HL Guest Details on Balance

[kg1]

My T and Cs are attached to my advert so I suppose at a stretch I could include the booking form, ask guest to print off, fill in and return to me. ....

How can they return it to you if they don't know who you are?

You would normally have the owner name and address on your t and c's/agreement - no? Then you just put in your listing that this is where they find the details of where they must post the booking form to finalise the booking.

Yes, my booking form has my name & address on it.

[RichardHenshall]

How can they return it to you if they don't know who you are?

You would normally have the owner name and address on your t and c's/agreement - no? Then you just put in your listing that this is where they find the details of where they must post the booking form to finalise the booking.

Yes, my booking form has my name & address on it.

Surely HL et al aren't so stupid as to let you disclose who you are before they've ensured their cut, or have I missed something? There's no point in hiding the guest's details if they publish the host's details.

[Stewart]

I'm not surprised at all. Some of their business will evaporate when parties get together after the deposit is paid, "cancel" and hammer out a private deal.

I'll bet that within a year HL/TA will be taking control of pricing (like Sykes) and maybe after that demanding exclusive marketing rights.

The corporate logic is clear even if it leaves a bad taste.

BTW I'm weaning myself away from HL. The first step has been to remove Jul through to October from their booking diary for 2017 and see how my own site performs on its own. I think we'll pull the same business.

[russellt]

After all why are you trying to contact the guest?
The guest is a client of theirs, and you are merely a resource that they, the listing site pay you for.

Know your place !!

I just wanted to say good morning to 'Michael'. Michael sent me a message over the weekend via HLTA telling me, in a one-liner, that he would be staying at my property in September. The dates have been marked as 'booked' in my HLTA calendar.

I have never heard from Michael before. I have no idea who he is, where he lives, whether he actually exists, or is a scammer, or possibly..... is a figment of HLTA's imagination.

So, rather than roll-over and accept his money, less commission, etc, etc (and indicate to HLTA that I am willing to accept any party into my property as long as they've got enough wonga!), I asked Michael for some more information about his travelling party, in particular whether it included any pets. From my perspective, that's a reasonable question.

As expected, I have heard nothing from Michael since. HLTA's 24 hour booking acceptance deadline has expired and my good performance record has been diminished.

So, having pre-authorised a 100% payment upfront(ie he really wants to stay at my property), why would Michael not respond to such an innocuous question? What do you think?

[Quiterio]

I'm so tired of this, and dismayed that now it's happening on HA as well as HL. We stopped our commission-only contract with HL for that very reason.

Our system for taking bookings previously included sending the enquirer a booking form, on which we set out our conditions and our bank account details. But we also asked them to tell us about their requirements, e.g. do they want a double bed in the master bedroom or 2 singles? (since we can do either). Do they need a cot, or a high chair? We also like to send them a personal copy of our guide to the area, which is hard copy, so we need their mailing address. When the booking form was returned, with a cheque, or confirmation that they'd made a transfer, then the reservation was confirmed.

Under the present system, many clients think that they're done as soon as they've clicked on 'book'. You can send them requests to return your booking form till you're blue in the face, but in many cases you won't know who they are until they turn up.

[moray_cottages]

As far as I can see HL are pushing towards having guests pay the full amount up front and discouraging the use of deposits.

I have just had them cancel a guests booking automatically because they had failed to pay the final payment on time. They used to send the guest an email letting them know that their payment was overdue and give them 48 hours to pay up. Not now its cancelled automatically.

They also used to pay the deposit to the owner straight away if a booking was cancelled - but not now - now you have to wait until the guest was supposed to arrive until they payout!!

Fortunately in this case I had the guests email and phone number as they booked prior to the latest change and they have paid me the final payment direct to secure their booking.

[apexblue]

Accepted a booking for next May and guest details released as are all other bookings where previously they were not until balance paid.

[russellt]

Accepted a booking for next May and guest details released

So, guest details released upon payment of the deposit only?? Is that correct?

Sounds like a policy U-turn.

[Marks]

Since the start of this thread I have had 4 HL bookings and have always had guest details on payment of the deposit.

[COYS]

Under the present system, many clients think that they're done as soon as they've clicked on 'book'. You can send them requests to return your booking form till you're blue in the face, but in many cases you won't know who they are until they turn up.

How would they 'turn up' without you having passed on address, key collection details etc & why on earth would you if they failed to send back a booking form?
I would never accept those conditions imposed on MY property & business from any listing site.
If you were an off site owner, I wonder how your public liability insurers would address any problem that arose with guests that you have no record of?
In our neck of the woods we are required by law to record certain details including names, addresses, PP numbers etc & submit these to the relevant authorities well in advance of any arrivals.

[russellt]

have always had guest details on payment of the deposit.

Very odd. I just took a HL/TA booking today, to see if things have reverted, and it is clear that the guest's contact details are being withheld until the balance is paid.

(When you click on the 'email/phone to come' link, the popup message says "Full name, email, and phone number available after guest pays the balance."

[Nigel Goodwin]

This is the kind of problem you can come up against.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/201 ... ce-newquay

[russellt]

pop-up-brothels

Jeez, whatever next??

Another reason to be given guest contact details and have the chance to check your guests out.

[COYS]

Not sure what's worse, last months 3 day party for rampaging youths or todays pop-up knocking shop!
Doesn't exactly advocate the 'hotel type booking experience' so coveted by those that know whats best for us.

[russellt]

Just a quick update on this subject.

My most recent booking from HL/TA: As usual, I asked for contact details, and this time the home address was allowed through in the guest's reply. So, I have the guest's full name and address. Finding her outside of the HLTA environment was easy.

I have no intention of subverting the HLTA process in order to take the booking direct, but is this a relaxation of their 'no contact details' policy, or just an error on HLTA's part?

Email and phone number are still being withheld until after balance payment.