How can I contest an excessive hotel bill?
October 11, 2022 | 40,00 EUR | answered by Oliver Breitwieser
Dear lawyer,
My name is Georg Zollmann and I recently stayed at a hotel for my vacation. Unfortunately, I found that the hotel bill was significantly higher than expected. I had booked a package tour in advance and therefore assumed that all costs were covered. However, I have been charged additional fees for various services and amenities at the hotel that I did not even use.
I am very concerned about this inflated bill and wonder how I can address this issue. Can I refuse to pay or are there legal steps I can take to review and potentially correct the bill? Are there any specific laws or regulations in travel law that could help me in this situation?
I am willing to engage with the hotel and want to ensure that I am not unfairly charged. Therefore, I would greatly appreciate it if you could suggest possible solutions on how to address the inflated hotel bill.
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Georg Zollmann
Dear Mr. Zollmann,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the excessive hotel bill you received after your stay. It is understandable that you are concerned about the additional costs and want to ensure that you are not being unfairly charged. I am happy to explain to you what steps you can take in this situation.
First and foremost, it is important to check whether the additional fees that were charged to you are actually legitimate. In a package holiday, all costs for accommodation, meals, and certain services are usually predetermined and should not be increased afterwards. So if you have been billed for services that were not included in your booked package holiday or that you did not use, these charges may not be legitimate.
In such a case, I recommend that you first contact the hotel and dispute the bill. Get in touch with the hotel in writing and list the services that you were not aware of or did not use. Request a detailed breakdown of the costs and demand an explanation for the additional fees.
If the hotel does not respond to your complaint or refuses to correct the bill, as a consumer under travel law, you have various legal options. For example, you can demand a reduction in the price of the trip or claim for damages. In serious cases, you can even terminate the travel contract and demand a refund of the already paid travel price.
It is advisable to seek legal advice in such cases in order to enforce your rights. An experienced travel law attorney can help you to assess the situation, represent your rights, and take legal action if necessary.
I hope this information is helpful to you and wish you success in resolving the excessive hotel bill.
Sincerely,
Oliver Breitwieser
