Coronavirus - Infected whilst on holiday

Up, down, could be better? How to get more bookings is our number one obsession. Talk shop here.
Martha
Posts: 2289
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 7:01 pm
Location: Chamonix

Post by Martha »

Apparently all the regions are going to have quarantine / isolation facilities available. If so this would be a good solution - your guest has to check into one of these.
Chalet la Foret, Chamonix
Drax
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 4:36 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Post by Drax »

It would appear that we will shortly be allowed to open for business.
I have been busy writing up a Corvid 19 Risk Assessment, updating cleaning procedures to try to address the virus and amending T&C's etc.
Part of this process is that we have been advised to include information regarding what to do if guests contract the virus whilst at our holiday home and have to stay there beyond their booked period. This information must include what to charge them for this extended period.
Has anyone on this forum addressed this potential problem, thought up a 'formula' and arrived at a fair price for the guests to pay?
My own thoughts are that I would not like to exacerbate the guests situation, put further stress on someone who was ill and possibility could not afford to pay an extra large sum at short notice.
Because we are going to leave a week fallow before and after each weekly booking, my thinking is to calculate on a daily basis the energy they would use during this extended stay, extra cleaning costs at the end of their stay and the cost of paying for new bedding, duvets, pillows etc because of contamination issues.
Of course another issue is that we may have to cancel the next booking which would leave us out of pocket. Do we charge the Corvid 19 guest the full amount or just a fraction of it?
Ideas would be welcome.
Keep your powder dry.
SPJ
Posts: 468
Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:01 am
Location: Aquitaine
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Post by SPJ »

Hi Drax, you've touched on an issue that I'm not sure anyone here has a good answer for and you may want to seek advice elsewhere - eg your local GP, tourist board, insurers, etc
Your guests may want to go home - are they allowed to?
Is there testing and tracking in place for your area?
Is there a quarantine / isolation location for them in your area so they move out and you can sanitise the place for your next guests?
Have you had contact with them and will you have to go into quarantine?
Your sentiments are generous, but you may find that things are out of your hands as to what you can/can't do.
I think you will struggle to get a sick guest prepared to pay for the follow-on cancellation - hence you need to be talking to your insurer as to what the implications might be.
This is a can of worms and is one reason why some gite owners are not even attempting to open this year.
Moonshine
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Joined: Thu Jun 30, 2016 2:08 pm
Location: South Devon, UK
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Post by Moonshine »

Currently my plan is as follows:
1. Not to allow anyone to stay here from outside Britain, so that they can immediately drive home if one of them develops symptoms.
2. Not to allow anyone to stay here on their own, as anyone with symptoms probably shouldn't be driving.
3. To make guests aware before they book that if either of them develop symptoms while here they must immediately go home and I will refund them for the unused part of their booking.
newtimber
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Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 5:57 pm
Location: Brighton
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Post by newtimber »

Moonshine wrote:Currently my plan is as follows:

2. Not to allow anyone to stay here on their own, as anyone with symptoms probably shouldn't be driving.
But there are quite a few households where only 1 person is allowed to drive - either because only 1 person has a driving licence or the other party is not insured to drive their partner's car. And what happens if they both fall ill?
SPJ
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Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:01 am
Location: Aquitaine
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Post by SPJ »

There is a further issue. And what about the people booked in for the weeks after you've had someone in your rental accommodation fall ill? MOH says we should let future guests know and give them the option to cancel. As I say, a minefield!
Moonshine
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Location: South Devon, UK
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Post by Moonshine »

Thanks for your comments, Newtimber. I had thought that they would be most unlikely to both fall ill at the same time, but in fact it's not so unlikely as they would be on holiday together and probably meeting the same people. And I had completely forgotten that not everybody drives! Maybe our esteemed government will produce some guidelines tomorrow (I think) about what we should do. If holidaymakers are required to stay where they are when they become ill I'm just going to cancel this year entirely, and in fact I'm coming round to the idea that I may just do this anyway.
Drax
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 4:36 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Post by Drax »

Thanks SPJ , you have made some interesting and valid observations.
As you state no matter what we may charge a guest for an extended stay due to them contracting the virus, in all probability they would not pay and we would be the losers.
It is yet another 'headache' of holiday let businesses trying to address the issues caused by Corvid 19.
We do have some long standing bookings for August and September, these are guests who have stayed with us in previous years. Subject to Government instructions we want to honour these particular bookings. However after they have left we are sorely tempted to close the business down for the remainder of this year, it hardly worth the hassle.
Keep your powder dry.
SPJ
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Joined: Mon Dec 28, 2015 9:01 am
Location: Aquitaine
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Post by SPJ »

Basically that's what we are doing Drax. We'll cope with the people who love coming here and otherwise we are not replacing earlier ones who (wisely) cancelled. But then we are fortunate - we are retired and at least have our pensions. It must be heartbreaking for anyone whose livelihood is in the tourism industry at the moment.
Kilm
Posts: 44
Joined: Mon Jul 24, 2017 4:23 pm

Post by Kilm »

My solution to this has been fairly straight forward.

I'm now taking an additional deposit to the value of 80% of the booking minus commission rates, built in cleaning costs, etc.

So they pay for the booking and pay this 80% deposit on top.

The rationale behind it is:

"If you, or any member of your party become ill and under the government health guidelines at the time, are required to stay in the property and self-isolate, this deposit will be used to cover the cost of your isolation period."

Why this way? Because how can I trust someone to pay for that extended stay? I can't. I have had some issues in the past, and so I'm happy to go tougher rather than softer.

So far, my bookings are going up and up as people get their much needed holidays in, and everyone understands the need for the deposit.

To help with financial matters, I'm only taking that deposit on the day of arrival at 9am, and it's by card payment with World Pay. This means they're out of pocket for as little time as possible.

So far, it's working really well and I've had no issues but of course, it's only been a short time.

The plus side is the bank account looks amazing right now so I need to avoid the temptation to spend what is not mine to spend!
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