Teletext Holidays to pay out £7m in outstanding refunds - here's how to make a claim

Info on the claims process comes after regulator the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched an investigation into Teletext and Alpharooms in February following complaints. The firms have since signed formal commitments – known as 'undertakings'– requiring them to refund affected customers as soon as possible and to take steps to ensure compliance with package travel regulations going forward.

Teletext Holidays has performed poorly in various surveys run by MoneySavingExpert.com looking at consumers' experiences with travel firms during the pandemic. In our most recent poll in December 2020, just 12% of Teletext Holidays customers who'd had bookings cancelled by the firm told us they'd received a full refund. See our Coronavirus Travel Rights guide for help with refunds and cancellations.

Refunds will be paid by 31 August 2021

Following CMA action, both Teletext and Alpharooms say they will "use all reasonable endeavours" to pay refunds by the deadlines set out in the table below. This refund process only applies to people who had their holidays cancelled by Teletext (not those who cancelled trips themselves). 

Some Teletext customers need to get in touch to ensure refunds are processed

Teletext and Alpharooms say they're "in the process" of reaching out to customers who have previously been in touch regarding refunds to tell them when payments will be made. However, due to the volume of emails received, the firms have split customers into the following groups which determines what action (if any) you need to take: 

• Complained to the firms and been told when your refund is due? You need to get in touch to process your refund. Contact the firms via online forms on Teletext and Alpharooms' websites. To complete the form, you need to make sure you have the lead passenger's surname, the booking reference, the email address used at the time of booking, and the departure date. You can also select whether to receive a cash refund or a refund credit note to use at a later date.  

• Complained to the firms but haven't heard when your refund will be processed? You may need to get in touch. When your refund is due depends on when your holiday was cancelled. Check out the table above to find out when you should expect your refund by and, if you haven't heard from Teletext by the month you're set to receive your refund, you'll need to fill out the online form on Teletext or Alpharooms' website.

• Not yet submitted a complaint about Teletext or Alpharooms? You need to fill out the online form. Contact the firms via online forms on Teletext and Alpharooms' websites.

All customers can request a cash refund

All customers can request a cash refund but how much you'll get back depends on whether you've already been partially refunded. 

The following customers will all be given a full cash refund: 

• You didn't get a refund credit note before 24 May 2021 but asked for one. 

• You received a refund credit note before 24 May 2021 but asked for a cash refund. 

• You received a refund credit note before 24 May 2021 but it's since expired and has not been redeemed.

• You do not fall into the above three categories but have been informed by Teletext that you will receive a full cash refund.

If your refund is delayed by more than 14 days or it isn't paid it by the dates detailed above, you can contact Teletext on covidrefunds@trulytravel.com with your details and a member of the team will contact you by phone or email.

The following customers will all be given a balancing cash refund: 

• You were paid a partial cash refund before 24 May 2021. Here, you'll get the remaining balance returned. 

• You received a credit refund note for for the full value of your original booking but have partially redeemed it. Here, you'll get the remaining credit refund note balance returned.

• You received a refund credit note for an amount less than the full value of your original booking and have fully or partially redeemed it. You'll get the balance for the remaining refund returned.

• If you have a refund credit note but don't fall into any of the above categories you will be offered an option to swap your refund credit note for a cash refund instead.

What does Teletext Holidays say?

Following its commitment to pay refunds, a Teletext Holidays spokesperson said: "The various restrictions on travel has meant that we had to cancel huge numbers of package holiday bookings. Ordinarily, we would have refunded these package holidays within 14 days but the scale of the cancellations and the failure of certain airlines to refund us the flight cost meant that we were not able to do so. We are very sorry for this."