Thousands of British families have had their half-term holiday ruined, after Center Parcs closed four of its parks due to damage caused by storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin.
After closing four of its parks last weekend, Center Parcs contacted customers on Sunday February 20 saying: “Elveden, Longleat and Woburn Forest remain closed for break of 21 Feb – guests should not travel.”
Explaining the situation, Center Parcs told the Telegraph: “In light of the extreme weather forecasted we took the decision to close four of our villages for the weekend break of February 18. Due to the impact of the high winds, three of those villages remain closed.”
Customers were offered the option for a full refund or to rebook later in the year, but some complained that choosing new dates meant paying more for their holiday.
Page McGregor, whose Center Parcs holiday was cancelled due to the storms, told the Telegraph: “You could select another date but [Center Parcs] wouldn’t honour the price we paid, so if you picked a week that was more expensive you had to pay the difference, and obviously at this point in the year all other school holiday dates are much more expensive, especially if like us you booked close to a year in advance to get the best price possible.”
Another customer, Rebecca Evans, said: “All other school holiday deals this year are significantly more expensive, and as we have school age children and work the Friday to Monday breaks do not offer good value as we’d arrive late Friday and have to leave Sunday.
“I’m quite surprised they have not offered any gesture of good will or incentive to rebook.”
One customer, Chris Rowles, questioned Center Parcs on Twitter over the price discrepancy after attempting to rebook.
A spokesperson for Center Parcs said: “We are not offering any discount or compensation and guests can either cancel their break with a full refund or re-schedule for a different date.”
Center Parcs says that it is aiming to reopen its parks on Friday if it is safe to do so. “We do not take the decision to close any of our villages lightly and we hope our guests will understand why we felt it is necessary to take this course of action.”
Below we outline your rights if your holiday has been affected by the storms over the past week, whether you were booked with Center Parcs, at another accommodation in the UK, or on an international holiday.
What to do if your Center Parcs holiday has been affected
The good news is that you will be eligible for a full refund, if your holiday has been cancelled by Center Parcs this week. In the company’s terms and conditions (in section H4) it says: “In the event of adverse weather, your booking will only be refunded if your chosen village is closed.”
However, if you would like to rebook your holiday for later in the year, you could face a higher price. Center Parcs says: “If your new break is more expensive, you will be required to pay any additional cost. If your new break is less expensive, we will refund the difference.”
You will be able to claim a refund on the activities prebooked for your stay, although you will not receive compensation from Center Parcs for other expenses surrounding your holiday such as pet boarding, transport and other accommodation costs. The company says: “We cannot take responsibility or pay compensation if we cancel or change your booking in any way because of events beyond our control.”
What if I had to cancel my accommodation due to the storms?
Many people will have been unable to go on their UK holiday due to the storms; for example if their home was damaged, if roads were impassable due to flooding, or if trains were cancelled.
If you booked accommodation over half term but could not make it, it is worth contacting your provider to see if they will offer a refund or rebooking option, though they are not obliged to do so if the reason for cancellation was out of their control. It is always best to make contact as soon as possible, if you cannot attend your booking.
If your provider does not offer a rebooking or refund option, you may be covered by your travel insurance. If you have annual travel insurance cover, it is worth contacting your provider to see if they will compensate for any losses incurred due to severe weather.
What if my holiday accommodation cancelled my holiday due to the storms?
If your accommodation cancelled your booking due to the storms, they will be obliged to find you an alternative accommodation option at the same or higher standard, or to offer a full refund.
You will also be entitled to claim damages as compensation for any losses in finding an alternative place to stay, for example transport fares or extra accommodation costs. But you have a legal duty to keep losses to a minimum.
What if I couldn’t make my flight due to the storms?
If you fail to board your flight but your flight does take off, your airline has no obligation to refund or rebook your ticket. However, some companies offer flexible options in severe weather conditions. British Airways, for example, has operated a flexible rebooking policy during the storms over the past week.
If you have no luck after contacting your flight provider, contact your travel insurer to see if you are covered for this eventuality.
What if my flights were delayed by storms?
If your flight has been delayed, airlines encourage you to travel to the airport ahead of the original departure time anyway. In severe weather warnings, passengers are advised to leave plenty of time to get to the airport, as there could be delays on trains and on the roads. You will not be entitled to compensation if the delays are due to bad weather, and your only option is to wait until the flight departs. You may, however, be entitled to a small amount of compensation from your airline to cover food costs, and accommodation if your flight is delayed overnight.
What if my flights were cancelled due to the storms?
If your flight has been cancelled due to bad weather, your options are to wait to be placed on an alternative flight, or to request a refund (which will include a refund for the return leg). Contact your airline direct if you do wish to claim a refund, but beware that in doing so you will waive your right to being placed on another flight.
Note that you will not be eligible to claim additional compensation for your cancelled flight if it is due to severe weather, and not the fault of the airline.
If you opt for an alternative flight, it is your choice as to whether you take the next available flight, or to travel at a later date. If you decide to travel at a later date, you may be able to claim compensation on reasonable expenses, such as overnight accommodation and a reasonable cost of phone calls. If you cannot contact your airline direct, you will be expected to pay for the accommodation yourself and then claim the cash back later. Keep your receipts.
My package holiday was cancelled, will I get a refund?
If you booked a holiday with an ATOL-protected company, and the tour operator cancelled your holiday due to the storms, you will be entitled to a full refund or a rebooking option. Contact your holiday company direct to enquire about your rights.