Reimbursement for missed hotel
 

Hi everyone,

I recently bought a flight from Rimini (Italy) to London Stansted (UK) with Ryanair. Unfortunately, the flight was canceled and rescheduled for the following day (they say delayed).

I won't go into all the details, but it was a terrible experience ...
Eventually I left the airport and spent the night at a friend's place in Rimini and returned to the airport the next day, when thankfully, the flight to London took off.

Due to the delay, I missed my first night's hotel stay in London, so I submitted a compensation claim for reimbursement. After 20 days, Ryanair responded, stating they don't reimburse prepaid expenses.

What was I supposed to do? Not book the hotel in London because there's a chance Ryanair might not get me there on time? And if Ryanair had been on time for once, where was I supposed to sleep? Under a bridge?

Below is their reply. Has anyone else experienced this? What is the right way to respond? Are there any specific EU laws that apply?
I can't believe that after all we've been through, Ryanair won't even reimburse one lost night at the hotel.

Thanks a lot!
Giorgio