Lay My Hat

NEMO wrote:
"Am I ranting, oh yes."
I think we are all allowed a wee rant now and again. You have obviously had a bad experience. I did suggest that I was "touching wood" as I claimed that PP were the best!
Last year I sold one of my apartments but had 2 bookings for summer. I found the guests alternatives in the same complex at the same price. My Spanish guest accepted and I simply paid his deposit to the agent of the alternative flat. My French guest didn't like the look of the furnishings (I thought they were better than mine) and wanted his deposit back. He had paid by bank transfer.
I trotted down to Banco Bilbao and set up the refund. Three weeks later it hadn't arrived so I went to check. It had never been sent. I told the clerk to abandon it and I'd send the customer a cheque (the French love cheques). He toddled off then came back and said: "OK, that's the transfer done!"
I blew up and asked to see the manager. This was only one of a long series of goofies.
Anyway I got this latest "transfer" cancelled and sent the cheque and my customer paid it into his French account. HE GOT THE MONEY PAID TO HIM TWO MONTHS LATER! And it didn't come out of my account until two weeks after that.
Meanwhile another guest had a cancellation due to hospitalisation. I agreed to refund all of their deposit. They had paid by Paypal and it was still inside the 90 days. So I went to their payment and two clicks later they had the money back in their account. That's 3 months via the bank and 3 seconds via Paypal.
Sorry NEMO, that's my wee rant!

costabravarent wrote:... They had paid by Paypal and it was still inside the 90 days. So I went to their payment and two clicks later they had the money back in their account. ..

You may want to double check that.
I thought the limit was 60 days.
Otherwise, I agree with you

Thanks E-Richard. It is 60 days not 90.

Fan of Stripe here. https://stripe.com/gb/pricing 1.4% for European cards, 2.9% for RoW (+20p on each of these).

It's more geared at the technically minded but we're very happy with it so far.

Robin @ One Spring wrote:Fan of Stripe here.

It's more geared at the technically minded but we're very happy with it so far.

Yes that was my chosen solution, but it's not aimed at folks like me. I can't understand their website, it's like reading Chinese as far as I'm concerned. I did try and get technical help from someone but just fell at the first hurdle.

Nemo wrote:

Robin @ One Spring wrote:Fan of Stripe here.

It's more geared at the technically minded but we're very happy with it so far.

Yes that was my chosen solution, but it's not aimed at folks like me. I can't understand their website, it's like reading Chinese as far as I'm concerned. I did try and get technical help from someone but just fell at the first hurdle.

Yes it's very geeky and some parts are out of date. It took me a few hours to get it figured out and integrated to a website. Once working though it seems fine.

Robin @ One Spring wrote:Fan of Stripe here. https://stripe.com/gb/pricing 1.4% for European cards, 2.9% for RoW (+20p on each of these).

It's more geared at the technically minded but we're very happy with it so far.

I found it incomprehensible too. Am I correct that it doesn't do 3-D secure - just address and CVC checks - so that you haven't so much protection from chargebacks?

Yes 1.4% is good for credit cards but very poor for debit cards (mine are 47p and I suspect others will be charged far less)

And it seems to say in the terms and conditions that you have to have a privacy statement on your website saying that your guests details will be sent to and stored in the US?

Nemo wrote:

costabravarent wrote: I still say, "PP are the best, forget the rest!"

Until you've had problems !

+1 to Nemo

PP are the best, forget the rest! UNTIL THINGS GO WRONG and then they can go very wrong. I speak from experience. Their customer service was appalling as I remember. I don't have a PP account of course, but I have never been asked by a guest if they might pay through PayPal. If I were asked to take a PP payment, the answer would be "definitely no!".

Robin @ One Spring wrote:Fan of Stripe here. https://stripe.com/gb/pricing 1.4% for European cards, 2.9% for RoW (+20p on each of these).

It's more geared at the technically minded but we're very happy with it so far.

+1
I don't have to worry about the 'technicals'. Someone else takes them on board for our website.

(Thanks Kevin!)

AndrewH wrote:
"
PP are the best, forget the rest! UNTIL THINGS GO WRONG and then they can go very wrong. I speak from experience. Their customer service was appalling as I remember. I don't have a PP account of course, but I have never been asked by a guest if they might pay through PayPal. If I were asked to take a PP payment, the answer would be "definitely no!"."
That comment needs a lot more explanation. You don't have a PP account so it's unlikely anybody's going to ask for that method with you. But you "speak from experience" about their "appalling service". You've got me beat. Did you make a payment that went wrong? What sort of appalling problems did you have.
You gave +1 to NEMO but at least he gave some details of what went wrong. As Father Ted used to say "sh** happens". Who's to blame? I had an appalling experience once when I drove through a set of lights at red. I hate traffic lights!!!

Hello Costabravarent. We can all have a view on any subject. We don't necessarily have to share yours. You might want to respect that. I seem to remember that we have been down this road before so, to avoid the chance of any clash, this is the last comment I shall be making on this topic.

I have taken a look again at the rates I am paying with Paypal. I said it was about 2.1% on my last few transactions. On closer look it is 1.9% plus 35 cents per transaction. Although I have a merchant account my monthly total does not justify that rate and as suggested by ESSAR this is linked to my Booking Manager agreement with Holidaylettings. I not only enjoy the reduced rate with HL but also with my own direct receipts. Here is a good link to a post by ESSAR a few years ago.
viewtopic.php?t=17919
I think that if I were not with HL my rate would average 2.9. My higher level of receipts are in the Spring so wintertime it would probably be the full rate.
I try to be accurate and informative in my posts and am not afraid to be corrected when my information is wrong.
Since the banking crash the banks charge for everything they can so even at the higher rate PP is better for payments of around €100 to 200. For bigger payments standard bank transfer becomes more competitive.

costabravarent wrote:I have taken a look again at the rates I am paying with Paypal. I said it was about 2.1% on my last few transactions. On closer look it is 1.9% plus 35 cents per transaction. Although I have a merchant account my monthly total does not justify that rate and as suggested by ESSAR this is linked to my Booking Manager agreement with Holidaylettings. I not only enjoy the reduced rate with HL but also with my own direct receipts. Here is a good link to a post by ESSAR a few years ago.
viewtopic.php?t=17919
I think that if I were not with HL my rate would average 2.9. My higher level of receipts are in the Spring so wintertime it would probably be the full rate.
I try to be accurate and informative in my posts and am not afraid to be corrected when my information is wrong.
Since the banking crash the banks charge for everything they can so even at the higher rate PP is better for payments of around €100 to 200. For bigger payments standard bank transfer becomes more competitive.

The link that you included does contain a lot of useful information; although, much of it has now been superceded by "improvements".

The rate that you quote without the HL/PP tie-up would be 3.9% + cents (UK 3.4% + 20p).

Because HL have now taken on-board the TA payments system for subscription model listings the HL/PP legacy will expire with the next subscription renewal. Since September 2015 newer properties and renewals will now not use the owner's PP acount as the payment gateway. The new subscription model guest payments system uses the TA payment gateways for which HL charge 3% (+VAT/IVA) to the owner for payment processing.