How do I reclaim the cost of my holiday?

Q: I planning to go on a family holiday this year. Accommodation in my chosen destination was over my budget, but after some searching, I found a much cheaper option on an official booking website. So I booked it. However, when we arrived at our destination, we found that the accommodation did not exist. What rights do I have, and what steps can I take to recover my money?

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A: With the rising cost of living, it’s easy to find yourself searching for low-cost holidays, but some deals are too good to be true.

Unfortunately, scammers take advantage of people searching for bargains by advertising accommodation that either does not exist or is significantly different from what was promised.

If you arrived at your destination and discovered that the accommodation did not exist, you may have been a victim of fraud.

The action you can take depends on how and where you booked, but there are several routes to try to recover your money.

When something goes wrong with your holiday accommodation you should contact the company you booked with to try and resolve this.

You should raise the issue as soon as you can, explaining what has happened and including any evidence you have.

Official booking sites usually have procedures in place to deal with fraudulent listings and might be able to offer you a refund or even compensation. It’s important to keep hold of evidence such as photographs, booking confirmations and any communications you’ve had. This will help to support your claim.