rate for award stay after check-out?

[JohnK]

I guess it was due to happen?

Extremely disappointing to see charge on credit card for award night at Holiday Inn Express Soho.

Called Amex to dispute charge and then sent angry mail to IHG mentioning attempted theft as I didn't know what the hell was going on. This was just after midnight.

Got a call the next morning apologising for the mistake and a refund to credit card. I mentioned foreign exchange fees and possible currency exchange loss and immediately offered 5,000 points compensation.

Received email today confirming above and that it will take 2-3 weeks to receive refund. Why? Payment was taken immediately but refund takes 2-3 weeks? I love the deception.

Amex mentioned they will not charge interest on the amount and will waive foreign currency exchange fees but I think that was only going to be for the charge back process. Will be interesting to see how much I lose.

And I think from now on I am not handing over credit card for deposit at check-in. Pay cash and get refund at check-out.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I guess it was due to happen?

Extremely disappointing to see charge on credit card for award night at Holiday Inn Express Soho.

Called Amex to dispute charge and then sent angry mail to IHG mentioning attempted theft as I didn't know what the hell was going on. This was just after midnight.

Got a call the next morning apologising for the mistake and a refund to credit card. I mentioned foreign exchange fees and possible currency exchange loss and immediately offered 5,000 points compensation.

Received email today confirming above and that it will take 2-3 weeks to receive refund. Why? Payment was taken immediately but refund takes 2-3 weeks? I love the deception.

Amex mentioned they will not charge interest on the amount and will waive foreign currency exchange fees but I think that was only going to be for the charge back process. Will be interesting to see how much I lose.

And I think from now on I am not handing over credit card for deposit at check-in. Pay cash and get refund at check-out.

you seem awfully angry for something that was very quickly dealt with?

 

[yohy?!]

you seem awfully angry for something that was very quickly dealt with?

relevance to topic is?

 

[BAM1748]

you seem awfully angry for something that was very quickly dealt with?

Like JohnK I am tired of dealing with idiots, of which the world is full of.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Holiday Inn Melbourne airport did something similar to me.

I had 2 bookings one for Friday and one for Saturday night and got charged again for the 2nd night, at least they did email me to check that I didn't arrive, I made a call and it was sorted out relatively quickly pity the guy on reception was so useless, why can't hotels do self check in.

Although self check out doesn't always work as I got charged for valet parking at a hotel in Brisbane, I better check to see if I got the $55.00 refund.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

relevance to topic is?

Isn't that obvious? Why do you need to ask?

It just seems to me that it was an error but it has been fixed fairly quickly and some compensation offered. Mistakes happen.

 

[yohy?!]

Isn't that obvious? Why do you need to ask?

It just seems to me that it was an error but it has been fixed fairly quickly and some compensation offered. Mistakes happen.

that wasn't clear in the original comment, it was just a personal affront that added nothing to the discussion.

The edit function is useful

 

[Aussie_flyer]

that wasn't clear in the original comment, it was just a personal affront that added nothing to the discussion.

The edit function is useful

no I don't need to make any edits, it was perfectly obvious from my original comment that I thought JohnK was over-reacting.

Still waiting for you to add something to the discussion?

 

[JohnK]

you seem awfully angry for something that was very quickly dealt with?

The only reason it was dealt with quickly was because I mentioned attempted theft.

Angry because I am sick and tired of having to check and double check just in case some idiot hasn't stuffed up.

My money was taken without my consent. Now it will take 2-3 weeks to refund. The compensation may cover the loss on foreign currency exchange.

Do you have anything useful to add other than having a go at me?

 

[Aussie_flyer]

The only reason it was dealt with quickly was because I mentioned attempted theft.

Angry because I am sick and tired of having to check and double check just in case some idiot hasn't stuffed up.

My money was taken without my consent. Now it will take 2-3 weeks to refund. The compensation may cover the loss on foreign currency exchange.

Do you have anything useful to add other than having a go at me?

Very sensitive. Why do you think I'm having a go at you? I just think it all seems to have been dealt with pretty quickly so it's not a big issue. But I agree it shouldn't have happened in the first place of course.

May I ask why you started a chargeback process before hearing back from the merchant? I have never had to proceed with a chargeback but I thought the usual process is to deal with the merchant first.

 

[JohnK]

May I ask why you started a chargeback process before hearing back from the merchant? I have never had to proceed with a chargeback but I thought the usual process is to deal with the merchant first.

I called Amex first and then sent an email to IHG.

Perhaps that's not the right way of doing it but I didn't have the confidence in IHG to deal with email quickly. Customer service is not their strong point.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I've added a "like" to both JohnK and yohy?! posts against Aussie_flyer, however it was not to berate Aussie_flyer at all.

Quite simply, I think JohnK has a right to be bloody cross with this. I understand why hotels have to do the credit card swipe bit, but that does not give them the right to steal from their clients. Mistakes are mistakes, but I have to say I think some businesses (without suggesting this is the case in this post) seem to think they can rip whatever bull**** charges they like out of someones account, simply because they have the number...............no they can't and until customers start to stand up to these tactics, they do have the right because that's what they do. One has to look no further than a certain airline taking the same airfare numerous times and then when confronted with their actions, simply blame an "error" but take weeks to return the funds that were inappropriately acquired in the first place...if at all!

It's bloody not good enough and if it is in fact an error, most reputable businesses would return funds immediately with a flurry of apologetic communications and most likely a gesture of good will to boot!

No, I'm suspecting JohnK has every right to jump straight down their throats.

 

[DC3]

... Extremely disappointing to see charge on credit card for award night at Holiday Inn Express Soho ...

Very disappointing. I can see where you are coming from.

 

[Ricardo]

Very disappointing. I can see where you are coming from.

Agree, I would be pissed as well ....

A bit O/T but I have found Amex to be good when you need to dispute a charge....

 

[RooFlyer]

you seem awfully angry for something that was very quickly dealt with?

I suggest its not 'dealt with' until JohnK has his money returned and is satisfied he is not out-of-pocket from the exercise.

Count me as another one who is fed up with hotels (especially), car hire firms and restaurants taking my money from me, without notice and putting me out-of-pocket.

Just last month, Europcar in Vienna re-charged me for a hire I did 4 months prior - just 'out of the blue'. It the euro amount was reversed when I complained, but I am out of pocket for the fx charges and my time. I'm still pursuing them over the fx and I certainly don't regard the matter as 'dealt with'.

I suggest that flippant remarks about people legitimately venting here over credit card rip-offs / theft (for thats what it is) show a shallow understanding of the problems travellers face, every day, even when theor travel has finished!

... and I'm just plain angry, not awfully angry.

 

[anat0l]

When I read the title of this thread, I was expecting to find some incomprehensible reason concocted by the property or IHG as to why the OP was erroneously charged the rack on an award night.

I've had a couple of times in the past where my card has been charged after the reservation has been completed. Usually these are hotels who have erroneously thought I took something from the minibar without mentioning at checkout, when it was the next guest after me that did so. Of course it should not happen in the first place, but in my case a simple call to both properties and it was quickly resolved - credit reverse was processed onto the held card and effected on the balance nearly immediately, with the line item for the cancellation appearing a few business days later.

If the property won't play ball then for sure I'm going to do what the OP did and hit up my credit card provider to process a chargeback.

I don't quite know why it would take 2-3 weeks to effect a refund on a card. Do refunds at some companies need to go through a few layers of admin before they can be processed? Seems obtuse, particularly if the reason for the refund was imperative (i.e. inherent false charge against customer). On a debit card I can somewhat believe mainly due to the speed (or lack thereof) of banks actually putting that held money back into the account.

Finally, if you do decide to leave a cash deposit rather than card based, does anyone know how much they usually take in cash? (One night of rack rate?) If a property does happen to find that you owe them money - e.g. have taken something from the minibar without paying for it, which is not reconciled before check out - what would they normally do if you left (and collected) a cash deposit? Send you a written bill to your registered address? (Good luck collecting that debt)

 

[JohnK]

Finally, if you do decide to leave a cash deposit rather than card based, does anyone know how much they usually take in cash? (One night of rack rate?) If a property does happen to find that you owe them money - e.g. have taken something from the minibar without paying for it, which is not reconciled before check out - what would they normally do if you left (and collected) a cash deposit? Send you a written bill to your registered address? (Good luck collecting that debt)

I forget in Hong Kong but Holiday Inn Thailand is 1,000 baht and Intercontinental is 3,000 baht.

Most hotels when I check-out call housekeeping to confirm nothing has been taken from mini bar on last day.

FWIW this hotel had no right to charge my credit card. They took an authorisation for deposit. I did not receive invoice. Credit card was charged full rack rate without my consent. You may consider that a mistake. I consider it theft.

Here's a thought. What if I did not notice the charge? Would I have got my money back?

 

[Cynicor]

When I read the title of this thread, I was expecting to find some incomprehensible reason concocted by the property or IHG as to why the OP was erroneously charged the rack on an award night.

I've had a couple of times in the past where my card has been charged after the reservation has been completed. Usually these are hotels who have erroneously thought I took something from the minibar without mentioning at checkout, when it was the next guest after me that did so. Of course it should not happen in the first place, but in my case a simple call to both properties and it was quickly resolved - credit reverse was processed onto the held card and effected on the balance nearly immediately, with the line item for the cancellation appearing a few business days later.

If the property won't play ball then for sure I'm going to do what the OP did and hit up my credit card provider to process a chargeback.

I don't quite know why it would take 2-3 weeks to effect a refund on a card. Do refunds at some companies need to go through a few layers of admin before they can be processed? Seems obtuse, particularly if the reason for the refund was imperative (i.e. inherent false charge against customer). On a debit card I can somewhat believe mainly due to the speed (or lack thereof) of banks actually putting that held money back into the account.

Finally, if you do decide to leave a cash deposit rather than card based, does anyone know how much they usually take in cash? (One night of rack rate?) If a property does happen to find that you owe them money - e.g. have taken something from the minibar without paying for it, which is not reconciled before check out - what would they normally do if you left (and collected) a cash deposit? Send you a written bill to your registered address? (Good luck collecting that debt)

I have nothing to add to the original situation, but many hotels in Asia are now giving a receipt for the pre-auth amount. It's mostly around $100 for my last few stays.

 

[anat0l]

FWIW this hotel had no right to charge my credit card. They took an authorisation for deposit. I did not receive invoice. Credit card was charged full rack rate without my consent. You may consider that a mistake. I consider it theft.

But why did they do it in the first place?

Taking an authorisation for deposit - even if the amount is equal to one night's rack - is different to getting charged, despite in both cases the effective amount is unavailable on your credit card. An authorisation does not usually result in an invoice, because nothing was actually charged. You can get a credit card slip for a pre-auth (at least in Australia you can usually get one).

If they charged your card, then that is wrong - we won't argue the semantics of mistake vs negligence vs theft (no need unless the entire thing ends up going to court, really).

As far as I know, there is no such thing as a hotel that can't take a pre-auth and must resort to charging first then instigating a reverse transaction afterwards.

Here's a thought. What if I did not notice the charge? Would I have got my money back?

Technically, yes, because the transaction is still erroneous.

But your thought doesn't make a lot of sense because if you didn't notice the charge then you wouldn't "get your money back" until you noticed something was amiss. Then, you will have "noticed" the charge anyway. You might have a bit of a hassle getting your money back if, say, you didn't notice the error until about a year later, however.......


This still doesn't really answer why you got the charge in the first place. If it was a charge in place of a pre-auth (i.e. wrong type of transaction put through), then fair enough - that is what it is. At least with shonky car companies who charge your card after you return the vehicle, we know that, 95% of the time, it is them trying to profit on some insignificant or non-existent damage, and about 3% of the time it is profiting on fuel when you returned the tank full.

Only thing which might spring to mind is early checkin or late checkout, thus a night not covered by the award which is then charged as rack to the securing card. Which is a poor practice really, especially if the checkout was settled at the desk.

If it was the property was maliciously trying to pull a fast one, rip you off and take your money and think you wouldn't notice, then that has much more serious, criminal implications.

I guess it doesn't matter how the charge appeared in the grand scheme of things because you clearly were not supposed to be charged in the first place.

 

[DC3]

I'm with you, JohnK, on this one.