When Glenn Fogel checked into a hotel in Frome, England, for a six-night stay, he was underwhelmed by what he saw.

The roof leaked, and "I noted a strong, musty smell," he recalls. He stayed in the property one night and then contacted Booking.com for a refund. Fogel wanted a $733 refund for the remaining five days.

You can probably guess what Booking.com did. It offered a half-hearted apology, a $50 voucher and told him to contact the hotel directly if he wanted more.

Instead, he took it up with my advocacy team.

You’re reading the Elliott Confidential Consumer Alert, available exclusively to subscribers. Thank you for your support.