Just canceled a booking - gut feeling of trouble ahead

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salmoncottage
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Just canceled a booking - gut feeling of trouble ahead

Post by salmoncottage »

Advice most welcomed re the following;
We had an enquiry in February for a week in July, the guest at times curtly cross examined everything about the house, location, amenities, payments etc in countless emails and a couple of phone calls. All fair enough and we patiently and politely guided him through the booking process insisting he 'read our t&c's to ensure the house is suitable for all their needs', with a further 3 email references to the returnable D/D.
He filled in our online booking form which deemed he's read and agreed to all and he duly paid the deposit. Since then we've had more emails reiterating details to which we've replied in detail again and again.
Yesterday we sent a final balance request which he paid but he didnt send the required D/D. We sent a polite email regarding this and have just received a very curt and quite aggresive telling off from him for not informing him of the need for a D/D. His reply email didnt use our names and he didnt use his to sign off either, just a rude slap down from him. My alarm bell was ringing about this one ages ago and I've reacted straight away by telling him we dont want his booking due to his bad manners and inability to understand and agree to our t&c's.
I now feel a storm brewing....... :? But I just felt if he's this rude now what the heck is he going to be like in July when he's got possession of the house? Help
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Ben McNevis
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Post by Ben McNevis »

Salmon, I think you've made the right decision provided your last message to him was more polite than his last one to you.
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salmoncottage
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Post by salmoncottage »

Fair point Ben, yes we kept it civil and honest informing him only of our doubt and concern re guest/owner relationship.
He's just sent a reply apologising and blaming it on "his workload and suggesting he was making some kind of joke about overlooking the D/D" (wtf?????).
I just sense a chancer, and feel we dont need or want a possible list of demands and complaints come July, or else tripadvisor!
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e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

Without seeing all his emails and all yours we're sort of guessing the mood here based on your interpretation. So the following may, of course, be way off the mark.

I suspect that refusing his holiday now that he has paid everything (and agreed to pay the d/d) will inflame rather than settle the matter. I cannot speculate on how that will manifest itself, but I would prepare yourself for an onslaught.

Or you could believe him and keep it all businesslike and distant, but professional.

Having once been in an intensely high pressure job myself, but now retired and immensely relaxed I can see both sides more clearly and more calmly 8)
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salmoncottage
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Post by salmoncottage »

Very fair and unbiased comment e-richard we appreciate your past experience, thank you. I must admit I was swift to react to his email. Dont know it's because of the time we've given to this one or I'm still smarting from a what I believe was a similar chancer last year over a fake drama about the dishwasher that was actually resolved within 24 hours. Have I allowed that past professional complainer to make me doubt this one so much that I have overlooked my own impatience and frustration perhaps? :(
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FelicityA
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Post by FelicityA »

I know that people get stressed and overworked and snap at others but actually saying that you said nothing about the D/D and then pretending it was a joke is taking it a bit far.

I think I would stick to your guns. He may be even more stressed several months on and even ruder. You don't want someone who cannot control his feelings in your place. There is really never an excuse for rudeness.

I would just refund all his money pronto. You are sorry it has come to this etc. etc. but he might like to put himself in your position at the receiving end and he would understand, explaining that YOU can do without the stress of having someone unhappy with your terms staying, as there are others who accept them, happily, without question.
tavi
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Post by tavi »

e-r is a calm voice of reason. :)

It's so difficult to know what's the right thing to do but now that you've asserted yourself it could be (as with many bullies) he'll toe the line. Emails can come across as much more aggressive than intended to be - especially if they're using a phone - I was quite surprised at many of the curt messages I was getting until I realised the problem is those small screens etc.

I once had a guest who informed me he didn't like my payment terms and he was going to do it his way. I did reply in polite but clear terms that it would be done my way. He turned out to be a model guest and a repeat customer!

So now you know this guest's ....err.....weaknesses you may feel you can be prepared.

Sorry - not much advice there - except maybe sleep on it and then trust your instinct.
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Post by zebedee »

Email can be a difficult form of communication, particularly as they are often rattled off quickly during working hours.
What was the guests manner in the phone calls? That would perhaps give you a truer impression of him, particularly if he rang you rather than vice versa.
Bunny
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Post by Bunny »

Salmoncottage, I'm slightly confused by his denial of knowledge of the D Deposit. If you emailed him a request for the final balance payment, do you not request the Damage Deposit at this point too? I always remind them when I request the balance. If you did request it, then I would say he was definitely a chancer hoping to get away with not paying it.

I was once in a similar situation where I cancelled a booking because I really didn't like the guy's attitude. In my case, he had only got as far as submitting a booking form and no money have exchanged hands. Like your case, he apologised, but I think once you have said you are cancelling you have to stick to it, otherwise you lose credibility. He may have learnt his lesson, but on the other hand he must just think that he can talk his way out of anything else with just an insincere apology once he's arrived.

I would have thought you were safe to cancel, because by not paying the DD he is already in breach of contract.
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Post by Ecosse »

I read his response slightly differently - I don't think he's a chancer, but more that he's busy, thought he had it all sorted and then was angry with himself when it was pointed out that he missed an important factor.

However, this does not change the general thought that you were right to cancel... instead of accepting the error as his, he immediately looked to blame someone else, and for me, that doesn't bode well. This tends to be a personality trait rather than a one off. He sounds like the type of guest who would blame you for not having features in your cottage, that you never claimed to have, simply because he didn't read the description properly... and personally I would be looking to avoid that stress, as I'm sure you'll be able to refill the week with a much more appreciative guest.
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Post by russellt »

From my own experience, and several anecdotes on LMH, it appears that we more often than not are either thankful that we listened to our gut instinct or sorry that we didn't.

In this case, there doesn't appear to be any reason to alter that advice. Go with your instinct on this one. The guy has to learn that he should read & understand the booking arrangements and comply with them, and that he should be respectful of the service provider.

I recently walked away from a 3 week July booking request because I felt I wasn't being told the whole story about the booking party. I sensed evasion, so walked away. I'll never truly know if my instinct was right, but I'm happier that I made that decision than have the worry about what might have happened. The booker, eventually sensing my concerns, toned down her 'aggressive evasion', but by that time I had, in my head, satisfied myself that this was not a booking I wanted. So, I would repeat, 'go with your instinct'.

(As an aside, I agree with the points about stressed, time-poor people and also about the cold nature of email/mobile communications. I think it is also the case that the vast array of available property options, the huge number of booking channels, the lastminute discounting merry-go-round and the sense amongst bookers that accommodation providers 'need' the business, has created more of a power struggle between bookers and providers. Bookers will try it on, by demanding discounts or in this case thinking they can get away with not paying the DD. This is why, as providers, we need to know our walk-away position. If it doesn't feel good, walk away).

Sermon over. :)
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Post by greenbarn »

russellt wrote:From my own experience, and several anecdotes on LMH, it appears that we more often than not are either thankful that we listened to our gut instinct or sorry that we didn't.

In this case, there doesn't appear to be any reason to alter that advice. Go with your instinct on this one. The guy has to learn that he should read & understand the booking arrangements and comply with them, and that he should be respectful of the service provider.

I recently walked away from a 3 week July booking request because I felt I wasn't being told the whole story about the booking party. I sensed evasion, so walked away. I'll never truly know if my instinct was right, but I'm happier that I made that decision than have the worry about what might have happened. The booker, eventually sensing my concerns, toned down her 'aggressive evasion', but by that time I had, in my head, satisfied myself that this was not a booking I wanted. So, I would repeat, 'go with your instinct'.

(As an aside, I agree with the points about stressed, time-poor people and also about the cold nature of email/mobile communications. I think it is also the case that the vast array of available property options, the huge number of booking channels, the lastminute discounting merry-go-round and the sense amongst bookers that accommodation providers 'need' the business, has created more of a power struggle between bookers and providers. Bookers will try it on, by demanding discounts or in this case thinking they can get away with not paying the DD. This is why, as providers, we need to know our walk-away position. If it doesn't feel good, walk away).

Sermon over. :)
Amen to that! :wink:

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Post by petemcveigh »

My tuppence worth is that, never minding the whys and wherefores of what has transpired to date, with the current position, i.e. you having cancelled the booking, to rescind this is potentially setting yourself up for problems come July.
The relationship and expectations have now changed and your guest will be looking at things through a different lens. As stated above, if his ego is bruised he will be looking to, if only in his own eyes, point-score against you.
Yes, again per some examples above, a good open-and-honest clearing of the air can be the basis of a good, rewarding ongoing relationship but I would suggest that is the exception rather than the rule, and is more appropriate to long-term relationships rather than our sort of encounters.

One final though (and forgive me, I am a terrible one for navel gazing attributing blame to myself in any incident!), again re expectation setting for all bookings, are you confident that guests/ potential guests are aware from an early stage of the need for a security deposit? I am thinking of the Ryan-Air type experience where you think they must be the best company in the world because they can fly you to Tenerife for 50p only to slowly change your opinion as you move through the process and more charges are added!
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Post by Essar »

As The Four Tops once sang "Walk away Renee" - well Salmoncottage really, but it didn't rhyme with the song and the Four Tops didn't make a song called that anyway... :D
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Post by Cassis »

Certain guests have better things to do than read our requests for payment, deposit etc. and so naturally we're utterly unreasonable and a right old nuisance to send further requests and reminders. I have to admit that I've nothing better to do than fill my days chasing up deposits etc. as my life is nothing like as busy as theirs.
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