Just Booked - Payment Query

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Alohomora

Good evening all

I am so excited as we have just booked to return next year. We got a really good price and I literally cannot wait.

However, in light of recent events with TC and people being covered financially by credit cards etc, I wonder if anybody knows what happens when we have to pay by bank transfer. The company are ABTA bonded but would I have any come back if I don't use my credit card?

The agents I have booked with have asked for the balance by direct transfer and I admit in my excitement, I didn't realise this.

Thanks for any help you can give.

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Don’t do it. There is no way on earth I would pay for a holiday by bank transfer. There is another thread going on at the moment, somebody has paid a substantial deposit by bank transfer, things have changed and truly, I think she has lost the money.

If a company cannot get merchant facilities in order to accept card payments, I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.

I agree with PP that you only need to pay a deposit on CC to get full protection but you haven’t mentioned paying deposit on CC?

[ERICSMUM]

Originally Posted by Claudette

Don’t do it. There is no way on earth I would pay for a holiday by bank transfer. There is another thread going on at the moment, somebody has paid a substantial deposit by bank transfer, things have changed and truly, I think she has lost the money.

If a company cannot get merchant facilities in order to accept card payments, I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.

I agree with PP that you only need to pay a deposit on CC to get full protection but you haven’t mentioned paying deposit on CC?

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Absolutely agree. Especially for travel companies, which are so reliant on credit facilities through their bankers to help even out seasonal incomes and regular / long term outward payments. Big red flag.

[PPM]

I suspect this is with Charter Travel. You will find a few threads on this subject with Charter
Type “Charter Travel bank transfer” in the search box and they will come up.

[Alohomora]

Hi all

I am so sorry it's taken me so long to reply.

Thank you for all taking the time to respond. The booking is indeed with Charter Travel and the initial deposit was paid by credit card.

I will have a search now regarding this bank transfer and see what I can find out. They are definitely ABTA bonded. I hope I haven't messed up as DH will really not be impressed with me.

Thank you again.

[Custancia]

If it's any reassurance I've used Charter twice and been very happy with them. Recommended to two colleagues who were also happy, one had her bank query the transfer - it was a large family group so a lot, but no problems. And you're covered by credit card if you used it to pay the deposit.

[dx4100]

Originally Posted by Alohomora

Hi all

I am so sorry it's taken me so long to reply.

Thank you for all taking the time to respond. The booking is indeed with Charter Travel and the initial deposit was paid by credit card.

I will have a search now regarding this bank transfer and see what I can find out. They are definitely ABTA bonded. I hope I haven't messed up as DH will really not be impressed with me.

Thank you again.

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Carter are well used here. You have booked deposit on credit card and they are ABTA bounded. Just be careful when doing the bank transfer.

[TeeKayDawn]

I’ve booked through charter, paid deposit on CC and also had the naysayers putting doubt in my mind. However, I’ve had great service so far apart from one niggle which has turned out to be on the part of Virgin.
They are definitely ATOL protected as I have checked and received certificate on booking.
Payment method is personal choice so relax and try not to worry.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by TeeKayDawn

I’ve booked through charter, paid deposit on CC and also had the naysayers putting doubt in my mind. However, I’ve had great service so far apart from one niggle which has turned out to be on the part of Virgin.
They are definitely ATOL protected as I have checked and received certificate on booking.
Payment method is personal choice so relax and try not to worry.

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“Also had the naysayers”? The OP did not mention Charter Travel or their cc deposit for four days after the first post. in the interim, people have posted about the risks of making a huge purchase via bank transfer, which is sound financial advice, not “naysaying”.

[TeeKayDawn]

Originally Posted by Claudette

“Also had the naysayers”? The OP did not mention Charter Travel or their cc deposit for four days after the first post. in the interim, people have posted about the risks of making a huge purchase via bank transfer, which is sound financial advice, not “naysaying”.

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The OP didn’t post anything for 4 days, I’m sorry but that has no bearing on any discussion here, not everyone will come on the forum daily, as they may have all sorts of things going on in their lives, but when they did they will have seen the first few posts telling them ‘fraudsters’ and ‘red flags’.

There are ways if providing that “sound financial advice” though and maybe the OP didn’t respond immediately due to some posters making it sound extremely dodgy and possibly a con.
The payment method asked is perfectly legal and as long as the deposit it paid by CC the OP is covered.
Yes there are risks to sending large amounts of money to a company but this can also be worked around.
So my advice, rather than put fear in the poster would be:
It wouldn’t be my preferred option due to less protections but when you pay the final balance first send a small amount of money say £5, call the company and ask for confirmation of receipt, once confirmed send the rest, as the account will then have been set up.
And I stick by my ‘naysayer’ comment, payment method is a personal choice, and when I queried the same thing the dramatic ‘don’t do it’, ‘dodgy company’, ‘not covered’ posts appeared and made me feel like I may have just lost thousands by booking with them. That’s not advice, that’s opinion.
Even worse was I was made to feel that way the day after I’d lost my TC holiday.

[dx4100]

The OP never mentioned paying the deposit via credit card or the company name. I think the warnings / advice given was correct given the level of information in the original post.

Its pretty simple from a financial protection point of view:

• Cash - most risky
• Bank transfer
• Debit card
• Credit card - least risky

This is the advice from financial organisations and the police.

Your one experience of a good outcome with Carter is great but it does not fly in the face of general good advice which should be shared to people spending thousands on holidays.

If the OP had told us the deposit had been paid on credit card and the company was carter the replies would of been more targeted.

The better the post - the better the advice