Trip Advisor Damage Deposit Issue

OTA = Online Travel Agency, which means those sites that sell the booking and take the payment for you.
Yorkshire Lass
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Joined: Mon Sep 06, 2010 2:08 pm
Location: North Yorkshire
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Trip Advisor Damage Deposit Issue

Post by Yorkshire Lass »

Not sure if anyone else is aware or affected by this particular issue but thought I should highlight it. I was pretty much forced to move over to a commission system with them (having previously been on subscription) about a year ago so this may just affect commission listings. Any owners who normally take a damage deposit via Trip Advisor need to be aware that at some point Trip Advisor without notifying Owners ceased to actually take a damage deposit from the guests and in fact despite it showing in the Owner dashboard that a deposit has been taken this is not the case. The real situation is that by stating you have a damage deposit of x this is what the guest has agreed can be deducted (up to that maximum) from their card if the owner makes a claim on the damage deposit which of course is a very different situation. This only came to light for me when I realized that the first guest who had booked via the commission listing and despite the fact the dashboard showed that a damage deposit was being held was not going to receive a refund via TA. As I had issued my own paperwork which showed them as having paid a deposit this led to an embarrassing situation where I had to phone them and explain that no refund was due. I have a number of other guests going through the system still who also have paperwork from me showing the same thing! I have complained very strongly to TA and this is their response for anyone who might be similarly affected:

'Thank you for speaking to me about the deferred damage deposit. It was a pleasure talking to you.

First of all, we’d like to apologize. It appears that you may have received information regarding damage deposits which was inaccurate or contradictory. To clarify, your guest wont be charged a damage deposit as part of their total booking cost.

We now realise that this was not made clear enough during the booking process and that follow-up communications gave inaccurate or contradictory information about refunds.

We’re working to correct this as a priority.

Most bookings taken through our platform will have a deferred damage deposit (if the owner added a damage deposit amount) unless it meets any of the limitations listed below. (the owner can't chose which option they prefer).

Limitations of deferred damage deposits (DDD):
• Excludes all damage deposits over $1000 (If set up in a different currency, like EUR, this will be the converted equivalent, using the current conversion rate.)
• Exclude booking happening more than 365 days in the future
• If the booking starts in the next 14 days
The guest will see the maximum claim amount at the time of booking and they won’t be charged unless the owner raises a successful claim. If there is a claim, the funds will be charged from their stored payment method. The claimed amount will be charged to the guest’s stored payment card and scheduled for disbursement to the owner on the next working day (in case of a successful claim which is resolved in owner's favour). The guest will be able to view the claim and can download a receipt status in Manage my booking/Rental inbox.

We hope this answers your query but if you have any further questions, please reply to this email and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.'

The other issue I raised which I'm still awaiting a response on is as follows: if for any reason it is not possible for Trip Advisor to get the claimed damage money (in the event of the owner making a successful claim) from the stored payment card (ie the guest has cancelled the card after paying the final balance) does Trip Advisor underwrite this cost and pay the owner whether or not they are successful in getting money from the guest?
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amandajane
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Joined: Mon Jul 14, 2014 8:37 am
Location: South hams, devon
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Post by amandajane »

I note the use of the phrase “successful claim”.

Some years ago I had an issue with either tripadvisor or possibly one of the other similar listing sites. The date of the house after one guest was so bad that I unofficially felt obliged to give my caretaker a bonus payment. Of course I had no paperwork from her to prove it. I also made the 400 round trip to see what could be done with the carpet and generally get the place back to normal.

The listing site refused my claim because of the lack of receipts. I eventually persuaded the guest to agree to a small deduction but otherwise she go most of her deposit back. No doubt if at that time I had been using a proper cleaning company I’d have recovered more but it was then just a lady from the village.

Personally I think there’s nothing like having the money in your account to keep the gusts on their toes. Having said that it’s often the really decent and respectful ones that forget they’ve paid and I have to nag to get their bank details for the refund.
Joanna
Posts: 1091
Joined: Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:12 pm
Location: Chester, North West England & Sidmouth, East Devon
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Post by Joanna »

This 'deferred damage deposit' has just appeared on my TA dashboard. It's just as well I read about it here as I always send an end of stay email thanking guests for taking care of the house and telling them that their deposit is on it's way back to them.

I don't particularly mind if they do it that way but as you say they should have let us know. This kind of thing must make it look like the right hand doesn't know what the left hand's doing.
Jo

Joint owner of Baker's Cottage in Chester & Chandler's Cottage in Sidmouth
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