Consumer safety action

The Motonago Ryokan in Kyoto has made an unauthorised transaction on our credit card and is refusing to refund it with the excuse that they are part of a ryokan association and that another ryokan must have made the transaction. The email chain below clearly shows their dismissive response to our request for refund of the money inappropriately extracted from our account. We clearly did not stay at another ryokan on 27 and the only party we gave our credit card details to in Japan was to this ryokan. Furthermore, the statement clearly shows the transactions being perfomed by the same merchant. We would like to know how to address the theft of money from our account with a regulatory authority. Will any independent association in Japan advocate on our behalf against the inappropriate unauthorised transaction committed by Motonago?

Email extract below:

-----Original Message-----
From: Keiko Yoshitomi(Ms) [mailto:yoshitomi@yado-web.com]
Sent: Monday, 14 January 2013 18:37
Subject: RE: Reservation at Motonago : CONFIRMATION
Importance: High


Thank you for your email.

Pleaes kindly check whether both transaction was made by same merchant?
Is merchant as stated 'RYOKAN-HOTEL IN JAPAN TOUKIYOUTO JP' ?
RYOKAN-HOTEL IN JAPAN TOUKIYOUTO JP is the name of UNION in Japan Major ryokan and Hotel join this company and your credit card are charged by this association, Motonago is also a member of this major union ( association ).
Please check the hotel /Ryokan name where you stayed on December 27th?

I guess the hotel/ryokan you stayed on December 27th is also a member of this UNION.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation in this matter.

If you have any more question, pleaes do not hesitate to contact me.
I would appreciate to check anything until your concern will be resolved.

Best regards,

Keiko Yoshitomi



Mon, 14 Jan 2013 11:12:59 +1100

> UNCLASSIFIED
>
> Hi Keiko,
>
> I was just checking my credit card statement regarding the below stay and noticed that there appears to be an unauthorised transaction.
> Based on the below, the total should have been JPY 76950 (we had dinner one night at the venue). This appears to match a transaction on 30 Dec for AUD $875.45.
> I have also noticed a transaction on 27 Dec from the same vendor for $207.45 AUD. Neither of these transactions appeared on my statement until late last week.
> Could you please clarify where you think I agreed to pay the second amount (207.45 AUD) and take appropriate action?
> Your prompt attention would be appreciated.
>
> Regards,
>

What was the second transaction supposedly for? Any itemization?

I take it you stayed only on Dec. 30. So, that means even before you got there they billed you for something. Special reservation?

If you can provide them with the costs in Japanese yen as well as AUD, it will help them locate things. Is that on your statement?

Glenski said:

What was the second transaction supposedly for? Any itemization?

Absolutely none

I take it you stayed only on Dec. 30. So, that means even before you got there they billed you for something. Special reservation?

Correct, even though they specifically said that they would not charge the account until checkout and provision of the credit card details was for reservation of the booking only.

If you can provide them with the costs in Japanese yen as well as AUD, it will help them locate things. Is that on your statement?

Click to expand...

We have provided them with all relevant details in a lengthy letter and they are still claiming that it was another merchant in their so called union yet simultaneously failed to provide the head office details of their union so that we could make a complaint to them. They claim to be an independent ryokan so how can there be other ryokans charging fees under their merchant name.

Perhaps try contacting the International Relations office of Kyoto:
International Relations Office
Or give the mayor a call.
Kyoto City Web / Message from Mayor / Welcome to KYOTO

Thanks Glenski.

We will give it a go and see what happens. Not sure if the major will be interested in this sort of thing but hopefully the embarrassment to the ryokan will provoke them to return our money.

Appreciated your help!

Just for my clarity, in your lengthy letter, did you tell them that you did not stay at any of their chains?
Also, where did you say that night (27th)? Perhaps you could contact that other hotel.
What does your credit card company say? Is the cost itemized with a description of what that charge is for?

76,000 yen for one night plus dinner is very expensive! Must be a really high class place, or you had many people.

Glenski said:

Just for my clarity, in your lengthy letter, did you tell them that you did not stay at any of their chains?
Also, where did you say that night (27th)? Perhaps you could contact that other hotel.
What does your credit card company say? Is the cost itemized with a description of what that charge is for?

There is no description of the charge. Just the name of the merchant being the same as the ryokans. We laid for our accommodation on 27 Dec with a different credit card. I will try and contact that hotel to get verification from them that we did not stay at a ryokan in this association on 27th. Our accommodation for 27th was also paid in full. We have told Motonago over and over again that we did not stay at one of their chains in 27th but they dismiss our concerns by insisting that it was another ryokan in their association. When we ask them for details of their association they are unable to provide these and ostensibly it appears that they are an independent ryokan. We did not authorise our credit card details to be given to any other company and Motonago did not advise that they would be deducting any amount prior to our stay as they specifically stated that all charges were to be paid upon checkout.

76,000 yen for one night plus dinner is very expensive! Must be a really high class place, or you had many people.

Click to expand...

Yes it certainly is far too expensive a price for a substandard experience. It was the biggest waste of money and I would not recommend it to anyone, not least because they also took an additional unauthorised transaction from our account. Furthermore it seems like the negative reviews about this establishment on trip advisor have all been removed which leads me to believe that there is some degree of fabrication out there about the quality of this ryokan. Paying 400 dollars for a couple a night to sleep on uncomfortable cotton wool on the floor in a room that was so stuffy because it didn't even have a window and smelled like mould is not an experience I would bother paying another cent to repeat. Truly awful place.