Refund Policy

1. Scope

This policy covers refunds of money paid to Zelenso Travel for travel services we have arranged. It does not cover:

• money you have paid directly to a hotel, activity operator or other supplier, which is governed by that supplier's own terms;
• international flights, travel insurance or other services you booked yourself; or
• claims against your travel insurer, which are a matter between you and your insurer.

2. What is refundable and what is not

Generally refundable

• Amounts we hold that have not yet been committed to a supplier.
• Amounts a supplier returns to us after a cancellation.
• Payments for services we or a supplier cancel and cannot replace with an acceptable alternative.
• Duplicate payments and overpayments, in full.
• Amounts paid for a service that was not provided at all.

Generally not refundable

• Non-refundable supplier deposits already committed on your behalf, where we can evidence them.
• Permits, national park entrance fees and government charges already purchased in your name.
• Bank transfer charges, intermediary bank fees and card processing fees already incurred.
• The difference in value caused by currency movement between the date you paid and the date we refund.
• Services you chose not to use, where the service was available and delivered as agreed.

3. How a refund is calculated

• We start with the total you have paid us.
• We deduct the cancellation charge that applies under the Cancellation Policy.
• We deduct any supplier charge with stricter terms, shown separately.
• We deduct payment processing or transfer fees already incurred, where these cannot be recovered.
• We add back any amount a supplier subsequently returns to us for your booking.

Where our actual committed costs are lower than the standard cancellation charge, we charge the lower amount. We do not retain a margin on a cancellation beyond our reasonable committed costs and administration.

4. How refunds are paid

• Refunds are made to the person who made the original payment, using the original payment method wherever possible.
• Card payments are refunded to the card used. We cannot refund a card that has expired or been cancelled without additional verification.
• Bank transfers are refunded to the originating account.
• Refunds are made in the currency of the original payment, whether that was US Dollars, Euros or Sri Lankan Rupees, unless the law requires otherwise.
• We do not make refunds in cash and we do not refund to a third-party account except where the law requires it or you provide satisfactory evidence of entitlement.

5. How long a refund takes

We control the first two stages. The last stage depends on your bank or card issuer, and we cannot speed it up.

6. Refunds where a trip cannot go ahead

Where we cancel

If we cancel for a reason other than your non-payment or your breach of the Booking Terms, you may choose an alternative arrangement or a refund of the amounts you have paid for the cancelled services.

Unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances

Where unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances prevent the trip from going ahead, we will refund the amounts you have paid, less any sums a supplier will not return to us and which we cannot recover. We will tell you exactly what has been withheld and why, and we will keep pressing suppliers for a return after the refund has been made.

Where mandatory package travel law applies to your booking, you may be entitled to a full refund in these circumstances. Section 16 of our Booking Terms explains when that law applies.

Government restrictions and border closures

Where a government restriction prevents you from travelling or us from delivering the trip, we treat it as an unavoidable and extraordinary circumstance.

7. Specific situations

Flight delay and flight cancellation

We are not responsible for flights you book yourself. If a flight problem causes you to miss part of your trip, we will do what we can to rearrange, but suppliers may still charge for the missed service. Claims for flight disruption are made against the airline, and in some cases under air passenger rights legislation in the country of departure.

Illness or injury before travel

Cancellation charges still apply, because our committed costs are unchanged. Claim on your travel insurance, and we will provide the documentation your insurer needs.

Illness or injury during the trip

Tell us immediately. We will help you get medical assistance and we will contact suppliers about unused services. Amounts a supplier returns are passed to you in full. Amounts a supplier will not return are usually recoverable through travel insurance.

Death of a traveller

We will deal with the family or estate with care and without unnecessary formality. We will approach every supplier for a full waiver of charges and pass on everything recovered. We will provide the documentation required for an insurance or probate claim.

Visa refusal

Cancellation charges apply, because the reason is outside our control and our costs are committed. Some travel insurance policies cover visa refusal.

Unused services once the trip has started

No refund is generally due for a service that was available and that you chose not to use. Where a service was not available or was materially different from what was booked, tell us at the time so that we can put it right or arrange a price reduction.

Supplier failure

If a supplier fails to deliver, we will arrange an alternative or refund the affected element. Where we have already paid the supplier and the supplier will not return the money, we will still deal with your entitlement first and pursue the supplier separately.

8. Price reductions and compensation

A refund is not the only remedy. Where a service was delivered but fell materially short of what was agreed, we may offer a price reduction for that element instead. Where a failure caused you loss beyond the value of the service, our responsibility and its limits are set out in section 15 of the Booking Terms.

9. Duplicate payments, overpayments and payment errors

• Duplicate payments and overpayments are refunded in full, without deduction, as soon as we identify or are told about them.
• If we discover we have undercharged you because of our own error, we will tell you, and we will not ask you to pay the difference after your Confirmation has been issued unless the error was obvious.

10. Chargebacks and disputed card payments

If you think a payment is wrong, please contact us before raising a chargeback with your card issuer. Almost every dispute is resolved faster directly.

• Raising a chargeback for a booking that was properly confirmed and delivered does not remove your obligation to pay for the services.
• Where a chargeback is raised while a booking is live, we may suspend the affected services until the dispute is resolved, and we will tell you before doing so.
• We will cooperate fully with your card issuer's investigation and will provide the booking record.

Suspected fraudulent transactions are reported to the payment provider and, where appropriate, to the authorities, and the affected booking is cancelled without charge to the genuine cardholder.

11. Your statutory rights

Nothing in this policy limits rights you have under the law that applies to your booking, including mandatory consumer protection law in your country of residence where it applies. If this policy gives you less than that law requires, that law applies.

12. How to request a refund or complain about one

• Write to finance@zelenso.com with your booking reference.
• We will acknowledge within 3 working days and send you a written calculation.
• If you disagree with the calculation, ask for it to be reviewed. Section 19 of our Booking Terms sets out the complaints and dispute resolution process.