Booking own hotel?

[Sniffer]

There used to be a facility in place where you could book your own hotel is no service accom was available, so long as it didn't exceed a certain amount per night (for some reason I have £55 in mind, but I may have just made that up).

However upon checking JSP 752 I cant see aything about "doing it yourself" anymore. Only CHBS and Private arrangements. Can a clever admin type bod confirm that this has been scrapped.

Also looking on advice on the best way to ensure that 7 bods from different Units all end up in the same hotel whilst at a trade symposium, in order to save on fuel costs as we can car share to and from the conference each day.

 

[SORRY CJ]

Go to your travel cell and get the lovely people there to do it, it’s their job. They contact HRG (the new CHBS) and source and book the hotels. At the end of your stay you pay the bill and claim it back on JPA (very easy trust me I'm a rigger) or if authorised the travel cell pay it against you're sections UIN. As long as you have all the paperwork in place to support it, no probs.

Oh Yer the cap rate has now gone up to £80/night, and you can claim £24.52 a night DS and £5 a night IE.

I hope this helps?

SCJ

 

[Sniffer]

Is this in the JSP, if it is in black and white I will just block book it for all 7 of us as we will have been provided with a F95.

Can you reference the policy for me SCJ?

 

[Joe_90]

I always just phone CHBS/HRG myself, as long as you have the authority of the budget holder it's OK. Get the Service umbers of the other 6 guys and you can book them into your hotel at the same time. If they are coming out a different budget get that as well. It may be long winded but it will ensure you get what you need. In my experience they are pretty friendly and helpful people.

I'll PM you the phone number, like I said make sure you have the UIN it is going on and the Service Numbers and full names of all those you are booking for. You can even request particular hotels and they will usually try and get you it if it's within budget.

 

[SORRY CJ]

Is this in the JSP, if it is in black and white I will just block book it for all 7 of us as we will have been provided with a F95.

Can you reference the policy for me SCJ?

Sorry mate can't give the ref cos I don't know it. If you got the 95's, there is no reason why you can't do it yourselves and claim it back, but it would be the individuals responsibility to do this via their own JPA/UIN. Honestly go to the travel cell and allowances, these guys they will advise you of exactly what/how you can do it and as there are quite a few going HRG will sort the rooms hopefully all in the same hotel (if not v close by to each other) IT’S THEIR JOB to do this.

I know it could be a pain in the ‘arris but this system is in place to allow you to get accommodation on the firm when they send you away. You should never be out of pocket.

SCJ

 

[Sniffer]

Ok I have found a solution to this. I have spoken to the Travel Cell at my Unit and she is prepared to make a block booking for all 7 of us even though we are all at different Units.

I'm starting to get a bit peeved by this as whilst yes OK we could all go through our own travel cells, but God forgive me for using a bit of common sense, but I thought that getting us all into the same location would be easier as we could car share to and from and eat together of an evening as its a pay as you starve Unit. So I spent last night (my own bloody time) looking for hotels close to the venue with enough rooms available and have spent this morning contacting all those that need rooms.

What has particularly annoyed me is there is a designated section at the Unit the symposium is being held that deal with all the trade training, accomodation, etc etc. So my question is WFT haven't they spent the morning phoning round the Units to find out who needs accom and getting Service numbers etc. To me it just reeks of "can't be arrised" they have done their bit by saying the F95 are available.

I know what this post involves and trust me it's not as though they will be snowed under with other tasks. I'm already planning my symposium feedback form now!

OK rant over, I feel a bit better now.

 

[SORRY CJ]

I'm already planning my symposium feedback form now!

Well said mate there are 2many f00kin' jobsworths/skivers out there.

SCJ

 

[daron1978]

Im going to Lyneham for a course next week and had to arrange acco through the hotel booking agency ( staying in their recomended hotel) which wasnt a big problem tbh. However, i have to pay MYSELF for the hotel and bloody claim it back on JPA!!! MY room is £68 a night over 5 nights so i got to fork out £340!!!!!!

Im going on a RAF course for an OOA to Afgan, they cant provide a room on camp so I have to pay how bloody stupid is that.

DT_Xtremez_25:

 

[Talk Wrench]

Im going to Lyneham for a course next week and had to arrange acco through the hotel booking agency ( staying in their recomended hotel) which wasnt a big problem tbh. However, i have to pay MYSELF for the hotel and bloody claim it back on JPA!!! MY room is £68 a night over 5 nights so i got to fork out £340!!!!!!

Im going on a RAF course for an OOA to Afgan, they cant provide a room on camp so I have to pay how bloody stupid is that.

DT_Xtremez_25:

Pay for the first night only. Then refuse to check out because your "employer" should be paying for it all.

Then, refuse to move your things from the room and when they call the police, explain your circumstances to the coppers who turn up.

Should they then arrest you and press charges, tell them that the RAF forced you into this position because of their requirements for you to do the course.

Tell them them that financially, your employer (i.e the RAF) does not pay you enough to support a dual lifestyle and hey presto, the Daily Mail will call you, you will be dragged through the magistrates court and the RAF will be made to look like sh1t.



Well, it could work DT_Xtremez_15:

TW

 

[Mickwreay]

Im going to Lyneham for a course next week and had to arrange acco through the hotel booking agency ( staying in their recomended hotel) which wasnt a big problem tbh. However, i have to pay MYSELF for the hotel and bloody claim it back on JPA!!! MY room is £68 a night over 5 nights so i got to fork out £340!!!!!!

Im going on a RAF course for an OOA to Afgan, they cant provide a room on camp so I have to pay how bloody stupid is that.

DT_Xtremez_25:

You do not have to pay it yourself mate. Go to your HR staff & they SHOULD know how to claim an advance of your daily subsistance, IE & hotel costs.

You will get an audit straight away however just fill in the JPA form with a copy of the joining instruction or course details etc.

I have just had a large advance for ressetlement stuff.

 

[SgtScribbly]

you should know how to claim an advance yourselves, nevermind asking your HR

if it is absolutely impossible for you to get onto JPA they will have the facility to put one onto your account on your behalf, if you authorise them to

 

[Mickwreay]

you should know how to claim an advance yourselves, nevermind asking your HR

if it is absolutely impossible for you to get onto JPA they will have the facility to put one onto your account on your behalf, if you authorise them to

Yeh cos we do it all the time!

WTF is wrong with HR doing their job & helping people, or is that a foreign concept to you?

I fix aircraft but I don't expect a scribbly to know how to do it!

When my audit came through on my advance I rang gen office or whatever you call it now, a Sgt answered. I asked her what to do with an audit on an advance, she asked FOUR other admin types in the office before declaring "I don't know", you need to call budgets!

FFS if all the adminers are unsure even after all the training WE did not get what hope have we?

 

[SgtScribbly]

Yeh cos we do it all the time!

WTF is wrong with HR doing their job & helping people, or is that a foreign concept to you?
QUOTE]


yes our job is to help people as our trade new name suggests (a mars bar if you know what it is Mick), but it is no longer our job to action your allowances. I dont agree with it, but as we have lost so many posts because of not having to do it, thats just the way it has to be

I have never put an advance in for myself, how should I know how you are suppose to do it? I have put claims in, but have had exactly the same amount as training as the rest, (fcuk all!)

 

[Sniffer]

you should know how to claim an advance yourselves, nevermind asking your HR

I have never put an advance in for myself, how should I know how you are suppose to do it? I have put claims in, but have had exactly the same amount as training as the rest, (fcuk all!)

Im sorry but does anyone else see the irony and contradiction in these two statements. FFS if a SNCO Scribbly cant advise on how to put an advance in who are people supposed to ask?

I was fortunate to be in a position to have a good old practice when JPA came out as I had a bit of a slack time workwise. However your average RAF bod just wants to click a few buttons and know that his advance will have gone through. They dont have time to be pi$$ing about, and not everyone can afford to pay and claim it back. Im not saying that is the fault of TG17 but surely it would be a good idea for those who work in HR to familiarise themselves with JPA claims and advance procedures, to the point of being able to advise how it should be done.

At my last Unit I had someone sent to me by the SAC admin bod in the Registry, to show them how to put a GYH (EY) claim in because, and I quote "all her claims seemed to have gone through OK so she will be able to show you". Hey admin bod I'm TG15 not 17!

 

[daron1978]

I agree putting in an advance is an easy way to go, however, and this is fact, i have put in two advances in the last two years for courses and both times ive had the money paid twice. Which ment i had to then pay it back over the next couple of months cos they cant take it stright back, they have to take 4 days wages worth at a time!!

I also had my OP bonus for Iraq three times ( a nice lump sum in my wages lol) but spent months having a little at a time taken out of my wages.

Why oh why cant the central booking agency who book you accom, pay for it then and there, then you claim back just for the food. simple really.

DT_Xtremez_31:

 

[Albert Park]

Why oh why cant the central booking agency who book you accom, pay for it then and there, then you claim back just for the food. simple really.

DT_Xtremez_31:

I have been told it may have something to do with the cancellation policy.

My answer would be - invoice the MOD, via HRG, when you check out the hotel.

 

[SgtScribbly]

Im sorry but does anyone else see the irony and contradiction in these two statements. FFS if a SNCO Scribbly cant advise on how to put an advance in who are people supposed to ask?



At my last Unit I had someone sent to me by the SAC admin bod in the Registry, to show them how to put a GYH (EY) claim in because, and I quote "all her claims seemed to have gone through OK so she will be able to show you". Hey admin bod I'm TG15 not 17!

I never said I cant advise, I can. But I shouldnt according to my Trade. I would like to (and in reality I do), but doing it would mean less time for the rest of the stuff that needs doing.

Same for the second bit,

1. The TG17 clerk has had zero training on showing people how to put their allowance in.
2. She isnt supposed to do it according to her job spec.
3. She has used all the resouces available to her, that she has recognised someone that seems to know their way around the system. Its no more her job to show them than it is yours.

I am sure there are other similar examples in other trades where their job spec has changed, but no one else has officially taken on the task, so they end up doing it because everyone still thinks its their proper job.

 

[Gunnerrock]

I have been told it may have something to do with the cancellation policy.

My answer would be - invoice the MOD, via HRG, when you check out the hotel.

How come then that the MOD can pay for my flight if I travel Civi and my hire car (Something I do a lot) but will not pay for my Hotel. Bit strange really!

 

[Sospan]

but it is no longer our job to action your allowances.

Perhaps the recruitment regime need to change the sales pitch!



"You will be provided with organisational skills utilising electronic media and trained on a Human Resource Management System; primarily involved in ensuring that personnel movements and records are maintained effectively whilst ensuring individuals receive the correct pay and allowances."

 

[Albert Park]

How come then that the MOD can pay for my flight if I travel Civi and my hire car (Something I do a lot) but will not pay for my Hotel. Bit strange really!

One of those mysteries, I guess. It's the same when you book a rail ticket - no money changes hands. It would make perfect sense to adopt the same method of payment when it comes to forking out for your digs.