Claim compensation for a holiday

Summary

If something goes wrong with your holiday, you should report it as soon as you can. * the holiday you went on was lower in value than the one you booked, for example you paid for a deluxe room but only got a standard room - this is called ‘loss of value’ and you can claim back the difference in value if it wasn't sorted out at the time * you had to spend extra money because of a problem with the holiday, for example, the hotel was a bus ride away from the beach and not across the road as advertised - this is called claiming for ‘out-of-pocket expenses’ and you’ll need receipts like bus tickets * a large part of the services you booked weren’t provided - for example your holiday included a 2-day excursion that was cancelled and the company's local representative didn’t organise another * something goes wrong that causes you distress or disappointment, for example if the pool was closed for the whole trip - this is called ‘loss of enjoyment’ There’s no strict guidance on how much you can claim for loss of enjoyment. You’ll need to think of an amount that reflects the portion of the holiday that was affected. Your claim must be reasonable - if your hotel was 3 miles from the beach.

Key information

• •the holiday you went on was lower in value than the one you booked, for example you paid for a deluxe room but only got a standard room - this is called ‘loss of value’ and you can claim back the difference in value if it wasn't sorted out at the time
• •you had to spend extra money because of a problem with the holiday, for example, the hotel was a bus ride away from the beach and not across the road as advertised - this is called claiming for ‘out-of-pocket expenses’ and you’ll need receipts like bus tickets
• •a large part of the services you booked weren’t provided - for example your holiday included a 2-day excursion that was cancelled and the company's local representative didn’t organise another
• •something goes wrong that causes you distress or disappointment, for example if the pool was closed for the whole trip - this is called ‘loss of enjoyment’
• •you simply didn’t enjoy the holiday, even though it matched what you booked
• •the problem was out of the holiday company’s control - like bad weather
• •you’ve already been compensated, for example if the hotel compensated you while you were staying there
• •a refund if you haven’t travelled yet
• •to finish your holiday and a flight home without paying extra, if the airline goes bust during your holiday
• •to finish your holiday and transport home if you’re already on holiday
• •clear details of what went wrong
• •copies any evidence you have - like photos

Practical guidance

• •Source: [Claim compensation for a holiday](https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/holiday-cancellations-and-compensation/claim-compensation-for-a-holiday/)

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