Guest arrives tomorrow but payment not received!

[firstgreen]

Here is my dilemma…

I took a last minute booking last Tuesday, holiday dates 11 to 16 April.

I requested payment by Paypal or online banking, they chose online banking last Thursday.

I still haven’t received the funds into my bank (Easter banking hours, 2 days to clear?) and they are due to arrive tomorrow night. Last week I informed them that they would have to pay the amount in over the counter, in cash, if there was a problem. Now they say they can’t because they live in the country, in meetings today etc.

I have given the option again to pay by Paypal or cash over the counter tomorrow, as they don’t arrive until late evening.

No payment = no key

Am I being unreasonable? I will be tormented if payment arrives late and I have refused entry.

Oh, and they sent the booking form and damage deposit cheque post dated as the 20th April, why.

What should I do, tomorrow morning is deadline day.

[Guest3]

Just a suggestion...but you can always ask them to bring the bank receipt as proof of payment of the *cheque into your account. The payment receipt will give the amount paid, date, the teller number and the bank stamp.

Edited...*as they did the payment by online..they can still print off a receipt from their online account showing the details.

In hindsight as there was a bank holiday weekend in-between (which always causes cheque/transfer clearance problems in the UK), I would have requested they bring cash on arrival.

Re. the posted dated cheque for the damage deposit...as it is post dated they can easily cancel the cheque on return to the UK, which will not help you if there has been damage caused during their stay. It really depends how you have worded the "damage deposit" in your T&C's. You could hand them the post dated cheque when you do your meet & greet and request one with the correct date, quoting whatever clauses you have on your T&C's to back you up?

[Mouse]

You no doubt feel its a harsh decision...but I would do exactly the same.

No money - no key.

They knew they were booking last minute, you've made it quite clear you want payment 'before' they arrive. They chose the slower route (why?, I'd have gone for paypal) and then come up with excuses.
The onus is on them. Its their choice - they should have been chasing you to make sure you got the cash in time, not the other way around.

If they arrive and you let them in you'll be worried until the payment arrives...is it worth it?
Explain they will have to find alternative accommodation, should the money arrive you'll be quite happy to go ahead with their booking.

If you want an alternative course of action - could their bank confirm the transfer has been sent (make sure its from their bank and not them)? You may be happy with that.

Me - I'd be mighty annoyed that I'd been put in that position.
I had a very similar situation last year, luckily the money arrived the day before they did - but I still hadn't got the damage deposit. I did tell them that if they didn't have it when they turned up on the doorstep I'd have no alternative - they would not get into the house.

I certainly hope it all works out for you

oh Crystal...I posted at the same time as you!...good advice as always!

good luck
Mouse
x

[Guest3]

I posted at the same time as you!...

As always...I read too fast and suffered 'word blindness'!

[debk]

No, I would not hand over the key without payment in either cash or credit card/paypal. (Neither would a hotel.)

Hopefully, they can show reliable paperwork as suggested by Crystal? If not... no go.

I will be tormented if payment arrives late and I have refused entry.

Why? You've given them two very reasonable alternatives... no need to torment yourself because someone else might decide to be unreasonable.

As Mouse wisely says, they chose the slower route. They'll have to deal with that, which might mean finding somewhere else to sleep until their money clears.

In the future though, I recommend that you not do online banking for last minute bookings. Too many uncontrollable variables.

And double-ditto what Crystal says about the post-dated cheque. No good!!!

Good luck. Stand firm. Hope it all goes well.
debk

[firstgreen]

Thanks guys, great advice as always.

Initially I had a good telephone conversation when the lady enquired. They are having a villa built locally, will be visiting many times and need accommodation. Very posh, but that doesn’t mean anything as we all know.

Now it seems I am doing all the chasing. If I were in their shoes I would be doing all I could to send payment and secure tomorrow nights accommodation. I would gladly refund any duplicate payments. I don’t need the booking but I like to think I am giving a good service and trying to solve the problem.

Unfortunately I am in the UK and the proposed key collection is in the resort safety deposit box. So cash on arrival is not an option, unless I give them the key and trust them to pay at reception the next day…..maybe not a good idea.

I should have insisted on Paypal or cash, lesson learnt.

Re. the posted dated cheque for the damage deposit...as it is post dated they can easily cancel the cheque on return to the UK, which will not help you if there has been damage caused during their stay

This is what concerns me why did they do this. They lost my trust as soon as I noticed it was post dated and worthless (they might as well have sent me a stick of roobarb).

I will not be giving the key collection details without payment by either cash paid in at our bank/paypal or a scanned/faxed proof of online payment.

I can’t make it any simpler.

[Guest3]

Unfortunately I am in the UK and the proposed key collection is in the resort safety deposit box. So cash on arrival is not an option, unless I give them the key and trust them to pay at reception the next day…..maybe not a good idea.

Apologies...I didn't realise you were based in the UK.

I should have insisted on Paypal or cash, lesson learnt

Well...Hope all goes well FG! At some point in time we've all been there, done it and worn the T-Shirt...but on LMH a problem shared is a problem halved.

[Overboard]

I'm interested to hear what happened (it was today they were supposed to check in?). I'm a little nervous for you with these ones.

[centime]

Hi Firstgreen if you need any help on this one let me know just been down to our Lagos villa on the other side of the road from Boavista over the Easter period. Could have our man on a motorbike at your place within a few hours notice to check them out if need be, take the money etc. send me a PM on this. He can take the cash and I can get it to you via my UK account, he is the son-in-law of the couple who have taken care of this villa for decades so complelely trustworthy. http://perfectplaces.com/Luscious_Lagos_Villa.htm

[firstgreen]

centime

Thank you very much for your generous offer to assist, but I don't wish to trouble you.

As expected payment didn't arrive.
They bank with RBS, as do we, so payment should have showed the next day. It has been a week.

I sent them a Paypal request this morning, but then I get a call saying they can't remember their password.

I confirmed by email that the booking request had been cancelled due to non-payment.

Their reply was that they were "very frustrated by the whole thing" and they were going to stay in their friends spare room tonight.

I have spent many hours trying to sort this out and am kind of glad they haven't got the keys.

Something just didn't add up.

Thanks.

[firstgreen]

The headache continues……..the payment is now showing in my bank account, 3 days after they were due to arrive! Who knows when it was actually sent?

I will be refunding the payment and hopefully that will be the end of it.

Lessons learnt:

For last minute payments accept Paypal or cash
Stick to your objectives, its your home and if something doesn’t feel right, or if you are being messed around go with your instincts- no payment = no keys
Time to review our terms and conditions to make sure they are watertight

99% of the time bookings run smoothly, thankfully.

[Big Sis..]

Hi All...

Just caught up with this post....

Does seem a strange one...all good advice as always and soo nice of centime to offer to help
isnt that what makes this forum sooo special. ....

Just a little point about the postdated security/damage chq...
Surely even if it hadnt been postdated it would still not have been cleared by the time the people arrived so could have been cancelled by them when they returned home...not ideal ...
My chqs are always paid in and cleared before keys are sent...

Glad it all worked out for you Firstgreen and I think you handled it very well...

[Hells Bells]

I'm still out of pocket from my guests who decided to extend their holiday. They gave the cash to our apartment manager on arrival, rather than take the Paypal option. I sent my Credit Agricole details, as it is easier to pay in than to my Barclays account, as there is a branch in the village. However CA omitted to tell me that they had closed my account, which I have only used occasionally. Mel is on her holidays, so the money will be sitting in the branch in Monetier rather than in my account. Last minutes? Might not bother again, but if I do I will insist on Paypal. I didn't this time as they would have had to pay two lots of security deposit, as they were already booked in for a week. I was in France and couldn't access the booking software in time to send them another invoice manually.