Guest Refusing to Sign Rental Agreement
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- Posts: 73
- Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 10:41 am
- Location: Croatia & U.K
Guest Refusing to Sign Rental Agreement
Hi there. I have the first guest that is refusing to sign a rental agreement following a booking via a holiday home website.
First they will not put down a deposit. Spoke at length to me on the phone about this. They say it wont be guaranteed by website as its a payment outside of the agreement. We take cash deposit on arrival. Perhaps this wasn't clear but as owner I think this is a risk. I did think to overlook on this occasion as maybe it wasn't clear enough pre-booking.
But now they returned the booking forms (Un-signed) They don't want to sign terms and conditions for rental.
They already paid but I am going to send them an email stating it needs signing by end of week or I will cancel/refund the vacation.
What are your thoughts? Would you spend additional time on the phone trying to resolve this or cut losses now. Would you give them until the end of the week like I have to sign and include a statement that I will cancel if not received.
I'd rather not have to waste more time on the phone chasing this up. The forms were returned quickly but has gone all quiet now Im asking for a signature..Gives me a bad feeling with these issues before they even get to the holiday home.
First they will not put down a deposit. Spoke at length to me on the phone about this. They say it wont be guaranteed by website as its a payment outside of the agreement. We take cash deposit on arrival. Perhaps this wasn't clear but as owner I think this is a risk. I did think to overlook on this occasion as maybe it wasn't clear enough pre-booking.
But now they returned the booking forms (Un-signed) They don't want to sign terms and conditions for rental.
They already paid but I am going to send them an email stating it needs signing by end of week or I will cancel/refund the vacation.
What are your thoughts? Would you spend additional time on the phone trying to resolve this or cut losses now. Would you give them until the end of the week like I have to sign and include a statement that I will cancel if not received.
I'd rather not have to waste more time on the phone chasing this up. The forms were returned quickly but has gone all quiet now Im asking for a signature..Gives me a bad feeling with these issues before they even get to the holiday home.
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- Posts: 73
- Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 10:41 am
- Location: Croatia & U.K
Thank you. I guess I can state this in my follow up email.
Do you think I should explicitly state I will cancel booking if this is not agreed or just cancel the booking at the end of the week if they do not respond. I suspect they are just ignoring my emails.
I'm starting to think cutting my losses may end up cheaper as with no security deposit or contact they could cost me a lot more. I don't have time to constantly chase.
Do you think I should explicitly state I will cancel booking if this is not agreed or just cancel the booking at the end of the week if they do not respond. I suspect they are just ignoring my emails.
I'm starting to think cutting my losses may end up cheaper as with no security deposit or contact they could cost me a lot more. I don't have time to constantly chase.
Cut loose now. I understand their concerns but you have the greater loss, entrusting your home to someone who doesn't trust you, even though they have spoken to you.
A booking shouldn't take place without a correctly returned booking form in whatever shape or form that is and hopefully your terms back that up? You are then within your rights to cancel as they are refusing to adhere to the terms of your booking process.
I have allowed it to happen twice I think, but only from well known, returning guests, who are not online or email and only operate by snail mail. Elderly folk who have others help them with the booking and so it's clearly got forgotten. It's not ideal and makes me uncomfortable but I'd never do that with someone I didn't know.
A booking shouldn't take place without a correctly returned booking form in whatever shape or form that is and hopefully your terms back that up? You are then within your rights to cancel as they are refusing to adhere to the terms of your booking process.
I have allowed it to happen twice I think, but only from well known, returning guests, who are not online or email and only operate by snail mail. Elderly folk who have others help them with the booking and so it's clearly got forgotten. It's not ideal and makes me uncomfortable but I'd never do that with someone I didn't know.
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- Posts: 73
- Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2012 10:41 am
- Location: Croatia & U.K
Thanks Nemo
I think as I've already given deadline of friday to return this Ill stop chasing now. I wont follow up to mention the cancellation to stir the honey pot but will just cancel on Friday evening if they don't come back to me. To be honest I can do without this for a low season booking. They were even moaning about the rental cost.. but had booked it anyway.
Lack of trust from a guest is something I'm not familiar with. First time in 4 years I've seen this. Trust needs to go two ways with rentals..
I think as I've already given deadline of friday to return this Ill stop chasing now. I wont follow up to mention the cancellation to stir the honey pot but will just cancel on Friday evening if they don't come back to me. To be honest I can do without this for a low season booking. They were even moaning about the rental cost.. but had booked it anyway.
Lack of trust from a guest is something I'm not familiar with. First time in 4 years I've seen this. Trust needs to go two ways with rentals..
The guest feels that he has booked a holiday with the listing site. All his dealings and payments are to the listing site. His contract is with the listing site.
Why are you, the owner, getting in the way?
Why are you, the owner, getting in the way?
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
+1e-richard wrote:The guest feels that he has booked a holiday with the listing site. All his dealings and payments are to the listing site. His contract is with the listing site.
Why are you, the owner, getting in the way?
A strong possibility for a guest who doesn't know the full background and why should he. He just wants to book a holiday and that's the way he sees it.
- kevsboredagain
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Generally making payment or just turning up would show acceptance of a contract as long as you can show you've made it available. A signature is just a formality which makes it easier to show acceptance, so not signing gets them out of nothing if it ever went to court.
Most online bookings these days would be done without a actual signature. That doesn't mean there is no agreement in place.
I'd be still worried though and refuse to let them in.
Most online bookings these days would be done without a actual signature. That doesn't mean there is no agreement in place.
I'd be still worried though and refuse to let them in.
Yes, but "Rules are Rules" (as the parking attendant said to the Queen's bodyguard when he clamped his police car - you can guess the rest of the story!)kevsboredagain wrote:Generally making payment or just turning up would show acceptance of a contract as long as you can show you've made it available. A signature is just a formality which makes it easier to show acceptance, so not signing gets them out of nothing if it ever went to court.
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- Location: Chester, North West England & Sidmouth, East Devon
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All good advice. I wouldn't want them staying after this - if they don't think they need to sign up to your terms before they arrive how will they behave when they're there?
Although a signature might not be legally necessary, I think it probably focuses people's minds on what they're signing so they're more likely to actually read it.
Although a signature might not be legally necessary, I think it probably focuses people's minds on what they're signing so they're more likely to actually read it.
Jo
Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth