Discount agreed and now they want to bring two extra guests

[Sam V]

I had an enquiry I quoted for the other day for 7 nights, 4 guests, dates in March-April. She came back to me yesterday saying she was really interested but could they get a quote for earlier dates in March and asked 'I know its being cheeky but' ....could I do the rental price at £400 not £450, accepting the costs for the extras (pool heating) and she was torn between our villa she preferred and another villa.

I mulled it over and decided as its less than 8 weeks, so full payment required and slim chance of another booking I'd offer it to her at £420, our lowest weekly rate. She very quickly came back and confirmed to book.

Now today I've just had another email asking if she can provisionally book 2 more guests in, taking us to full capacity 6 guests. Do I now go back and say well if they do join the booking ill have to charge the full rate £420. My quote was alway 'based on 4 people'.

[Nemo]

Do you mean the full rate of £450? Did you state that the quote was for 4 people or was it an assumption on your part?

It would be reasonable for you to go back and say your original quote was for 4 and that you need to charge full rate due to the extra cleaning and bedlinen involved with 6. Needless to say, guests don't tend to think along those lines; if you rent a villa the assumption is you can fill as many beds as there are, unless the original quote is really clear regarding occupancy.

You could try, I guess you may lose the booking, the question is how much does the extra £30 matter to you? If it's just the principle and you didn't make it clear from the outset then I might mention it, but probably swallow it on this occasion. If it was part of the terms of the original quote, then yes definitely charge extra for extra occupancy.

[Mouse]

Yes I would do this if I was in your position. I know I'm cynical, but whilst accepting that numbers do flucuate, over the years I have had quite a few people asking for deals and then, wouldn't you know it, the number of guests goes up.
This is whilst I always make sure, as you did, that the quote is tagged as being for 'x' guests.

Rathe rthan charge them the extra, I have occasionally asked these 'additional' guests to put a reasonable donation in the charity tin (we have one in the villa) and have constantly been disappointed when they've failed to do that.
So now I have no hesitation charging...you can always say you're donating it to a local charity if you feel they may think you're being miserly. Better in your pocket than theirs (as my Grandad used to say )

Mouse
x

[Mozzie]

Yes absolutely charge the extra - after all your guest is the one who has changed the agreement you made, therefore you are right to change your end as well.

[e-richard]

Well, if its only £30 for an additional 2 persons per week, then my bother-in-law and his wife, and his wife's parents, and their neighbours would also like to come. Don't worry, we'll bring our own inflatable beds..............

In your reply, I'd keep it very simple. You offered a discount for under-occupancy (regardless of what your email said, that's what you intended). Now the price is £450 for the full 6 persons. Period. No further discussion.

I get a sense that these guests have run out of deodorant, and my nose is twitching.

K.I.S.S. otherwise you're into longwinded arguments

[Sam V]

Thanks Guys,

Yes, my quote did state the price based on 4, thanks to PIMS!

Ill get back to her and say im happy for her to add 2 further guests but the price would be the original £450 for an occupancy of 6

I know it's only £30, but its the principle too!

[cambalala]

Me? I wouldn't bother. It is only 30 squidsafterall. But thats just me I give discounts all the time. Bums in beds is always better than none.

[barbersdrove]

Bums in beds is always better than none.

I don't agree. If you are incurring costs you are not operating a proper business if you do not charge accordingly. We are not Charitys we are business.

[Nemo]

I read cambalala slightly differently, as in if the extra £30 was a deal breaker, they would want the booking regardless, rather than no booking? From that perspective I agree, but that doesn't negate the rest of the discussion about charging the extra for an increase in numbers.

[LaVilleauTady]

Sam V,

From my reading of your web site rates, the price is for the villa:

These fees are for use of the villa, per week.

As you price on a villa basis, and not per person, unless you explicitly stated the discount was for reduced occupancy I don't think you should increase the price now.

[linda que linda]

I absolutely believe you should charge the extra, especially since you quoted specifically for 4 people. It certainly won't hurt the extra guests to split the additional 30 and it stops the unsettling feeling that the guests have "moved the goalposts" on you, deliberate or not.

[Sam V]

Response to original quote for 4 guests:
'I am being cheeky but is there any chance you could do it for £400 as I have short listed to your villa and one other. I must say yours does look lovely and would prefer to book it with you.'

Excerpt from re-quote agreed @ £420:
'...I do have availability for the above dates totalling 7 nights. The full rental fee for this is £490.00* based on 4 person occupancy....' *includes £70 pool heating supplement

further response:
'Would it be a problem if provisionally 2 more came. It is not confirmed as they are trying to arrange time off work but I will let you know as soon as we have a definite.'


or another scenario;

-Hello Mr Butcher, could I have 4 rump steaks please?
*Yes Mrs B'hunter that'll be £4.50
-Oh those are lovely rump steaks, they had some nice ones down the road at Other Butcher, but I like the look of yours more, can you do them for £4.00?
*Er, how about I do 4 for £4.20 then? You wont be dissapointed.
-Ooo thanks Mr Butcher, we'll enjoy a lovely Steak n Chips dinner tonight....you won't mind letting me have 2 more then?

[cambalala]

I read cambalala slightly differently, as in if the extra £30 was a deal breaker, they would want the booking regardless, rather than no booking? From that perspective I agree, but that doesn't negate the rest of the discussion about charging the extra for an increase in numbers.

Yep. Thats what I meant. If you charged per person basis it'd be a different story. But as I said, I give discounts all the time especially if I know it will secure the booking. So perhaps i have a more liberal view of the business. I agree that they were a bit cheeky not to offer to pay full price if they bring extra guests... At least then you could say: nah, don't worry about it...

[donkey-on-the-edge]

If I am asked to offer a discount, I always look at the number of proposed guests, so I would have looked at the lower number of guests when calculating a price. If the number of guests then goes up, there will be more guests to share the overall cost, so of course you should charge more. I once did a deal for 10 nights for 4 people (gite sleeps 6). We then had an additional 5 guests (gite still sleeps 6) for a week and 2 further guests when the first extras had left for 2 nights - and when I complained I was told that "with respect" it was only a few extra showers .....! Now my "blurb" states that deals are based on the number of guests at the time of booking and any additional guests will be charged for.