I tried to book a hotel for someone for work, the same hotel I used last time for the same guest. Last time they did not ask me to fill out credit card authorisation form and now they insisted on it. They sent me credit card authorization form to complete and as I started filling it out I started to question myself why should I give business to someone who is treating me like that and decided to go with another hotel. I did not contact them again and assumed that reservation was never made since I did not get any e-mail or call stating that reservation was complete (usually in my experience hotels send reservation details right after you reserve it). So I found another hotel with a friendly staff and made a reservation.
On the day of the trip I got a call from this hotel asking when I will send in credit card authorisation form.
It was early in the morning so by mistake I said that I completed it thinking that it was the hotel with whom I booked the trip then I told them I will check my records and will call them back. Later I sent an e-mail stating that I went with another hotel. Then they replied saying that they will charge me for one night because of the late cancellation of the reservation.
How is this legal if the reservation was never confirmed? Can I dispute this charge and ask credit card company to refuse this charge?