We gave a considerable discount to a group of 5 adults for 2 weeks in June. This was on the basis that they had a tight budget (we came down, they came up a bit) and that they were underoccupying by quite a bit (the place sleeps 8-10 although we prefer to keep to 8 ) thus reducing on wear and tear, electicity, hot water etc.
They arrive on 17th June and I had an e-mail last night saying, oh, by the way, we have another couple joining us for the duration of the holiday.
I feel a bit cross now and did wonder whether I should say anything. I'm not sure that I can ask them to pay any more money as they are still very slightly underoccupying. I just feel that I have given extra discount under false pretences.
Any views appreciated.
What should I do?
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Normandy Cow
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I would reply and tell them that as they will now be occupying all four rooms, that the underoccupancy discount no longer applies and that you will be charging them the full price, less any discount you would be giving for a 2-week stay. (I don't give discounts for two-week stays by the way).
Have they already paid? And have they paid their security deposit?
The cheek of some people!
Have they already paid? And have they paid their security deposit?
The cheek of some people!
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Alan Knighting
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Sarah,
I think you may be approaching this question of occupancy from the wrong direction. My larger cottage sleeps six, in three bedrooms. There is a price for that. If only four are coming the price is the same.
If I hire a car that seats four but there’s only two of us I don’t get an under occupancy discount - that’s a nonsense.
There are two sides to everything. If you’ve done a deal on a certain number then it’s a done deal. If there’s more arriving then it’s not a done deal.
They have a tight budget? Maybe. Are you a charity? Probably not. Are they members of the “ought for nought� brigade? Possibly.
I would tell them, "bring your friends, that’s OK and the extra cost is ?????".
Alan
I think you may be approaching this question of occupancy from the wrong direction. My larger cottage sleeps six, in three bedrooms. There is a price for that. If only four are coming the price is the same.
If I hire a car that seats four but there’s only two of us I don’t get an under occupancy discount - that’s a nonsense.
There are two sides to everything. If you’ve done a deal on a certain number then it’s a done deal. If there’s more arriving then it’s not a done deal.
They have a tight budget? Maybe. Are you a charity? Probably not. Are they members of the “ought for nought� brigade? Possibly.
I would tell them, "bring your friends, that’s OK and the extra cost is ?????".
Alan
Thanks very much everyone for your comments.
Alan, I agree, normally, we would say that guests take the whole house regardless of the number of people coming at the price we are asking and we quite frequently have it 'underoccupied' on this basis. In fact I always make up all the beds and provide towels for 8 regardless of numbers, people can then decide where they want to sleep as the rooms are all very different.
We've never offered an underoccupation discount before and these people weren't asking for a discount because of their number. They simply told me what their budget was and asked if I could help. We thought about it for a bit and then offered them an additional discount (we were already doing a special offer through French Connections for June) on the basis that they were underoccupying and were also a group of older adults so less likely to be heavy going in terms of wear and tear on the house.
I thought it was a cheek, but wanted some feedback from those with a little more experience before I fired off an e-mail.
Sarah
Alan, I agree, normally, we would say that guests take the whole house regardless of the number of people coming at the price we are asking and we quite frequently have it 'underoccupied' on this basis. In fact I always make up all the beds and provide towels for 8 regardless of numbers, people can then decide where they want to sleep as the rooms are all very different.
We've never offered an underoccupation discount before and these people weren't asking for a discount because of their number. They simply told me what their budget was and asked if I could help. We thought about it for a bit and then offered them an additional discount (we were already doing a special offer through French Connections for June) on the basis that they were underoccupying and were also a group of older adults so less likely to be heavy going in terms of wear and tear on the house.
I thought it was a cheek, but wanted some feedback from those with a little more experience before I fired off an e-mail.
Sarah
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Alan Knighting
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Sarah,
In truth it's Joan and not me who deals with enquiries and bookings. She runs the business, I cut the grass and clean the pool.
When it comes to high season Joan is a real toughie. Bambie Blair couldn't get a penny off, even if he was coming on his own. That wouldn’t happen because he gets his free-bees somewhere in Italy.
Mid and low season are a different matter. Joan wants people to have a good holiday. She is not prepared to lower her rates but she often throws in some extras. On the other hand she abominates the cheap-skates and will nothing to do with them.
Charge them a little extra – they will be happy and so will you.
Alan
In truth it's Joan and not me who deals with enquiries and bookings. She runs the business, I cut the grass and clean the pool.
When it comes to high season Joan is a real toughie. Bambie Blair couldn't get a penny off, even if he was coming on his own. That wouldn’t happen because he gets his free-bees somewhere in Italy.
Mid and low season are a different matter. Joan wants people to have a good holiday. She is not prepared to lower her rates but she often throws in some extras. On the other hand she abominates the cheap-skates and will nothing to do with them.
Charge them a little extra – they will be happy and so will you.
Alan
Don't you believe it. Without wishing to stereotype, we had more trouble last year from 2 elderly seniors than we did from a family with 5 children who behaved impeccably.Sarah wrote:We thought about it for a bit and then offered them an additional discount ......a group of older adults so less likely to be heavy going in terms of wear and tear on the house.
It was low season and I too had given the older folks a low occupancy discount, and they negotiated a further discount by agreeing to use only one bedroom, as well offering to do all their own cleaning (which we normally include in rent).
They started off as they meant to go on forgetting the directions I had given them. Huge amounts of luggage then arrived at the house with two small people, and cases were spread between all the various bedrooms as they decided on his and hers dressing rooms, a bedroom to sleep in (as agreed) and a home office. Every room had a use.
A few hours later, they phoned us to complain their favorite TV Channels were not amongst the 120 we provide.
Jokes about trying to get away from TV while on vacation fell on deaf ears and we ended up adding several more at our expense to keep them happy. They told us we wouldn't regret it. 
The next day they phoned to tell us they had bought us a new phone handset because ours didn't work (it was cordless) . The one they had chosen was the same model they had at home, so they knew it was a good one (hard wired).
When we arrived to do the check out, they huffed and puffed and said they weren't sure how much longer they could keep doing this kind of traveling and had waited for us to help them load up the car. It took us half an hour to get them into it and wave them off with a beaming smile and a security refund in full, (we had given up at this point), then another half hour to put the furniture back in the right rooms before we could even start to clean.
It seems they had spent most of the week trying to recreate their own home, layout and lifestyle, unplugging lamps and moving them into different rooms, also carrying tables and chairs between floors, but not putting any of it back.
They probably couldn't remember where it all went. 
Maybe these folks really were the exception, and I'm not even saying they meant any harm, I don't think they did at all, but if we broke even, we were lucky and it therefore marked the end of our senior discounts, our first and our last.
Assume nothing because of age.
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levelsteps
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cromercrabholiday
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Nothing wrong with motorbikes at all, but all the way from the Midlands to South West France!cromercrabholiday wrote:Nothing wrong with motorbikes - I ride one daily!Sarah wrote:Joanna
By the way, our elderly renters have just announced that they'll be arriving by motorbike!! I don't know whether to laugh or cry..
John
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Hells Bells
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cromercrabholiday
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