🚨 Booking.com’s Refund Practices Are Harming Consumers — EU & UK Regulators Must Act Now

❗ The Problem: “Non‑Refundable” Is Being Used Illegally

Booking.com routinely hides behind “non‑refundable” terms to deny refunds — even when the accommodation is:

🔴 Not as described 🔴 Unsafe 🔴 Uninhabitable 🔴 Missing essential utilities (water, ventilation, Wi‑Fi) 🔴 A clear breach of contract

Under EU & UK consumer‑protection law, non‑refundable clauses DO NOT apply when the service is not delivered. Yet Booking.com continues to deny refunds in exactly these situations.

This is not a misunderstanding — it is a systemic pattern.

 
⚠️ Booking.com Protects Problematic Properties Instead of Travellers

Consumers across Europe and the UK report that Booking.com:

🚫 refuses to review photo/video evidence 🚫 accepts the host’s denial without investigation 🚫 keeps unsafe or fraudulent listings active 🚫 provides no escalation beyond scripted replies 🚫 shields properties with repeated complaints

This creates a marketplace where dangerous, misleading, or uninhabitable properties remain online, while Booking.com continues earning commission.

 
💸 A Commission‑Driven System That Hurts Travellers

Booking.com earns commission per booking, even when:

❌ the stay is impossible ❌ the property is unsafe ❌ the listing is misleading ❌ the traveller must pay again for alternative accommodation

In many cases, travellers are forced to rebook through Booking.com — meaning the platform earns double commission for the same dates.

This is a perverse incentive that rewards:

⚠️ refund denial ⚠️ host protection ⚠️ lack of investigation ⚠️ unsafe listings ⚠️ consumer harm

Millions of travellers are affected.

 
📉 The Evidence Is Overwhelming
Across major consumer platforms, Booking.com holds extremely low ratings:

⭐ Trustpilot — 1.5/5 (125,000+ reviews)

⭐ ConsumerAffairs — 1.1/5

⭐ BBB — 1.03/5

⭐ SiteJabber & ComplaintsBoard — thousands of unresolved complaints

⭐ Reddit & TripAdvisor — recurring reports of unsafe accommodation & refund refusal

This is not an isolated issue — it is a global pattern.

 
🛑 Consumers Deserve Better

Travellers deserve:

✔ accurate listings ✔ safe accommodation ✔ fair refunds ✔ transparent policies ✔ real escalation paths ✔ accountability from global platforms

Booking.com’s current practices raise serious concerns about compliance with:

📜 EU Consumer Rights Directive 📜 UK Consumer Rights Act 📜 EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive 📜 Spanish Consumer Protection Law

 
📣 We Call for Immediate EU & UK Regulatory Review
We urge:

🇪🇺 DG JUST (European Commission)  🇪🇺 CPC Network  🇳🇱 ACM Netherlands  🇪🇺 ECC‑Net 🇬🇧 UK Trading Standards

to investigate Booking.com’s widespread misuse of “non‑refundable” clauses, its protection of unsafe properties, and its commission‑driven incentives that harm consumers.

 
✊ Sign This Petition to Demand Accountability

Together, we can push regulators to act — and protect millions of travellers from unfair treatment.