Deadline extended for patrons seeking ‘CIAA surcharge’ refund

Patrons who paid an unexpected surcharge at the Ritz-Carlton in uptown Charlotte during the CIAA basketball tournament in February have until next month to get their money back, the N.C. Attorney General’s Office said.

Eligible consumers can apply for refunds until Oct. 4, according to a news release.

Here’s how:

▪ File a consumer complaint with the Attorney General’s Office’s Consumer Protection Division online at ncdoj.gov, call 877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free in 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 indicating the amount of service charge paid.

▪ The Attorney General’s Office will forward all requests for refunds to the Ritz. Consumers who have previously filed a complaint do not need to file a new one.

▪ Consumers can also seek refunds directly from the Ritz.

In July, the Ritz agreed to refund all customers and donate $75,000 to the CIAA Scholarship Fund after the attorney general’s office mounted an investigation into whether the hotel misled customers who paid the unprecedented 15 percent gratuity, which went to servers.

The hotel drew ire when Patrice Wright, an educator from Mint Hill, told media she paid a $10.20 surcharge on her bill after eating in the hotel’s lobby during CIAA week. The CIAA is the oldest African-American sports conference in the nation, and recently relocated its headquarters to Charlotte. It’s hosted its tournament in Charlotte since 2006.

The hotel apologized but maintained that it informed customers of the surcharge on bar menus and lobby signage.

This story was originally published September 22, 2015 at 12:57 PM with the headline "Deadline extended for patrons seeking ‘CIAA surcharge’ refund."