A group of friends came to South Florida to attend a reggae concert. Once they got home they realized they’d been charged for the entire minibar even though they say they never had a sip. So they turned to Help Me Howard with Brandon Beyer.
Tammy Morley was all smiles when she visited Miami for the best of the best, a reggae concert in Bayfront Park.
Tammy Morley: “You get your chairs, your umbrella and you’re out there just watching the artists on the stage.”
Tammy and two friends flew in from the Bahamas. They chose a hotel close by so they could walk to the festival.
Tammy Morley: “So we could get to and from our event without having to drive and worry about parking.”
The concert was a blast and they spent hours in the park listening to music.
Tammy Morley: “It ended like 11 [p.m.] we walked back to the hotel, it was fantastic.”
A couple days later – they checked out of their hotel – and headed home.
Tammy Morley: “But about two or three days later, I get an invoice.”
For $626.59.
Tammy had been charged for every single item in the hotel minibar.
Tammy Morley: I’m like ‘But I didn’t use the minibar,’ I didn’t take any item out of the minibar because who does that?”
She was even charged for the snacks.
Tammy Morley: “Then they have food bites, potato chips, plantains.”
And oddly enough, according to her receipt – everything had been removed at the same time: 7:24 p.m.
Tammy Morley: “We went and hugged everything in the refrigerator and brought it out.”
Tammy says she would never pay minibar prices, much less empty the fridge.
Tammy Morley: “Who purchases from the minibar when you go to the hotel? I’m sorry, I’m from the Bahamas we know that those things are ridiculously priced.”
She tried to handle it herself but was getting nowhere.
Tammy Morley: “I was angry, I felt helpless, I was livid.”
And then her friend had an idea.
Tammy Morley: “She said ‘No Tammy, call Help Me Howard, write Help Me Howard,’ and that’s what I did.”
Howard, it might be a minibar but that’s a full sized bill.
Howard Finkelstein: “The law requires the hotel must prove she took the items. In most cases they only have circumstantial evidence to work with. It’s your room, you did it. Maybe someone else took the items, maybe it was a mix up. But Tammy says it wasn’t her – now she just has to convince the hotel, and if she can’t convince them, she can contest the charges with the credit card company.”
We emailed Tammy’s hotel who told us:
“… After a thorough internal review …we have issued a full refund of the $626.59 minibar charge.”
Tammy was thrilled.
Tammy Morley: “I was elated and just so grateful and thankful.”
The hotel also offered Tammy a free night stay which she can use for next years concert.
Tammy Morley: “I’m realizing Help Me Howard is as real as real can be and I’m just so grateful that I called Help Me Howard to help me out of this mess. I can’t even say enough.”
Howard says if you don’t plan on using the minibar, you can always let your hotel know in advance and they can lock it up for you.
Hey, got a problem? Need a hand? Here’s how you can find us below. It’s Help Me Howard. I’m Brandon Beyer, 7 News.
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