I contacted a friend of mine who recently started working at TL and already he knew all about the £150 smoking thing. Initially he said that TL are looking to improve their image so if I contacted TL customer services they may back down. I did this and basically asked them to respectfully reconsider seeing as I was evicted, had to sleep rough, and felt like I was punished already. They simply said that CRS deals with disputes so I should contact them. Separately I asked CRS to provide evidence and they have provided 2 photos which I do actually believe are genuine. 1 photo shows a small plastic lid from a tub (which was mine) and that was used as an ash tray, the photos shows remnants of ash. The 2nd photo is of the window ledge which shows small black marks which I guess must be small amounts of ash. Also in the letter with the photos, CRS emphasised that I should talk to them and not TL (no doubt TL told them that I made contact). They also recounted the story that I did not leave the hotel when originally asked and that I went into a different room (see original post in this thread). Basically I don't know if I should continue to argue. I feel that £150 is extortionate in terms of cleaning a few bits of ash. The only thing they could argue is that they lost a whole night's charge because they "had to" leave that room vacant for the following evening. In which case their damages would get close to £150. But could I ask them to prove that they had a wasted room & that the cost is supported...? My concern is that if I contest these details (even if I am polite and respectful) then they may start to increase the claim due to interest, their involvement etc etc. With all the sh*t in my life at the moment I don't know if I want the aggro, particularly as I can split the cost 3 ways with 2 mates who were in and out of my room and £50 each isn't the end of the world. But at the same time of course, I don't want to be a soft touch for them..... Really undecided as you can tell..!!

I wasn't warned at all, they just knocked on the door and told me I was evicted.

re message from Citizen B. I've confused you with my narrative, it was my own room I was smoking out of the window in, my friends were in and out of my room to the point when I got evicted. After that my friend tried to smuggle me into his room, but eventually they knocked on that door too cos they knew I hadn't left the hotel and they said they knew I was in there. I hear what you're saying.

To be fair I think it was CCTV in the corridors where said they saw someone coming in/out of my friend's room when they subsequently found me in his room. We don't think this is correct and in hindsight I think that was their so called justification for evicting people in the second room, although they have only (only!) charged 1 lot of £150. In terms of my room, one of the staff witnessed me hanging out the window smoking, and the guy said that smoke could be smelt on the landing. What do you think?

A few weeks back I got kicked out (and my friend from a different room because he tried to smuggle me in his room and they found me) for smoking in the room. I admit that we smoked out of the window, it was lazy and stupid of us not to go downstairs and go outside. However I was shocked that the duty manager gave us no warning whatsoever, we were instantly "evicted" (he loved using that word!). I didn't want to cause trouble so we left and tried to check into a hotel down the road. However all hotels in the city were booked up due to major events, the only thing available was for £141 in the centre of town but as it was already 4-4.30 am we felt it wasn't worth it. we killed time until 6.30am when our friends (in another different room) who had a vehicle were contacted and then we chilled in a friend's car until they were ready to drive home at about 9am. Humiliatingly we actually tried to get some sleep on park benches near the hotel, in an area which isn't particularly safe. I thought it was out of order that we weren't given a chance by way of warning. If we had received a warning then we would have instantly switched and gone outside for a fag. I apologised, pleaded for leniance and even offered to buy another room. However the duty manager insisted that it was not his decision but that it came from Head Office (someone must have told head Office..?) and threatened to call the police if we didn't leave. I asked if they will try to levy further costs and he said Head Office may try to charge £150 for cleaning of the room. Again it was "not his decision, but Head Office will decide". I cancelled my credit card. About 2 weeks later after no further contact from Travelodge, I received a letter from CRS dated 13 Aug 2013 making a claim for£150, otherwise I have to explain within 10 days (not sure if working days..?) if I wish to dispute. I'm not sure what to do. I have read many other threads online, many which are people incensed because they didn't smoke, whereas I admitted it and got "evicted". At the time they said they had CCTV evidence but we never saw it. I'm not sure if he was bluffing or not. Also I feel it unreasonable to ask for £150, how can they justify that size of cost? So I have some choices/questions 1. Pay it and split with my friends (who incidentally are saying to me that I should ask for evidence, easy to say when it is not in their name!!) 2. Ask for evidence. They might have been bluffing by saying that they have CCTV footage. I've seen other threads where the evidence provided has been photographs that don't necessarily link it to the individual circumstance. My concern here is whether they somehow provide evidence (CCTV) that we admitted it and left the hotel and then subsequently increase the claim. Can they do that? 3. Tell them to justify £150 as it seems extortionate. 4. Ignore it because Travelodge themselves have not contacted me about it, other than on the night itself (I saw another thread that suggested this route, although the difference there was the guest denied smoking, whereas I did not). Clearly as soon as I make any contact then they have a lead from which they can pursue me. 5. Can I claim that the hotel have breached their duty of care towards me by making me sleep rough.? Surely that was punishment enough, a further claim for £150 seems excessive. 6. If it doesn't specify then does 10 days mean 10 calendar days? Or it generally accepted that it is 10 working days? The main thing I am worried about is having a black mark on my name in terms of credit checks and so on. Which is obviously the fear that these people prey on. But do I have a case if I admitted it and left the hotel? Help !