Lay My Hat

We take deposits and final payment either by cheque or bank transfer. More and more people are opting for the bank transfer.

When I need to return their damages deposit I send an e-mail hoping they had a good holiday, got home safe etc. I then ask if they would like their deposit returned by bank transfer or by cheque and to send me bank details if they opt for the former.

Guest left on 24th September. I e-mailed on 26th September as above. No reply. I thought, perhaps, they had taken a slow journey home, stayed another week somewhere etc. Still no reply today. I have now posted a cheque.

Never had anyone not keen to get their money back before ........

You've just reminded me that we've got a deposit refund outstanding. I've sent several emails over a few weeks asking how they'd like it returned. No response at all. At first I thought they might be on an extended tour, but I think they'd be home by now, and even so don't most people check emails occasionally?

They're from Germany and I need their IBAN/BIC number so I can transfer the refund (I don't think a cheque would be much use to them). Like you, I'm surprised that they haven't been chasing for it - unless something was lost in translation and they're not expecting it back.

Try asking for bank details as a couple of extra questions on the BOOKING FORM.
That way you know you have the details well in advance.

I had this a couple of times. It's possible that your emails are suddenly going straight to junk. The nice thing to do would be to write them an old-fashioned letter.

Mols

When we send out the directions in pdf format, we also send out a "Damages Deposit Reclaim" form so THEY write their bank account number & bank details, sign it and bring it with them. We make a point of seeing them a day or 2 before they leave, and ask for the form then. If we have not managed to catch up with them, the departure instructions say to leave the form with the key on the coffee table.

All our guests seem to appreciate that we simply assume we will be refunding the full amount of damages deposit.

I had one family who took about 6 weeks to reply to my various emails asking for their back details to return the deposit - they were a lovely family and VERY relaxed when they were here so I suspect they were similarly laid back once home again.

We had the same thing happen a matter of a few weeks ago. It transpired that they had been thinking about returning next year. At our suggestion, they have since asked us to retain the security deposit as part payment of a deposit to secure the same week in 2017.

I had a family a few years ago who took 6 months to reclaim their deposit. After good advice from here I mailed a cheque. On receipt it was cashed and the chap emailed me to say he was very busy....too busy to claim his deposit...

Not just us then. It's never happened before though - they are usually chomping at the bit.

As it happens, I decided this morning that I could not/should not wait any longer and wrote a letter with a cheque - as I would do 'normally' until very recent years.

I walked to the post office and got back to find an e-mail from him with his bank details. No explanation why he's taken so long to reply to my e-mail. I replied that I'd just posted it!

I had once who didn't reply to my emails for his bank details and I do charge extra for cheque refunds to try and encourage bank transfers. Months and months later he finally replied and used the security deposit towards another booking. He just seemed incredibly slow at all communication. I've also got a very repeat guest who just rolls her security deposit to her next booking.

Sam V wrote:I've also got a very repeat guest who just rolls her security deposit to her next booking.

We don't charge a security deposit to our repeat guests - if they are of the type where we feel we need a damages deposit from them, we don't want them back!

I used to do it that way but now I use PayPal - then it's refunded with literally one click. I take the deposit the week before and refund it 24 hrs after they leave. I get refunded all Paypal charges too so it's free - there is a time limit on this to be aware of, 30 or maybe 60 days? Anyway it's all done within a week or two. Much easier.

Yeah I don't normally bother for repeat guests, either. Though actually there have been some where I did - typically people who are very nice but have rowdy kids. I think having the deposit helps focus the holiday mind a bit, to keep them in check.

In ten years I've had one this year who ignored all my e-mails requesting bank details to refund their deposit. In the end I posted a cheque. It's still not been cashed from the beginning of the summer. I'm certainly not chasing them to cash it. Better in my bank account than theirs.

Well, after another email from me, our guest sent their details so I could refund their damage deposit - they stayed at the beginning of August! He also apologised for being too busy to reply sooner

Martha wrote:I used to do it that way but now I use PayPal - then it's refunded with literally one click. I take the deposit the week before and refund it 24 hrs after they leave. I get refunded all Paypal charges too so it's free - there is a time limit on this to be aware of, 30 or maybe 60 days? Anyway it's all done within a week or two. Much easier.

Yeah I don't normally bother for repeat guests, either. Though actually there have been some where I did - typically people who are very nice but have rowdy kids. I think having the deposit helps focus the holiday mind a bit, to keep them in check.

+1