Need ideas on how to get a refund on a canceled hotel reservation

[skatesindreams]

You should.
Have you had a response from the bank?

 

[Vash01]

I have not talked to the bank. I plan on going there in person on Friday. This bank is terrible. They require us to make an appointment in advance. I have a friend who works for BOA. I may try to go through her to speed things up. Why don't I just call them? Calling is even worse.

 

[Aceon6]

I have not talked to the bank. I plan on going there in person on Friday. This bank is terrible. They require us to make an appointment in advance. I have a friend who works for BOA. I may try to go through her to speed things up. Why don't I just call them? Calling is even worse.

I know it won't help with the current problem, but there's no reason to tolerate poor customer service from a bank or any other institution. Time for another bank.

 

[skatesindreams]

I have a friend who works for BOA. I may try to go through her to speed things up.

It's worth trying.

 

[Vash01]

I know it won't help with the current problem, but there's no reason to tolerate poor customer service from a bank or any other institution. Time for another bank.

I do have accounts in 2 other banks. It just so happened that the debit card I used in this was for this bank (BOA). All my family members have accounts with BOA so I am keeping that account open, but my primary bank is different.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I called that number yesterday, and asked for accounting. Nobody answered so I left a voice mail to call me within 24 hours. No response yet.

I went ahead and posted another message on their facebook. Got the same standard response.

I am going to contact a local TV station that helps consumers that run into these types of problems. I am going to try everything possible.

1600+ USD is a lot of money. Do call again, until you get through. Accounting Department in Texas: (214) 276-1200 ext 202.

There are only 2 people in the office and they don't check messages that often. I just spoke with accounting manager, Mr. Minh. I don't have your reservation number, or hotel's name, or any data to be specific, but this is what he told me:

- Customers who cancelled their reservations late november/december 2015, might experience delays due to holiday back log.
- The company usually initiates a refund in 7-10 days but after THEY receive funds back from the hotel and not always after the date the client cancels. (i don't know if it is just an excuse or the truth).
- Then it is up to your bank to credit your account, and that may be up to 30 days, or what the bank's policy is.
- He said you should call Customer Service again, "punch the buttons" until YOU DO GET A PERSON who you can speak with. Then ask them for exact date on which their refund was initiated (if it was as they say) and get A REFERENCE NUMBER (he said there should be such number).
- If Customer Service can not give you refund issuance date and/or a Refund Ref Number, then the refund has not been initiated.
- In such case, inquire WHY it has not been initiated: you're not eligible for refund? your paperwork is not yet processed/then why it is not processed? have the site not yet received refund or cancellation confirmation from hotel? Ask them what steps they are taking, and what is the next action on your refund process.

- If they do give you sufficient info on refund date and Ref Number, then call your bank with that Ref Number and see what they say.

 

[overedge]

I do have accounts in 2 other banks. It just so happened that the debit card I used in this was for this bank (BOA). All my family members have accounts with BOA so I am keeping that account open, but my primary bank is different.

Not sure why you have to go to the branch to deal with a debit card issue. My debit card has a 1-800 number on it to call if the card is lost or stolen, or if you think there are unauthorized withdrawals on that card. If you have a number like that on your card, have you tried calling that number?

 

[Vash01]

Tinami,

Thank you so much for all your efforts in this matter! I really appreciate all the information and suggestions.

Just an hour ago I received an email from customer service of getaroom, giving the dates of making the reservation (Nov. 19) and the date of cancellation (Nov. 21)- both are correct. Getaroom stated in their email that I was given the full refund the same day. That sounds really odd because on Nov. 22nd I had gone to the bank in person and asked for a printout of all my transactions starting Oct. 15. The reason for this was I had been out of town for a whole month and didn't have access to anything during that period.

This refund was not on it (only the charge showed up on the statement) but it didn't surprise me because I thought it may take a few days for them to give the refund. Couple weeks later I went to the bank again (for something else) and asked if the refund had come through, and I was told No. That was when I started worrying and made another phone call to getaroom. When I was told to wait for 30 days, it made me quite upset, but I continued to wait.

Now I am going to look up my BOA account, starting Nov. 18 to see if getaroom really gave me the refund on Nov. 21st (or even 22nd). My bank did say that they never withhold funds after they arrive. There is a chance that somehow the bank teller missed noticing the refund the second time I went there, or the bank could have made a mistake, or getaroom could have made a mistake. I won't know until I go through every transaction done in Nov. & Dec. What if getaroom actually gave me the refund but the bank made an error? I am going to take the printout of the email from getaroom to the bank to show them, in case the refund does not show up in the bank statement.

I thought that the amount is large enough to make the refund noticeable. I didn't see a noticeable increase in the balance. Anyway, I have to go through every statement to figure out what actually happened.

It's a mess, but hopefully it will be resolved. If the bank made an error, I am sure they will fix it (I will have to ask them to fix it, of course).

Thanks to all for all your help.

 

[Tinami Amori]

Was 1600+ USD withdrawn from your account? did you that amount reduce your balance? Sometimes the email showing the amount is only a "protected amount"/"reserved amount" and not an actual charge. Because if you made reservations on 19th and cancelled on the 21st, it is possible the vendor did not finalize the transaction and only sent "release of protected amount" and not an actual "refund" because there is no "refund" on a "protected amount", just a "release".

 

[Vash01]

Was 1600+ USD withdrawn from your account? did you that amount reduce your balance? Sometimes the email showing the amount is only a "protected amount"/"reserved amount" and not an actual charge. Because if you made reservations on 19th and cancelled on the 21st, it is possible the vendor did not finalize the transaction and only sent "release of protected amount" and not an actual "refund" because there is no "refund" on a "protected amount", just a "release".

Interesting information, Tinami. Thanks. Yes, at that time the amount showed up as negative on my statement, but there was not positive.

Based on what getaroom wrote in their email to me, tonight I went back to my November and December statements and found that a deposit for that amount was made on Nov. 23rd (GAR had said Nov. 21st, but this is close enough). I am not sure why the bank teller didn't see that deposit when I asked her in December, giving her that specific amount and time frame. She told me that it was not deposited. It had not appeared on the first printout I had asked for (I was having problems with my computer at that time, so I couldn't look up on line), because the deposit took place on Nov. 23rd. However, when I asked the bank in December the teller should have seen it.

I will go to the bank on Fri. to make sure that the amount was actually deposited to my account.

In the meantime I posted on getaroom's facebook page that they responded quickly and that the issue was resolved. Now I hope it really was. I will find out on Friday at the bank. I want to be absolutely certain that the money actually came in.

 

[Deleted member 1204]

I went back to my November and December statements and found that a deposit for that amount was made on Nov. 23rd.

So the money has been there this whole time?

 

[Vash01]

So the money has been there this whole time?

Looks like it but I need to verify with the bank because earlier the balance didn't reflect that. I am sure the money is in my account now, and I am embarrassed about criticizing gets room. However, I don't know why they didn't just tell me when I called that it was refunded, and it looks like the bank teller didn't see the deposit/refund when I asked her in December.

Anyway, I am glad that the money is there. I just need to make sure that it's available. Given the length of time, I don't see why it wouldn't be.

I learned a lot through this experience though, in case I run into a problem in the future.

 

[agalisgv]

I desperately need that money. I can't afford to lose such a large amount.

So the money has been there this whole time?

Looks like it

Maybe next time instead of trying to get news media involved, one might actually read one's bank statements

 

[Vash01]

Maybe next time instead of trying to get news media involved, one might actually read one's bank statements

If you read my posts, you wouldn't make that comment. You never fail to make snarky comments. As I stated in this thread, my computer was not working when I went to the bank and asked the teller if the deposit for that specific amount had been made. She said no. Earlier printout of the statement in November I obtained at the bank didn't show the deposit. After my computer started working, I was able to see all the statements myself on the screen.