Booking.com has retained R6,136 of my funds for services that were never rendered, as well as compromised my safety.

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding two bookings made through your platform, which have resulted in a financial loss of R6,136, severe inconvenience, and the compromise of my personal safety and wellbeing. More than a month later, I am still awaiting a refund and any meaningful resolution.

On November 28 my friends and I made a booking for three rooms at The City Club, in Observatory, Cape Town. Payment of R3,096 was successfully processed. Only after payment was made did we receive communication stating that the establishment was fully booked. We were informed via email that a refund would be processed within 7–12 business days. To date, more than a month later, this refund has still not been received.

We immediately contacted the establishment, who confirmed that the refund would need to be processed by Booking.com, as the funds were still in your possession.

Due to the urgency of needing accommodation for the following night, we made a second booking on the same day (28 November) at a property in Parklands Kaedam, paying R3,040 for one night. On November 29, upon arrival to check in, the individual residing at the property informed us that he was the homeowner, that the property was **not meant to be listed on Booking.com**, and that he had been attempting to have it removed from the platform. He further stated that multiple guests had experienced the same issue and were turned away. We were asked to leave the premises immediately.

Attempts to contact the listed host via the Booking.com platform were unsuccessful, as messages have gone unanswered and calls go straight to voicemail. This situation left us stranded, distressed, and placed our personal safety at risk, after already having lost a significant amount of money.

I have made numerous attempts to contact Booking.com via telephone, including the South African helpline, only to be met with automated responses that have been entirely unhelpful and have failed to address the urgency and seriousness of this matter.

In total, Booking.com has retained R6,136 of my funds for services that were never rendered. Beyond the financial loss, the failure to vet listings properly and the lack of adequate customer support has caused emotional distress and compromised our safety.

I hereby formally request:

The immediate refund of R6,136 in full;

A written explanation for the excessive delay in processing my refund;

Assurance that appropriate action will be taken against *****ulent or inaccurate listings to prevent similar incidents.

Should this matter not be resolved promptly, I will be forced to escalate the issue to relevant consumer protection bodies, including the National Consumer Commission of South Africa, and consider further legal action.

I trust that Booking.com will treat this complaint with the seriousness it warrants and respond urgently.

Yours faithfully, Cape Town, South Africa