Principal status in layman’s terms
If the agent is the principal then the contract exists between the agent and customer for the accommodation, so if there is a problem with it the agent can be sued for breach of contract.
If the agent is the agent then they are essentially a middleman putting the principal and the customer together. The contract exists between those parties and the agent cannot be liable, other than in negligence because they are not a party to the contract.
Negligence in this context might involve booking the wrong type or room or the wrong dates or advising that accommodation is suitable for disabled people when it is not.
Who acts as a principal
- Hotelconnect.co.uk acts as principal on all bookings.
- Bluebookonline acts as principal.
- Somewhere2stay.com offers agents the option of booking with it as an agent or, for an extra £5, as principal.
- Getabed.co.uk acts as principal.
- Bedswithease.com acts as principal.
- Holiday Brokers offers the option to act as principal or agent.
- Youtravel.com acts as principal.
- Apartments Abroad acts as principal on agent bookings and as an agent for direct bookings.
- Seligo acts as principal.