optimista

(Short, sharp) shagging pants. Surely.

Does anyone in (French speaking) homosexual circles know the significance of "le boeuf" to said adherents? (Yes, still on hubby's trail.)

You are offered the ex post discount as a lure to open an account and authorise them to keep your card details by the Dutch company. Then the Irish company pays the discount. I do not use booking to book. This was the exception. So I do not want them keeping my card details. Why should they? But it is effing impossible to remove them from said account, or even close said account. So far. Now why would this be?

Surely a no brainer. They will pay for him for go to the US or send their man to Europe. What sort of relationship is the prospective US partner offering if the advance risk is at the expense of the DE peep? Who will be doing whom a favour? Yes, it's going to be mutually beneficial. Sure. But that's just an empty promise at this juncture. If they are not willing to stump up, the alarm bells should be ringing loud and clear.

The plot thickens. Even though they say they have no contract with you, they manage to access your cash, invest it for a few hours, benefit from your free credit and lovely cash flow and then pay the hotel later? Hmm. In their small print it says you pay the hotel directly. The wording they use on your statement is misleading. Unnamed hotel on booking.com. You are paying the hotel not booking.com. In theory.   In the past, I have picked the brains of the likes of booking.com, found the hotel site and booked directly. This time I was lured into leaving my card details on an account in order to receive a discount. Now I cannot remove my card details or close the account - for the moment.

Why do you think you pay booking.com? Have you read the small print? What does it say on your bank statement?

No. This is not what happens. Read the small print.

No. This is exactly my point. They do not. You pay the hotel. Not them.   They do however require your card details for a reservation. Why? They also forward your details to third parties if you have an account with them. Why would you need an account if you have no contract with them?

John you are blaming yourself and interpreting that look. Maybe he was saying goodbye and I don't want to go. Does not mean you were wrong. You did the kind and courageous thing by putting an end to his suffering. Yes, it sucks. A no win situation.   Some bastard hit our cat and she has a broken hip and a severed tail. It has to come off next week and she will have to be immobilised for a month in order for the hip to stand a chance to mend. I would call it a day but hubby is going this route.

Booking.com. Their small print. You never have a contract with them. The contract is between you and the hotel. I guess they are providing a service by guaranteeing your reservation when you provide your card details. They claim they take no booking fee from the traveller, but their prices are higher than if you go onto the hotel site directly. What is the difference? A rose by any other name?   They lure you into opening an account with them (a Dutch or Belgian company - N.V or B.V. can't remember off hand) by offering a discount after your stay. Which is then paid by a company in Ireland. So clearly they have sent your card details to a third party. With whom you have no contract.   Why would you need an account with someone you do not have a contract with? Try removing your card details from your account. Impossible. You can add another card, but you can't remove one. Try closing your account. You get a message saying your request has been earmarked for consideration... why would the Irish company pay a discount onto your card when they have no contract with you? We all know there is no such thing as a free dinner.

Indeed a hefty dose of imagination has to be applied to this one in the absence of more information. Even then ideas such as those above do not justify the eldest's claim. I think she'll be spending Xmases alone from now on.

So at stake is ca. 30K a head, maximum. Nice to have but hardly life changing. Patience is a virtue. Life is so short. What is wrong with your aunt?

I feel so lonely and excluded.

Wow, primogeniture still à la mode? She doesn't have a legal leg to stand on in 2019 in the UK. She is a very ignorant and stupid specimen. I think a little patience will go a long way. As long as she refuses to sign, she ain't getting no money either, thereby biting off her nose to spite her face. Has your mum tried holding her tight while her other sister gives her a good slap, like when they were kids? Frankly I would feel like trying that. Alternatively, you could point out that attorneys cost LOTS of money and this is where a huge chunk will go if she chooses to dig in her heels and fight a pointless battle. Please do not worry. It will come right when she realises she is onto a loser.   Plan B. Invite her round for a nice mushroom omelette. People make mistakes.

I cannot access outlook. Apparently I need to update Firefox on my Linux OS. Unfortunately that is beyond my ken...