CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Ritz-Carlton in Uptown will refund customers and fund college scholarships after coming under fire for adding an extra service charge to patrons during the CIAA basketball tournament.
The announcement comes after the hotel reached an agreement with Attorney General Roy Cooper. Β Under the agreement, The Ritz-Carlton will also have to clearly notify customers about any future service fees. Β
Customers who visited the Lobby Lounge at the hotel during the basketball tournament complained when they noticed an extra service charge was unexpectedly added to their bills. Β After several complaints the Attorney General’s Office launched an investigation. Β
Under the agreement, the Ritz will:
Pay refunds to consumers who paid the service charge.
Notify customers if a special service charge will be applied to their bill by disclosing the fee in writing in the menu and having servers remind customers about the charge.
Donate $75,000 to the CIAA Scholarship Fund.
Pay $5,000 to the NC Department of Justice for consumer protection efforts.
How to claim refunds:
Eligible consumers have 90 days to apply to get money back. Β Consumers who believe they are eligible for a refund should take the following steps:
File a complaint with the Consumer Protection Division online at ncdoj.gov, call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free within North Carolina to request a complaint form in the mail, or send a letter requesting a refund to
Consumer Protection
Attorney General’s Office
Mail Service Center 9001
Raleigh, NC 27699-9001
Include a copy of your bill, credit card or bank statement, or some other record that indicates the amount of service charge paid.
The Attorney General’s Office will forward all requests for refunds to the Ritz. Β Consumers who have previously filed a complaint with the Attorney General about the Ritz service charges do not need to file a new complaint.
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