refunding deposits

Don't give up! Document everything, name of everyone you speak with, date, time, etc. It took me six months te get a refund from hotel in Italy and thirty nine phone calls but I did get money back. It was a major hotel chain and a major credit card, we would get a credit on card and then several days later the credit would be reversed. Everyone blamed the other one but I would not give up. I found the name of the CEO of credit card company and actually called his office and problem resolved. For me it was not the money but the thought of someone taking our money. Good luck.

You don't have much recourse which is one of the reason I try to avoid deposits. If it is with 60 days on your credit card you can dispute it. Over 60 claim it was fraud which gives you a year, I think.

If this were happening to me, I would have identified the B&B by name so that other folks do not run into the same problem.

Smaller establishments live and die by their online reputation. Give them a negative review on one of the travel review sites, and see it that generates any headway.

Before giving them a negative review online I would threaten them with the negative review, once done it will not aid you in getting the deposit back. I also tend to believe that they may in fact be having trouble getting the credit to go through. Patience and persistence are your only options right now and 8 days is not very patient.

Have you suggested any alternative method to them to return your deposit?

Normally anyone who signs up as a credit card merchant agrees to have their account charged for disputed amounts. Your credit card company should act on your behalf. When I was in banking, the normal procedure was your bank credits you and charges the merchant. If the merchant fights it, the bank does an investigation, which is where the original documentation - showing you can have your deposit refunded if more than two weeks before your stay and that you notified them more than two weeks in advance - come in. I suppose there may be changes in the law that reduce these requirements, but none that I've read about. If you're credit card company isn't helping, I'm interested to know who they are. There are banking laws that require certain things of them, whether they want to or not.

Don't assume they're dishonest. I had a similar problem a few years ago with a B&B in Spain. Turned out the owner had to physically go to his bank to process the refund to my card. The refund was delayed because he kept trying to do the refund from his remote terminal at home, and for some reason the system wouldn't let him do it. As I remember the problem had to do with some policy of the local Spanish bank that issued his credit card. I got my refund but I recall that it took a while.

Another possibility: You mentioned the B&B said they keep getting declined by the company. Could they be talking about a company other than your credit card? Seems some B&Bs use booking services to secure deposits....we experienced this method of securing a reservation with a B&B in Doolin, Ireland. Maybe it is one of those booking services or processing companies that the B&B has used that keeps declining their requests......sort of breakdown between the B&B and their agent. Since it sounds like you have been in touch with the the B&B several times to no avail, at this point, I would suggest disputing the charge with your credit card company (fill out the forms, submit the info). When the credit card company charges back the merchant to refund you, if it is a booking or processing company with whom the B&B has contracted, then they will be charged and they will ultimately then charge the B&B. If it has all been settled at that point between you and the B&B, you just update the credit card company to cancel the dispute. Please post an update to let us know how it all worked out. Best of luck for a smooth resolution.