Strange happenings with HA booking.....

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KathyG
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Strange happenings with HA booking.....

Post by KathyG »

Well that's strange! Had an enquiry via HA earlier 😮, although this time instead of 'enquiry' it said 'reservation request'. She was asking what the amount would be in euros. So I responded, it was in French so not my best response. She came back to say it's fine to write in English, she's accepted my change of date, AND she's paid the deposit! Now, I haven't even given my French bank details to HA....... so what has she paid and to which bank. No response to my email to her - now that she's apparently paid something, I have her personal email address. Any ideas anyone? This is my first 'enquiry' since I renewed in July and HAD to accept online bookings (but not online payments). Just a bit confused...... :?
Kathy
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mmg
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Post by mmg »

Kathy, I suspect she has paid the service fee by credit card to HomeAway but she may be under the impression it's the deposit.
KathyG
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Post by KathyG »

Oh God..... :? I think you're probably right, just checked my payment details that HA have and it just says 'contact the owner'. I've now sent details of our French bank a/c privately and a Payment Request via the HA dashboard. Poor woman is going to be so confused, meanwhile those dates are now blocked off. :evil:
Kathy
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Post by vacancesthezan »

KathyG wrote:Oh God..... :? I think you're probably right, just checked my payment details that HA have and it just says 'contact the owner'. I've now sent details of our French bank a/c privately and a Payment Request via the HA dashboard. Poor woman is going to be so confused, meanwhile those dates are now blocked off. :evil:
We have been doing this for some time. We have had to change our responses to enquiries (or booking requests) to make it doubly clear what they need to pay to whom and when! We have spent many happy hours on the system with Abritel and Homeaway when things go wrong and the renters dont understand.

Since this system came in they have improved the presentation of information to the renter to make it clearer(?) what they have already paid and when they need to pay the rest (and to whom).

Somewhere within the system you can see what has been sent to the renter so you can double check. We have asked Abritel to contact (by phone) French renters to explain on more than one occasion.

You should get there in the end! Patience!

VT
KathyG
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Post by KathyG »

Thanks VT - she says she's sent the first payment so can I assume that's my deposit plus the service fee? If so, can I presume that HA will send the deposit on to me? Poor woman only asked what the tariff would be in euros and then all of a sudden she's apparently booked and paid. She's not responding to my emails either. Will go and check out the HA site, see if I can find out what she's been sent.....
Kathy
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Post by Quiterio »

KathyG wrote: She's not responding to my emails either.
This is my biggest problem with instant booking. People think that once they've paid, there's nothing more to do.

"Hello? Are you there? Who are you? Where are you coming from? What time are you arriving? Speak to me ....!"
KathyG
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Post by KathyG »

KathyG wrote:Will go and check out the HA site, see if I can find out what she's been sent.....
Can't find anything, apart from the copy emails they send me telling me I sent them :roll: Anyway, she's now cancelled, not really surprised! :evil:
Kathy
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vacancesthezan
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Post by vacancesthezan »

KathyG wrote:
KathyG wrote:Will go and check out the HA site, see if I can find out what she's been sent.....
Can't find anything, apart from the copy emails they send me telling me I sent them :roll: Anyway, she's now cancelled, not really surprised! :evil:
Yes she thought that she had paid because of the wording on the email that AB sent out. I know you can find the same wording as the renter sees somewhere in the system as HA showed me last time i had a problem (over the phone). I am sorry but I cannot remember exactly where.

I have changed the wording of my replies to make it clear how the 3 payments are made ie first by card to HA for the service fee and second and third to us for the rental for bank transfer . I know it is too late for this one but worth considering for next time!

HA are making it more and more difficult to remain "independent" but we cant (and wont) move to their OLP system. We even have words on our English and French sites explaining the payment method before the renters even book. Then it is not a surprise. If the renters moan about it we blame HA completely for their method!

VT
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Post by FelicityA »

She probably didn't pick up that there was a service fee at all and when she paid it, it is quite likely she thought you were charging it. I hope she can find you another way and book without the fee. I think it dreadful that so many people are duped and don't realise what they are being charged.
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Post by mmg »

Will she get the service fee refunded now she has cancelled? You mentioned messaging her privately, do you have her contact details? If so, it might be worth contacting her again and explaining that she can now book directly with you.
KathyG
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Post by KathyG »

mmg wrote: If so, it might be worth contacting her again and explaining that she can now book directly with you.
Yes I've done that mmg already ;) , she says she cancelled because her father didn't want to travel as far as Brittany, wants Normandy. Apparently.

Felicity - it does look as though she knew there was a service fee; she said HA quoted her a figure which included my deposit and the service fee. Of course I didn't know that so I'd sent her a payment request for the deposit, which she then said she'd pay today. Then she cancelled. Everyone's kept in the dark. :evil:
Kathy
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Post by Mouse »

I know this isn't a comment on that situation (what a pain that was Kathy) but more as an aside;

These a thread running started by deliliah (I think) that says all OD owners have to accept OB and OP. So is that just them? And HA you can still have payments made to you by gusers?

I'm getting very confused. I'm on OD as a subscriber but also my property is on HA.

Mousie
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Post by AndrewH »

Mouse wrote:These a thread running started by deliliah (I think) that says all OD owners have to accept OB and OP. So is that just them? And HA you can still have payments made to you by guests?
I'm getting very confused. I'm on OD as a subscriber but also my property is on HA.
Mousie
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As an OD subscriber (with OB and OP enabled), I know that my property appears not only on OD but also on HA(UK) and on HA's French site and German site and probably all of their other sites as well. I think that will be the case with you as well, Mousie.

My understanding, and I am ready to be corrected if I am wrong, is that online booking plus online payments are now compulsory across the board with all the HA sites, or will be at next renewal. This means (or will mean) that payments from guests by bank transfer direct to the owner's bank is no longer an acceptable payment method.

For me, this situation has become just academic, because people no longer book my villa through the HA/OD platforms, although they probably discover it there but make their booking by other means, in which HA/OD plays no part.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Thanks Andrew! I had started to wonder if they were running 2 systems depending on who people had subscribed to.

Yes I too am hoping that I will continue to get OD people redirected to my website. I know they will remove the website reference but my house name will still be prominant.

Having said that I have had only 2 enquiries this year from them...and page hits are abysmal.

Mousie
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FelicityA
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Post by FelicityA »

Can you still see page hits, Mouse? I seem to be cut off from that now on VRBO (it used to say page analytics) and every time they suggest I 'explore' the new set up, I daren't, in case it lands me in a devious trap with service fee attached.
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