How long do I need to wait for my refund from Booking com?

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By Christopher Elliott

After checking out of a vacation rental paid through Booking com, Emily Radocha expected a refund of her security deposit within 30 days. But the company never sent the $250. Can Booking com just keep her money?

Question

I recently booked a reservation on Booking com at Pelican Stay, a furnished apartment building in Portland’s Pearl District. I paid the owner a security deposit of $250, which was to be returned to me no longer than 30 days after my stay. After 30 days, I checked with Booking.com to find out what happened to the refund since I hadn’t received it. Booking.com tried to help me but has also had no success.

I would like my $250 security deposit back. Booking com has suggested that I file a credit card dispute, but I can’t do that since I’m past the 90-day window for a dispute. Can you help? — Emily Radocha, Kalamazoo, Mich.

Answer

Booking com should have sent you your refund by now. And if the apartment owner or manager couldn’t send it back, Booking com or your credit card should have been able to help.

I think I know why you’ve experienced such unreasonable delays. Your stay happened just as the pandemic started. Everything was chaotic, and refunds were taking longer than expected across the board. Of course, this is no excuse — but it may explain why Booking.com couldn’t get the merchant’s attention. The world had just been turned upside down.

Indeed, when you reached out to Pelican Stay, you received a polite note that apologized for the delay, which it blamed on the coronavirus outbreak. It said your refund “might be processed after 30 days due to quarantine order within our area.” But that was in March 2020. Should it have taken this long?

No, it shouldn’t. And by the way, that 60-day limit for filing a credit card dispute, which is required under the Fair Credit Billing Act, doesn’t mean your credit card company can’t get involved in a dispute. Credit card issuers don’t have to accept disputes that go back more than 60 days. But they often do. You can read more about credit card disputes in our ultimate guide on the topic.

The good news: Here’s your refund from Booking com

I can’t believe Booking com wouldn’t help you secure your refund. You were more than patient, and your emails to the company were polite. I guess Booking com just sees itself as the middleman and that you have to take up any disputes directly with the merchant. Maybe next time, you should consider working with a travel advisor who can advocate for you.

Allianz Travel Insurance has built its reputation on partnering with agents all around the world to provide comprehensive travel insurance for their clients. Contact Allianz Travel Insurance for a comprehensive list of coverage.

Our research team lists the names, numbers, and email addresses of the Booking com executives in our database found at the top of our homepage. You could have sent a brief email to one of the managers, appealing this case.

I contacted Pelican Stay on your behalf, and it refunded your $250. Better late than never!

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Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter. He is based in Panamá City.

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