More bad publicity for WooGo

The Observer in London runs a travel column in which readers ask questions or raise complaints. The Aug. 13 issue contained this little snippet on WooGo.

Thought some of the folks who are tracking the ongoing WooGo saga might be interested:

Observer Cash Pages

Cash: Your problems: Holiday vouchers went off the rails: She writes your wrongs

MARGARET DIBBEN

913 words

13 August 2006

The Observer

17

English

漏 Copyright 2006. The Observer. All rights reserved.

I booked hotel accommodation in New York through the agency WooGo for 11 nights. After three nights, I changed accommodation and cancelled, giving the required 24 hours%26#39; notice. WooGo agreed to refund $1,055, saying this would take a maximum of three weeks, but nine weeks later I am still waiting for the money. Every time I ask, I am told there are technical problems with the refund procedure, which I am assured will be resolved within the next few days.

LF, Chessington

It is strange that technical problems can affect a company%26#39;s ability to pay refunds but not its ability to bank money that customers have paid in. WooGo told me too that technical problems were affecting refunds and it was doing its best to rectify the problem. If it really cannot get the computer mended promptly, someone ought to be writing cheques by hand.

WooGo assured me that you would receive your money in two weeks. Let me know if it does not arrive.

More bad publicity for WooGo

The only surprise bigger than these guys still being in business is that people continue to book with them. Good luck, you%26#39;ll need it. Sorry, harsh, but true.

More bad publicity for WooGo

Hi,

That was me!! I evetually got my refund today, and that was because Tesco Visa (not WooGo) refunded me the money, and are now pursuing WooGo for the outstanding amount. Also Margaret Dibben was most helpful - she took the case up on my behalf, and her intervention was crucial - Visa were dragging their feet a bit on this, until she contacted them. So there are two lessons from this

(1) always book using a credit card, then you should be protected against fraud or non delivvery of goods/services

(2) Write a letter of complaint to the press and get details of your case published, that puts pressure on the agency/credit card company - they hate bad publicity !!

Leon999

I booked with Woogo (their london apartments ) but

cancelled well within the required 24 hours time frame. This

was on the 23rd August. I am still waiting for my refund

on my credit card. Any suggestions on how best to retrieve

it ?

I was SOOOO tempted to visit one of the WooGo locations while I was on vaca in NYC -- not to stay - just to see the dump in person - after reading so much about over the past months.

Go to WooGoSucks.com for more information about WooGo%26#39;s business practices and what to do to take action and get relief.

Good luck!

And they are still ALLOWED to be in business!

To kaitoki,

Get in touch with your credit card company as they should be able to help you. Basically if you buy anything on a credit card and things don%26#39;t work out, the credit card company has some liability to help you get your money back. This is true of all major issuers (VISA, Mastercard, Amex etc).

It%26#39;s something to do with the fact that they should only offer you credit, and potentially leave you in debit, on something that is worthy of such credit (it gets a bit complicated!) This rule DOESN%26#39;T apply to debit cards, which is always why you should pay for things such as holidays, travel, expensive goods on your credit card.

To kaitoki,

Get in touch with your credit card company as they should be able to help you. Basically if you buy anything on a credit card and things don%26#39;t work out, the credit card company has some liability to help you get your money back. This is true of all major issuers (VISA, Mastercard, Amex etc).

It%26#39;s something to do with the fact that they should only offer you credit, and potentially leave you in debit, on something that is worthy of such credit (it gets a bit complicated!) This rule DOESN%26#39;T apply to debit cards, which is always why you should pay for things such as holidays, travel, expensive goods on your credit card.

thanks for the advice will contact my credirt card

company and go from there and will keep you posted

as to the results.

I thought some of you might like to see this follow-up article on LF%26#39;s experience with WooGo ... from the Oct. 1 issue of the Observer.

Sounds like Margaret Dibben is really on the case:

Observer Cash Pages

Cash: She writes your wrongs: Surprise bonus as refund difficulties finally solved

Margaret Dibben

196 words

1 October 2006

The Observer

19

English

漏 Copyright 2006. The Observer. All rights reserved.

You published my letter on 13 August about accommodation agency Woogo, which had not sent a promised $1,055 refund to my credit card because of %26#39;technical difficulties%26#39;. Woogo told you I would get the money in two weeks. I did not, so I contacted my credit card provider, Tesco. Tesco said I needed to get from Woogo the specific amount being claimed, but Woogo refuses to provide it.

LF, Chessington

I feared Woogo would not fulfil its promise to pay you promptly. When I asked again, it said the technical problem had been solved and all refunds would be sent the following week. Still no money arrived, so I called on Tesco%26#39;s dual liability under the Consumer Credit Act.

Tesco%26#39;s normal procedure would be first to charge back the amount to Woogo to try to get the money but, because you have already been waiting so long, it credited pounds 621 to your account straightaway. This is about pounds 50 more than you expected because the pound has strengthened against the US dollar during the delay.