No show nightmare

From the moment they step through the door your bookings become guests, and their experiences determine whether they ever come back.
CaliforniaDreaming
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Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 2:26 pm

No show nightmare

Post by CaliforniaDreaming »

I would be interested in your thoughts on this one. We are agents but also owners.

I had a guest who was looking for a last minute two week holiday. As a rule we don't like very last minute bookings as something always seems to go wrong. She was very persistent and we eventually got her something she liked. I sent her the booking form which she returned and told me she had transferred the money into my account and it would arrive the following day.

The next day arrives and the owner is asking for confirmation as they have some one else who would definitely like to book it for the same dates. The money is in our account minus the transfer fee of €15. I email the guests and tell them that the money has arrived minus the transfer fee. I then pay the owner and my wife emails on the official documentation/directions etc. She does not reply but that is not unusual.

The day of arrival shortly follows. That morning I receive an email from another guest wondering whether I had received their payment. They had decided to part pay and that payment
was actually allocated to the wrong booking!

I called the client who answered her phone. She was in the right country but was going to a different villa. She got another offer and said she was sure she cancelled. She didn't.

Luckily we managed to get the second week booked but we are down €2500 as we had to pay for the first week.

What would you do if anything?
jenboyle1959
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Post by jenboyle1959 »

Oh dear. If I've understood you correctly, the money you thought was the payment for Mrs Last Minute Guest was actually a part payment/ final payment for another guest entirely?
This nearly happened to me a few weeks ago, via bank transfer. I was waiting for two payments, and when one came through, I was a bit confused as it wasn't the name of the lady who had phoned to book. Sometimes though people get their partner to transfer the money, or a friend who has access to internet banking.. Luckily I phoned her back to check, and it turned out to be the second lady- her mum had transferred the money as the renter was at work.
In view of this, I've tightened up my procedures. I now ask people to put as a reference their dates, or that they must use some other way of identifying themselves by bank transfer. I'd suggest you do the same. I can't see any way you can recoup the money- your guest changed her mind, and unfortunately that happens sometimes. :(
Sam V
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Re: No show nightmare

Post by Sam V »

CaliforniaDreaming wrote: She was very persistent and we eventually got her something she liked. I sent her the booking form which she returned and told me she had transferred the money into my account and it would arrive the following day.
So she emailed you the booking form and confirmed she had transferred the payment? Hasn't she breached a contract here and you have her details?
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kg1
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Joined: Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:23 pm

Re: No show nightmare

Post by kg1 »

Sam V wrote:
CaliforniaDreaming wrote: She was very persistent and we eventually got her something she liked. I sent her the booking form which she returned and told me she had transferred the money into my account and it would arrive the following day.
So she emailed you the booking form and confirmed she had transferred the payment? Hasn't she breached a contract here and you have her details?
That was my first thought - but the chances of getting any money from her are zilch I suspect. Tighter procedures for payment - aint hindsight wonderful!
CaliforniaDreaming
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Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 2:26 pm

Post by CaliforniaDreaming »

Yes she breached our contract. She also never cancelled the contract as when I spoke to her she said she would check her email and forward the cancellation email. I never received anything despite reminding her. Incidentally she lives local to me although I don't know her personally.

We did get half of the booking back. The total amount was €5000 but we are still down €2500.
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Nemo
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Location: Norfolk

Post by Nemo »

It's complex as you are an agent, but for many of us there is no contract in place until the booking form AND the payment is received. No payment, therefore no booking.

The problem appears to have arisen as you mistakenly thought she had paid, when she hadn't. I know it's difficult sometimes to allocate the right payment to the right booking but I always provide a unique reference for bank payments. The only time that can't be used is for cash payments. If I have any doubt as to where a payment originates I go back and check with the guest. Sometimes it can mean playing detective but is necessary to avoid mistakes.

So frustrating as it is, guests can mess around and do change their mind. As she didn't actually pay then you can't pursue her for a holiday she subsequently didn't want and a payment you allocated to the booking by mistake.

Just try and tighten up your procedure to ensure it can't happen again if possible.
Bunny
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Re: No show nightmare

Post by Bunny »

CaliforniaDreaming wrote:I sent her the booking form which she returned and told me she had transferred the money into my account and it would arrive the following day.
I agree that unless the payment has been received then there is no contract from a host point of view. However, in this case, she clearly lied about sending the payment. Once a transfer has been sent it is extremely difficult to cancel and would take considerably longer for the bank to recall the funds (if at all - unless a fraud or error had been committed). IANAL, but I'd like to bet that with written confirmation of the payment, which proves she intended to take the booking and acceptance of the T&C's on her part, you could have a case against her, especially if you can show you have suffered a loss as a direct result of her dishonest actions. Whether it is worth the effort I'm not sure and maybe another one to put down to experience.
gardenboy
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Post by gardenboy »

oh dear I am sorry to hear this.

Strangely over 13 years & 300+ lets I have had 2 intended scams where clients had said the transfer had been enacted but it actually hadn't.

Both bookings resulted in further attempts at scams so look at it as a learning experience.

Not bad though, 2 out of 300, less than 1%.
CaliforniaDreaming
Posts: 10
Joined: Sun Jun 28, 2015 2:26 pm

Post by CaliforniaDreaming »

Thank you all.

We do ask guests to use the booking reference code but many do not. It was a horrible coincidence that another guest decided to part pay their balance early. I cannot get over the fact that she knew we allocated the payment to her and then sent her the details and she didn't bother replying. No more last minute bookings for us unless it's a repeat.
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