What to do when your hotel has double booked

What do you do when you check in to a hotel only to find someone else is already in your room?

Overbooking is a common practice in the hotel trade and whether you get compensation will depend on how you book.

Put simply, you'll be in a much better position if you booked the hotel as part of a package through a UK tour operator or travel agent than if you booked direct with the hotel or via an online agent.

If you booked the hotel and transport as part of a holiday package through a tour operator or travel agent, the holiday should be covered by the Package Travel Directive and the company you booked with will be obliged to consider any claim for compensation.

If you booked online with an agent, like expedia.com or lastminute.com, making your travel arrangements separately, your contract is with the hotel, not with them.

This can make it harder to get compensation as you may well be dealing with a company not based in the UK.

If your room has been double booked you should give the hotel, the tour operator or the travel agent the chance to offer you alternative accommodation.

If no alternative is offered and you have to pay for somewhere yourself you should try to reclaim the cost when you return home.

If the original hotel puts you up in alternative accommodation that is sub-standard, you can claim the difference in value between the hotel you booked and the replacement. You might also be able to claim compensation for loss of enjoyment.

To make a claim easier, always book hotels with a credit card or Visa debit card as the card issuer will be jointly liable with the hotel or operator for breach of contract.

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