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£100 fee for posting bad hotel review


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Trip Advisor couple 'fined' £100 by hotel for bad review

 

 

 

A couple say they have been "fined" £100 by a Blackpool hotel for leaving critical comments on travel review website Trip Advisor.

 

Tony and Jan Jenkinson posted the negative comment after being unimpressed with the one night they spent at the Broadway Hotel.

 

The couple, from Whitehaven, later found £100 charged to their credit card. The hotel said its policy was to charge for "bad" reviews.

 

Trading Standards are investigating.

 

Officials believe the hotel may have breached unfair trading practice regulations.

 

The manager of the hotel, on Burlington Road West, was unavailable when contacted by the BBC.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30100973

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Well the publicity they receive from this wont help them any will it :lol:

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PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME TO GIVE ADVICE BY PM - IF YOU PROVIDE A LINK TO YOUR THREAD THEN I WILL BE HAPPY TO OFFER ADVICE THERE:D

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That's a disgrace - aren't you supposed to say when you've had a bad experience ? Where were the warnings in booking form or at hotel stating there would be this charge?

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Where were the warnings in booking form or at hotel stating there would be this charge?

 

The hotel policy, contained in a booking document, reads: "Despite the fact that repeat customers and couples love our hotel, your friends and family may not.

"For every bad review left on any website, the group organiser will be charged a maximum £100 per review",

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It's absolutely disgusting!!

 

It's akin to a form of blackmail. As leave a "Bad Review" then you are being charged £100!

 

I also agree with Rebel as there are people out there who will be intrigued & visit this Hotel.

 

I most defiantly ain't amongst them......

I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every single minute of it!!

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Apparently they are to be refunded after trading standards got involved.

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Apparently when the couple said they were going ot do a chargeback/ section 75 reclaim, the hotel said, go ahead we will just take another two hundred out to cover our costs.

Noting stopping the couple instructing the bank not to allow any further payments under the payment regulations of course.

I wonder if the term in the agreement would come under the UTCCs ?

 

I post reviews on tripadvisor myself and know how upset people can get when you make negative remarks, but it is part of the burden you have to bear when you provide a service I would have thought.

 

Having said that it is all becoming a bit to involved . I use tripadvisor the same as most people before I book just about everything, and it is so hard to discriminate between the real entries and those obviously planted by the owner or those who have some axe to grind these days.

 

Edit Bit like these forums come to think of it:)

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES TO COLD CALLERS PROMISING TO WRITE OFF YOUR DEBTS

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As many have pointed out, its highly likely the charge isnt 'legal' and would be refunded quite easily either by bank/card company/civil action.

 

The hotel is certainly now (in)famous but i note that their website appears down.

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It looks like the hotel is to stop making the charge. No news on whether the Jenkinsons have been refunded though.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-30111525

 

If I was bored enough today I would probably have posted a poor review for that hotel for the hell of it. Maybe a bunch of people were more bored than me. :-)

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They showed some photos on the BBC news, absolutely disgusting.. I would have slept in the car !!

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Advice & opinions given by citizenb are personal, are not endorsed by Consumer Action Group or Bank Action Group, and are offered informally, without prejudice & without liability. Your decisions and actions are your own, and should you be in any doubt, you are advised to seek the opinion of a qualified professional.

PLEASE DO NOT ASK ME TO GIVE ADVICE BY PM - IF YOU PROVIDE A LINK TO YOUR THREAD THEN I WILL BE HAPPY TO OFFER ADVICE THERE:D

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Its the fact that the hotel still had the card details and then made the charge some time later rather worrying, its a dodgy practise sometimes used by landlords or car rental companies who suddenly find 'damage' and decide to take vast sums using the card.

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The hotel is now for sale. At £375,000.

 

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for-sale/property-48891254.html

 

Turnover is £160k per annum. Profits aren't known. But it's not impossible that £100,000 in turnover contribution has been made from, er, "fines" . . .:wink:

 

 

Blimey they sure are wanting quite a sum for what's only passable as a dive!!

 

No idea where they got there annual turnover figure from, but you could be on to something re the "fines"......

 

This Hotel will need lots of money to be spent on it, so whomever may buy it, I do hope they have very deep pockets!

I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every single minute of it!!

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I don't in any way agree with the hotel believing that they can "fine" guests for bad review.

 

However, the actual review is quite "nasty".

 

It's one thing to be critical of a hotel (unclean, poor service, etc). However, the guest referred to staff as "Muppets" and claimed that he was given a "plastic" sausage for breakfast.

 

Therefore, I would not exactly say that his review was truthful, but certainly the key point is that hotels, and any other service providers, cannot and should not be allowed to "fine" customers for bad reviews.

 

Well done to Trading Standards. :whoo:

 

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  • 4 months later...
The fact that it's illegal to pay via cash for hotels.

 

Really? :-o

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The fact that it's illegal to pay via cash for hotels is what leads to things like that, also this:

 

http://lifehacker.com/5815138/why-you-shouldnt-use-a-debit-card-when-paying-for-a-hotel-or-rental-car

 

They say it's so the authorities can track criminals on the run or something.

 

I don't think so, I pay my hotel bills in cash all the time. Sometimes a hotel may ask for credit or debit card if they are worried that you will leave without paying or trash your room etc., but you can refuse, its upto you. Generally the hotel take you car registration and address at check in so they can trace you if they need to.

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES TO COLD CALLERS PROMISING TO WRITE OFF YOUR DEBTS

DO NOT PAY UPFRONT FEES FOR COSTLY TELEPHONE CONSULTATIONS WITH SO CALLED "EXPERTS" THEY INVARIABLY ARE NOTHING OF THE SORT

BEWARE OF QUICK FIX DEBT SOLUTIONS, IF IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT INVARIABLY IS

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The fact that it's illegal to pay via cash for hotels is what leads to things like that, also this:

 

http://lifehacker.com/5815138/why-you-shouldnt-use-a-debit-card-when-paying-for-a-hotel-or-rental-car

 

They say it's so the authorities can track criminals on the run or something.

 

Dont think so. I stop regularly at Premier Lodge and if I pay in cash,. they just want a copy of my Driving Licence or Passport.

Whatever I post is my opinion and should be taken as such, an opinion. While it is what I believe and is offered in good faith, it should not be taken as a statement of truth

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