Taking payment for late availability?

[harcourtv57]

We have this week had two cancellations - both were bookings taken for late availability in August so neither had actually paid - one was the old 'cheques in the post' routine for over a week until they sent an e-mail saying they were cancelling. The other was the one who didn't want to pay a security deposit (discussed elsewhere on the forum). The result being that two weeks I thought I had booked are now suddenly free again (this is the first year we have ever had availability stilll in August). Both parties entailed quite a lot of work, asking 101 questions - one party even asked if we had a reciprocal agreement with the local swimming pools!! I am thinking therefore of asking late bookers to pay by Paypal but have had resistance to this in the past due to the extra Paypal charge. And wouldn't want to put people off if it means a late availablity week being booked. I know that some LMHs only take Paypal payments anyway - but this would resolve the issue of waiting 10 days for payment only to find they aren't going ahead. What does everyone think?

[Chianti]

Harcourt

Don't know where either you or your property is located but I suggest using a bank transfer as it only takes a day from the UK to Italy.

I'm truly sorry that you have lost 2 weeks in August.

Chianti

[Giddy Goat]

Haven't we been saying that it depends on the banks? I made a payment to someone recently and it took minutes but that was from a UK bank to a UK bank, (not the same bank) and I had been furnished with an "online banking card reader" by my bank. I can't make a payment as rapidly as that internationally, (or even next day) unless it was to my own account of a branch of my home bank I think, if such existed. Otherwise, as far as the banks are concerned, it has to be done by a transfer of some kind, and a trip to the bank to fill out the forms - and the quickest international transfer still takes 1-2 working days at my bank and costs the sender £27; the receiving bank will also make a charge.

Aaauugh! It's all so complicated! However if Harcourt's property is in the UK and his client is also UK based, that's certainly the way to go.

[harcourtv57]

We are in the UK - I did ask someone a few weeks ago who was in the UK (another short break late availability) to pay by bank transfer - they had alrealdy sent a cheque but were happy to do this, as by the time the cheque would have been received, cashed and cleared, they would have been and gone! But international bank payments take much longer and cost both the payee and us to process.

[Hells Bells]

I'd go with Paypal for those late bookers if a bank transfer is not possible. If you have the benefit of time, and they are verified Paypal members, ask for an echeque as the fees are much lower, if it is truly last minute, don't discount by so much so that you cover the cost of the Paypal fees.

[roxytoo]

Paypal too for me

Though remember they can still issue a chargeback up to a month after..................

[Nightowl]

that's one of the reasons I like to use paypal as well - you aren't left in limbo with the 'cheques in the post' promises.

You give them, say, 2 days to either pay the deposit or not... and if you don't receive it, you can tell them that as you haven't received their deposit, you assume they have changed their minds and will re-offer the dates again (which, when it's a late availability booking you need to be able to re-offer dates quickly if the original punter is messing around)

Generally with deposits, the amounts are smaller and therefore the charges are not so bad - I think it's worth, say, a tenner, to be sure that you have a booking or not. And if they use e-cheque, so much the better. (and on that note, does anyone know if the e-cheque facility is available to all countries? I had a 3 week booking which would have cost £80 to receive by paypal so I asked them to use the e-chq facility but he said he couldn't find it in any of the options - this was an Italian paypal account. )

[Hells Bells]

Not sure if echeck available in all countries (my French account has it), but it can be difficult to find. I was amazed however when one of my customers found it without me asking him to pay that way.