To the DECO Proteste Team and Uniplaces Management,
I am writing to report a deeply unprofessional and legally questionable experience with Uniplaces regarding my recent booking. The platform has failed to uphold its own Terms and Conditions and is currently withholding my funds through a deceptive interpretation of its cancellation policy.
The Original Breach of Contract My original contract was unilaterally cancelled by the landlord/platform. As a remedy, I was offered only a 50% discount on the service fee for a second booking. Being in a state of absolute necessity (I was in Portugal with no place to stay), I was forced to use this discount to secure immediate housing. I want to clarify that using this discount does not constitute a waiver of my rights regarding the damages caused by the initial cancellation.
Breach of the 24-Hour Policy Regarding the second booking (or the cancellation request for the first), I exercised my right to cancel and requested a refund within the mandatory 24-hour window from the move-in date.
Time of my request: 03/02/2026 at 18:56 Uniplaces Response: 04/02/2026 at 10:59
Uniplaces refused my refund, claiming that since they replied after the 24-hour mark, my request was no longer valid. This is a blatant violation of consumer rights and a fraudulent tactic. Contractual deadlines apply to the moment the consumer notifies the company, not to the moment the company decides to read the email.
Legal Basis Under the Portuguese Civil Code and EU Consumer Law: Article 798 (Contractual Liability): The platform is liable for the damages caused by the failure of the service. Good Faith (Boa Fé): Responding late to a request to deliberately let a deadline expire is a violation of the principle of good faith in contracts. Unjust Enrichment: Uniplaces is currently keeping funds for a service that was properly contested within the agreed timeframe.
My Demands:
Immediate full refund of the rent and fees for the contested booking, as the request was sent within 24 hours.
Refund of the remaining 50% of the service fee of the second booking as compensation for the extreme distress and administrative failure caused.
I have full proof (screenshots with timestamps) of my timely communication. If this is not resolved immediately, I will escalate this complaint to ASAE (Autoridade Segurança Alimentar e Económica) via the Livro de Reclamações Eletrónico and initiate a dispute through the Consumer Arbitration Centre (CACCL).
Best regards,
Namane Anes Phone: +393247933447
