Moral / Legal Dilema

Sonea Fifer · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:08

Hi there

Just wondering if any of you guys here can please offer any advice / suggestions on the following:

As you may be aware Mrs Fifer has been tasked with organising the graduation ball for her year at Uni. Today she went to the hotel its booked at to pay the final outstanding balance and clarify a few odd and ends. No problems there until the bill arrives, it clearly states:

Glass of sparkling wine per person upon arrival - Arrival drink @ £3.00 x 152 = £152.00

Now she didn't notice this until she'd left the hotel, there's no problems with any other part of the bill. They charged 157 people for a meal @ £30.00 per head = £4710 etc etc

We're just wondering where do we stand here as the discrepancy is £304.00? Obviously we cant keep the money as it doesn't belong to us (each person attending has paid £50.00 per head) but do we tell the hotel? If they notice can they say "we've made a mistake and you're due us £304.00"

What would you guys do / suggest?

[FnG]magnolia · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:11

Be honest and tell them they've made a mistake.

batsy · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:18

Be honest. They provided the service at the agreed cost.

Edit. Or head to Mexico..

Sonea Fifer · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:20

Milkybk said:
Take the money and head for Mexico.

How far do you think you'd get with £304.00

Really not an option as the money doesn't belong to us - I guess what I'm asking is would you be honest and own up, or put the money back into the bank as use it for the Goody Bags or put it behind the bar or what?

platinum87 · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:23

Telling them has an expected value of -£304

Everything else has +EV

£304 might be petty, but over time it adds up nicely..

Edit

6 Honest people, 2 jokes, and me

Metatron · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:23

Ninja the money and go to Hell for your sins. :cool:

Sudden · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:23

I would think that they can since it does state 3.00 x 152. If it had just stated "Arrival drink =152" you might've been ok, but the "3.00x152" does quite clearly show their intention.

Personally, I would just own up. It'l save a lot of hassle later if they do realize it and decide to make an issue of it. Even more so since it's not like you can just keep it.

PapaLazaru · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:25

Some poor underpaid scamp will receive a serious reprimand for this mistake.

Be nice.

Westyfield2 · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:31

Tell them.

Morba · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:33

tell them, worst that happens is you get a smile and a thankyou.

St0rmer66 · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:37

I would say nothing... but tell your missus to take the cash with her in case they ask for it and don't spend it for a while afterwards!

Vampyre · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:39

PapaLazaru said:
Some poor underpaid scamp will receive a serious reprimand for this mistake.

Be nice.

This, every time I worked behind a bar any shortfall came out of the staff's tips. In one place my team had to pay for a shortfall in another bar in the same hotel...so it will come out of some poor sod's pocket.

finga · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:42

Id pretend i only looked at the final bill and missed that part of the breakdown, I have no morals over money with companies, only people, they didnt notice it so you can easily pretend you didnt also

AtticusFinch · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:43

Tell them. Simples.

Minxy · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:44

I'd feel guilty for keeping it but then I'm often told i'm too honest. Tell them me thinks.

Sonea Fifer · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:46

St0rmer66 said:
I would say nothing... but tell your missus to take the cash with her in case they ask for it and don't spend it for a while afterwards!

But we cant keep it - it would have to be spent on the graduation ball itself.

Vampyre said:
This, every time I worked behind a bar any shortfall came out of the staff's tips. In one place my team had to pay for a shortfall in another bar in the same hotel...so it will come out of some poor sod's pocket.

Yeah this would also be playing on my conscience, granted it isn't a helluva lot of money but if it was coming out of my wages I'd sure as hell miss it!

finga said:
Id pretend i only looked at the final bill and missed that part of the breakdown, I have no morals over money with companies, only people, they didnt notice it so you can easily pretend you didnt also

I see your point but please see above - I'm not too sure what stance this particular chain of hotels would take on a discrepancy such as this.

EdwardTeach · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:51

pay what you are asked to pay, nothing more.

RickST · 28 Oct 2010 at 23:53

they made a mistake, tell them.

why do people think is acceptable to rip anyone (even a company) off. you would expect them to return your wallet if you left it behind. why is this any different.

same applies for downloading music, stealing software. I just don't understand why people seem to have such flexible morals.