9 Week Booking Enquiry - Alarm Bells Ringing.

Up, down, could be better? How to get more bookings is our number one obsession. Talk shop here.
LotBoy47
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9 Week Booking Enquiry - Alarm Bells Ringing.

Post by LotBoy47 »

Just received an enquiry for booking one of our gites for 9 weeks (end of Sept - end of Nov) and while we could do with the money, I’m very uncomfortable with the idea of 6 such long-term guests.

Having read the “6 weeks booking as main residence” thread, we’ve gone back to the enquirer with questions as to what they’ll be doing here for 9 weeks as the weather in late October and November is likely to be wet and dreary.

Any other members had similar enquiries recently?

Has anyone had long-term guests stay with them?
Drax
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Post by Drax »

I can understand your concerns and I would be inclined not to accept this booking unless there is a genuine explanation for such a length of stay by 6 people in your property. Highly suspicious.
On a slightly different note, our holiday let has 6 spare days this week until the next guests arrive. Yesterday we had a phone call from a female wanting to rent our property immediately for these 6 days because there was 'some problem' with her current rented accommodation.
After a short conversation with her she was informed by my wife that we were not prepared to rent out our cottage to her.
There are some 'dodgy people' out there.
Keep your powder dry.
Fleur
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Post by Fleur »

I think we received that enquiry and turned it down.
Fleur
LotBoy47
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Post by LotBoy47 »

Fleur wrote:I think we received that enquiry and turned it down.
Surname of Maurilo?
petitbois
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Post by petitbois »

sounds like a possible work contract - any wind turbines, railway or roadworks about to start in your region???
LotBoy47
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Post by LotBoy47 »

petitbois wrote:sounds like a possible work contract - any wind turbines, railway or roadworks about to start in your region???
No new works that I’m aware of. Not had any response to our questioning email yet.
Vector
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Post by Vector »

I am somewhat perplexed at the concern and replies that seem to echo the same.

My vacation rental typically books for 3 to 7 nights during most times during the year, and I only use a vacation rate (based on the season), not a monthly rental rate.
However I make an exception during Jan & Feb since it is slower, and I typically only sell two weeks per month anyway.
The point being that I have had several people stay in my place anywhere from 4-8 weeks without any problem.
Most are snowbirds trying to escape the weather in Canada or the northeastern states.

Also as someone suggested, it might be some type of a work crew who has an work contract in the area. I have rented to such crews in the past, and have found them to be just as careful with the property as regular vacation guests.
I of course had spoken to the owner and/or crew chief to feel them out and emphasize the requirements and potential deposit loss and insurance claim should a problem occur.
Knock on wood, no problems thus far.

So unless some of you in Europe have problems not experienced here in America, I am not sure why there is so much trepidation?
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Cymraes
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Post by Cymraes »

Vector wrote:
So unless some of you in Europe have problems not experienced here in America, I am not sure why there is so much trepidation?
Certainly in the UK, lets of over 31 days can be problematical as you risk creating a tenancy which gives the guests all sorts of additional rights and creates legal obligations on the owner to comply with a shoal of additional requirements.

My own insurance policy does not allow me to let in excess of 31 days to any one individual
Vector
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Post by Vector »

Cymraes wrote:

Certainly in the UK, lets of over 31 days can be problematical as you risk creating a tenancy which gives the guests all sorts of additional rights and creates legal obligations on the owner to comply with a shoal of additional requirements.

My own insurance policy does not allow me to let in excess of 31 days to any one individual
Interesting, so it is not a vandalism worry, it is a squatter concern.
Off the top of my head, I'd say the way to get around that would be to rent for 31 days, have them officially check out, and then check back in as many times as needed. That covers you with the law and your insurance.
If they wouldn't agree to those terms (not much of a hassle from a practical standpoint), then they cannot book.

If you did get a squatter, I assume your place is furnished and all that people bring is their suitcases.
So as far as tenancy goes, do you not have something in writing that shows their check in/out dates and payment only for the period they are renting?

As to potential refusal to leave, that would not fly in America, at least not in Florida.
Plus I am not sure about you, but I have electronic locks on the doors with authorized entry. That combined with them needing passes from security to get in and out of the community (that expire on the day they are suppose to depart), would more or less take care of any potential sit in.
Fleur
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Post by Fleur »

Vector
In France it's against the law to evict people during winter months.
Fleur
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Cymraes
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Post by Cymraes »

Tenants have a lot of rights in the UK.

Holiday cottages here are let under a "licence to occupy" which is legally very different. We would never use the word tenancy as that implies that they are now tenants.

Getting a tenant evicted is quite a complex undertaking. You can't just go and throw them out even changing the locks on them can be illegal. Our laws are very different from the US.
annedab
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Post by annedab »

We used to do a few long-term rentals to EDF/ERDF contractors who were working at the Golfech power station. Might be worth checking if that's what they are doing?
Regards

Anne

If there's no such thing as co-incidence, then why is there a word for it?
LotBoy47
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Post by LotBoy47 »

annedab wrote:We used to do a few long-term rentals to EDF/ERDF contractors who were working at the Golfech power station. Might be worth checking if that's what they are doing?
We asked them for more information pointing out that we offered accommodation for tourists and holidaymakers. No reply received to date.
AndrewH
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Post by AndrewH »

LotBoy47 wrote:We asked them for more information pointing out that we offered accommodation for tourists and holidaymakers. No reply received to date.
I think that failure to respond, inside a reasonable length of time, to that sensible request for more information says it all for me. I wouldn't do it, tempting though the money might be.
Jonathan
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Post by Jonathan »

Cymraes wrote:
Vector wrote:
So unless some of you in Europe have problems not experienced here in America, I am not sure why there is so much trepidation?
Certainly in the UK, lets of over 31 days can be problematical as you risk creating a tenancy which gives the guests all sorts of additional rights and creates legal obligations on the owner to comply with a shoal of additional requirements.

My own insurance policy does not allow me to let in excess of 31 days to any one individual
Lets over 31 days in the UK do not count towards your 105 nights letting to qualify as a FHL, which has CGT implications when you sell. 28 nights is our max.

Jonathan
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