Jade Legge has been overwhelmed with the generosity of free accommodation offers following being turned away from a Napier hotel for not having a credit card. Photo / Supplied
Jade Legge has been overwhelmed with the generosity of free accommodation offers following being turned away from a Napier hotel for not having a credit card. Photo / Supplied
A family spurned by a Napier hotel for not having a credit card have received multiple offers of free lodgings from accommodation providers in Hawke's Bay.
Jade Legge and her family from Wairarapa were rejected from the Scenic Hotel Te Pania on Saturday as they had only a debit card,despite offering to pay a cash bond for their rooms.
Responding to Hawke's Bay Today queries, the hotel said it was company policy, consistent with many hotels around the globe, to require the presentation of a photo ID and credit card upon check-in.
A spokeswoman said the policy was noted on its website and third-party booking websites prior to booking, "and again in the confirmation email once booking is made".
Jessica Wilson, head of research at Consumer New Zealand, said that while retailers are entitled to decide what payment terms they will accept and aren't obliged to take cash, they should be very clear about payment policies on their website and before customers go to make a booking.
"However, we'd expect companies' payment policies to be reasonable," she said.
"In this case, the customer didn't have a credit card and offered to pay by debit card and pay a cash bond. It's hard to see a good reason why these alternatives weren't acceptable to the company."
Debit cards have risen in use as some customers prefer avoiding going into debt, as a debit card uses one's own money she said.
"It does seem a bit unreasonable in our view that there's a blanket policy of not accepting debit cards, [it's] unreasonable for those who don't have a credit card or don't want to get one."
She said it "really disadvantages" people who don't have credit cards.
Ballina Motel is one of the few accommodation businesses which have offered the family a free stay in Hawke's Bay. Photo / Paul Taylor
Multiple accommodation businesses have contacted Hawke's Bay Today and Legge directly to offer the family free accommodation.
Legge said she'd been "overwhelmed by the generosity" of the offers and support she'd received.
One of those offers comes from Tim Stephens, owner of Ballina Motel in Taradale, who has offered the family a free weekend stay.
"We were a little bit horrified that [Scenic Hotel] Te Pania had turned them away.
"I read the article in the paper this morning and they look like a nice couple; I understand why the hotel does that ... but they deserved better."
Stephens said requiring a credit card is common in the industry and while most people have credit cards, "there are people who do not have credit cards, why should they be penalised?"
He said there was "a bit more flexibility" regarding payment at his motel. In the situation where someone doesn't have a credit card, they would normally take a bond, he said.
Legge said while they are very thankful for the offers, they're unable to get away from the farm until January or February next year.
"If we had a weekend we could come up, we would love to."
They still want to have their Hawke's Bay holiday some time in the near future and look forward to taking their children to the National Aquarium.
Scenic Hotel Group reiterated its stance on Tuesday, and said its position has been confirmed as lawful compliant with Consumer NZ.
"This policy is supported by no less than three touchpoints throughout the booking and confirmation process, all of which were accepted by the Legge family, only to then become an issue on presentation to the hotel," a spokesperson said.
"[We're] empathetic to the family, however we're of the view that this policy was well communicated during the booking process and indeed accepted by the booker."
