Lay My Hat Forum

[betts]

Well I have been advertising with Villa Renters 3 years and they keep changing their site without enough notice or information to the owners. This is a nightmare when you get an enquiry and you try to explain to the renters how to book and pay online. They have also put up the costs to the renters which will prevent alot of bookings. As I have 6 properties to deal with for friends this is an absolute nightmare as I put all bookings through them.
This is the scenario
Villa renters get me a 2week booking in high season for one of the villas the cost to the client is £5200.00
They take 10% plus vat off me £611.00
Plus a £10.00 security holding charge
Plus they now charge the customers 4.5% to cover booking fee and credit charges £234.00
This means they receive £855.00 for this 1 booking.
This is certainly not ethical does anyone have any advice as to whether this is in fact legal.
I appreciate any reply as I know you are fully aware that it is coming up to the busiest booking period for properties.
Is there any other companies that offer a similar system with rental agreement, online credit card payment and money transfers to several account.
Thanks and Merry Christmas
Betts
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Holiday rentals across Costa del Sol

[KostasPapahatzis]

OK, I think you are right to be frustrated, but let me make my points on your post.

-They do take 10%, but only if the booking comes through them; if you were marketing your property online, you would not have this problem with the extra 10%

- VAT has nothing to do with them

- The security holding charge, meaning the breakage fee? you don't have to take the breakage fee option.

- The booking fee to the customers is not only with them, other online systems charge a booking fee.

You can use vipvillas if you don't like rentalsystems. there are others as well (guestlink.co.uk, eviivo.com, holidayrentalmanagement.com,
supercontrol.co.uk, maximize.com)

I will agree with you that they do not have a good communication with their clients; I think that this is because of two possible reaosns: 1. they are a Media company (Daily Mail, Evening Standard Group, very powerful) and they have an attitude 2. They lack Marketing and Markomms people, and the whole system works with Technical guys, who are very bad communicators. Worse, the Group do not give them the budget to expand and get a better communication bridge towards their clients-thus the chat window and 'Holly' and the supportdesk email as the only means of communicating with them.
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tinos villas

[LaVilleauTady]

Betts, their booking fees are unreasonable when you compare what they take off a high value booking compared to, say, another website charging a flat fee regardless of bookings received.

I think their business model will be perfectly legal. You now have to tick a box to accept their terms and conditions every time you access the site! I suspect this came about following complaints about their fees.

I still advertise with them, and get the occasional booking, but they seem to be pricing themselves out of the market.
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www.brittany-cottage.me.uk

[betts]

Thank you both for your replies.
I will take a look at the other companies, I have had quite alot of bookings from Villa Renters, but they have only just added the 4.5% on top and it worries me the costs will be too high for clients. I do advertise with other companies but put all bookings through them due to the online booking system.
Thanks again.... goodbye villa renters
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Holiday rentals across Costa del Sol

[betts]

vipvillas.com is rentalsystems
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Holiday rentals across Costa del Sol

[KostasPapahatzis]

Last time I checked, I had the impression that they are just affiliates: they show rentalsystems properties where they have to fill the blanks, and get a commission from rentalsystems if a booking initiated through them.

If you are worried so much about the 4.5% why don't you reprice to eliminate the problem? It did not matter the clients that booked through them, why are you so anxious about it?
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tinos villas

[Windy]

[HelenB]

As a client, I would think twice about paying a 4.5% surcharge to Villarenters/Rental Systems for something I had expected to pay x euros for. I have recently booked and paid for some accommodation using the system, and to be honest wasn't particularly impressed with it.

[betts]

Thanks Windy that is my point exactly... I am now wondering if KostasPapahatzis actually works for VR lol
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Holiday rentals across Costa del Sol

[Windy]

I'm sure that Kostas would have told us up front if he had any paid relationship with VR but it would be nice to get his confirmation that he doesn't.

[KostasPapahatzis]

[Windy]

[KostasPapahatzis]

[Windy]

So now I am losing 4.5% of my previous turnover, my client still think she I being charged 4.5% by VR, but she also thinks I have given her a small discount which half covers the booking surcharge. I also lose my price point.

I'm still not convinced that this is a good marketing model from the customer or the owners' point of view.

Also these guys are charging 16% for processing a booking & payment and providing a management system.

For 15% I could turn my lodges over completely to one of two people I know who would manage them (very professioanlly) themselves from marketing through to departure and I could just sit back and let the money come in.

As I'm running a business I'd rather keep the 15% of turnover, and use a booking system like e-richards PIM system combined with a merchant agreement and card terminal for which I pay about in total about 1% of my turnover including card processing fees.

That way I can decide what supplements my customers have to pay and I am a lot better off too.

(But then I am a control freak )

[KostasPapahatzis]