So last week when Nick was at school, the hotel required a credit/debit card at check-in. Okay, no problem, the room's already been paid for by Nick's company, so he gave him his debit card to hold for incidentals. I was looking at the bank account a few days later and noticed an outstanding authorization for $440. So I called Nick and he said he'd check on it. On the day of check-out they hand him a bill and say that they've charged the amount to the card he gave them. "No, no, no - that's not right, " he tells them. So they do some checking, see that it should have gone on the company's card and charge it instead.
Fast forward to this week - a charge for $440 comes out of our bank account and causes $140 in overdraft fees. So I call the hotel, and they're happy to credit back the $440 - in a few days - but not the $140. And of course that $140 (not to mention the $440!) was earmarked to cover things we already spent - like for gas and milk and eggs. Now those things are coming in and will cause even more overdraft fees.
Meanwhile we don't have enough money to pay the girls' health insurance premiums (or several other bills, but that one is the most urgent), and Nick is seriously leaning toward wanting me to go back to work. But if I go back to work, I'm not going to be able to get the shift I had before, which means there's no one to pick Morgan up from school. And my mom is not healthy enough to babysit any more, so that means we'd have to find full time day care for the baby now and both of them come summer, which would pretty much suck up all the money I'd be bringing in anyway.
And I know that God has a plan, and I'm trying really hard to have faith, but...it's hard.
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7 comments:
It's their mistake which caused the overdraft fee. Insist they cover it. Call your bank, ask for the person in charge, explain that you are getting the situation handled, but since it was not your mistake originally, you need a hero. You need him/her to stop the avalanche of fees that it began while you solve the problem. He/she will have that authority. You must stay calm, and appeal to their power, kindness, authority to be successful. If they insist they cannot help, be extremely polite, say "I just know there's someone who might be able to - who is the regional manager?", etc and keep going using the same technique. If the hotel will not refund the additional fee, use the same method, also ask for the name of the individual who is responsible for the charge, and the name of the manager of that hotel. Continue going up customer service chains as well. You will probably have no trouble getting it back in small claims court with proper documentation ( you must have really good documentation), but it's easier to just get them to give it back with phone calls and letters.
Thanks for the advice, Impish. The bank won't give it back because it
was not their error. And I worked for the bank for ten years, so I know the processes and there is just no one up the line who will take a different stance. I'm working on it with the hotel, but so far I can't get the higher ups to call me back. :(
This is a lot different, but there are similarities to the situation..
I bought Scott a PS3 for Christmas, and paid the near 50 dollars for the anything warranty- since we have a two year old. A few weeks later, that two year old did something to break the play station. We called, and conveniently enough the whole entire city (we live in Colorado Springs, pretty darn big city!) was sold out of the 120 GB- BUT, they kept informing us that for only 50 dollars we could upgrade to the 250 (or 200 or whatever it is lol). Weeks and weeks go by and they are all still out of the one we need! So.. my friend insists that that is NOT proper customer service, and that it is not our fault that they are not agreeing to honoring our warranty. So she calls. She gets all the higher ups on the phone- and eventually they upgrade us, for free!
She does it all the time. Because companies nowadays seem to be less and less about customer service, even medical companies and insurance companies. You name it, she gets what she wants. You just have to be aggressive. They ARE responsible for the charges, and they need to give you your money right now.
It's hard- for me at least- but sometimes you just gotta be a bitch. If they aren't willing to work with you- then you have to give them no other option. You don't have to flail about and swear to the heavens and all that- but she manages to do it.
Just keep trying. You should be able to get what you want. it's not your fault. I'm really sorry this is happening to you. I feel for you.. and I relate to this.. I really do. =(
I had the same sort of thing happen on a business trip a couple of years ago. It was a nightmare getting the actual room charges refunded from the hotel accounting staff. I had to climb further up the corporate hierarchy in order to get the overdraft fees refunded. But the persistence paid off.
Tracy, I don't know the system on your side of the pond.
What the others say seems right.
Keeping you in my thoughts.
Love and warm hugs,
Paul.
You are not asking the bank to give it back - just to put a hold on the avalanche of new overdraft fees they are adding on each new overdraft that is coming out of the original unfair overdraft that the hotel caused.At the hotel: insist on holding for the higher ups, just put the phone on speaker and carry it around with you. If they insist on hanging up, tell them you will be calling back in an hour (every hour), and then do it. The squeaky wheel eventually gets paid because it's cheaper than the interruption to their business. You must be unfailingly polite though; just tell them that your family's needs makes this an emergency so you're very sorry but you are unable to wait. Good luck!
My dear Angel -
Might I suggest that you ask your loving husband to enlist his employer's help in the matter. Perhaps they can use some additional leverage that you are not able to wield, such as telling the recalcitrant hotel that they will not send anyone there in the future if they do not satisfactorily deal with this problem. It is also possible that Nick's employer will reimburse you on the late fees since he was on a business trip.
In addition, if you do not get satisfaction from your bank, I would switch banks immediately. I recently had an overdraft of 33 cents which caused a 35 dollar fee. When I begged the bank to rescind the fee, they did. I'd suggest using a local bank or credit union rather then the big, national banks if you are not already doing so.
Regards,
Frank
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