Corvid 19

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Vera
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Corvid 19

Post by Vera »

Just had an email from a guest booked for 2 weeks in August travelling from France who wants me to return his deposit because all travel to Spain is banned this summer.
I've asked for his source with no reply as yet.
Has anyone heard this?
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roxytoo
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Post by roxytoo »

No thats not true.
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roxytoo
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Post by roxytoo »

However someone has sent me this today. I do not know if it is true I have not heard anything and I am stuck in Spain at the moment!!https://www.hln.be/nieuws/buitenland/sp ... ~af2c0cae/
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

The Belguim link writes about the ABC as if it is a TV channel.
It is a newspaper. Here is one link.
https://www.abc.es/espana/abci-gobierno ... ticia.html
and another
https://www.abc.es/espana/abci-gobierno ... ticia.html
The newspaper is no friend of a left wing government. So this news could mean one of several things.
This is a scare story to make the industry, which contributes a huge amount to the Spanish economy, very frighten. Thus trying to change the views of/on this government.
It could be a story put around to "frighten" the Northern European countries in to coming to some agreement and support of the EU proposition for financial support.
Realistically you have to ask how this could be done? It would certainly mean the end of the Schengen Agreement.

There are other concerns which need your answers to, These could have an affect on your business.
*Lock down for each country will be staggered at different times. When will the rest of Europe be back to some sort of normality? ie when will flight be back to summer schedules?
*The exchange rate is poor, will it improve for to encourage the Brits back to Spain?
*Will the vacationer be scared to make a holding deposit in the future? Some have lost money already and thus not so willing to make a commitment so soon.
*How many persons have lost jobs during this time. Will they have enough money to pay for a vacation?
*There is a lot talk about another crisis coming.

How are you preparing for these scenarios?
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
costa-brava
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Post by costa-brava »

I agree with the views of CSE. Journalists scaremonger for various reasons. But realistically I can't see much movement in tourism throughout 2020 whether in Spain or anywhere else. It's not a big help in answering the question of refunding the deposit. That really has to be at your discretion.
In the meantime (just to see what would happen) I have just taken a booking up to the confirmation stage for London-Barcelona for August with British Airways. A couple more clicks and I'd have had to pay. Given that British and Iberia are the same company, would they take bookings if they knew for sure that the country will still be in total shutdown.
My son in Canada has flights booked for July for France and UK and the airline have told him that the booking stands. If he chooses to cancel he loses his money. They said he will have to wait till nearer the date.
I have posted a few times on this and have to say I am in the realistic camp not really optimistic. I think 2020 is a write-off and 2021 is a big question mark. I'm glad I'm out of hol-rents and really feel for everybody who has to try to deal with the ongoing costs. It has been suggested that you should be sweet to the people who have booked because you need them in the future. That for me is not economically realistic. I would hold on to the deposit with an offer to discuss it again nearer the time.
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Vera
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Post by Vera »

Guest replied they had seen the travel ban on French TV.
We are normally pretty strict on no deposit refunds but for this issue we offer two options.
Claim on insurance, probably unlikely to be covered for this.
We hold the deposit and they can rebook later.
These have thanked us for the offer and we are going to keep in touch.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

There are presently restrictions for anyone wanting to come to Spain.
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advic ... oronavirus
Also read about vacation accommodation. Everyone should be closed at present.

As a side note I saw today that the UK will be on the same restrictions until there a vaccine has be found and tested.
It was said this could take a further year and a half. It is getting into silly news season and we have not reached the normal time for that (summer) yet.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Manclass
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Post by Manclass »

Vera wrote:Guest replied they had seen the travel ban on French TV.
We are normally pretty strict on no deposit refunds but for this issue we offer two options.
Claim on insurance, probably unlikely to be covered for this.
We hold the deposit and they can rebook later.
These have thanked us for the offer and we are going to keep in touch.

I have refunded any full amounts or deposits that have been paid until the middle of July , I've done this as I think its only fair and it creates goodwill with the chance of a repeat booking. I'm hoping we might at least be able to honour a few bookings after then, hoping but not hopeful , as we need the rental from our villa to live on its all very worrying … I honestly thought that during The State of Alarm any money paid has to be refunded in full because people are not able to visit Spain nor we as holiday let owners are not able to let anybody rent our property,... Im interested to know what everybody else is doing regarding refunds ?
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Manclass wrote: I have refunded any full amounts or deposits that have been paid until the middle of July , I've done this as I think its only fair and it creates goodwill with the chance of a repeat booking. I'm hoping we might at least be able to honour a few bookings after then, hoping but not hopeful , as we need the rental from our villa to live on its all very worrying … I honestly thought that during The State of Alarm any money paid has to be refunded in full because people are not able to visit Spain nor we as holiday let owners are not able to let anybody rent our property,... Im interested to know what everybody else is doing regarding refunds ?
I suggest you do some searching of this forum. It is a mixed bag.
I have to say well done to you for the goodwill and returning any deposit money paid. There are going to be a lot of aggrieved customers after this is over.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
Manclass
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Post by Manclass »

Hi, I've searched the forum and cant find any information about what other rental owners are doing about returning or not returning deposit's... As I said previously I have returned deposits and full rental payments up to the middle of July , partly because I thought this was only fair but also because I didn't think I had any option especially during The State of Alarm ... Can anybody advise me please ?
zebedee
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Post by zebedee »

Hi
You won’t find the answers in a specifically titled thread. Take a look at the UK and Bookings sections, there is quite a bit in recent threads on both of these.

If you have time, have a read of the Sykes Facebook page - the link in in the thread / how NOT to treat your guests.
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CSE
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Post by CSE »

Manclass wrote:Hi, I've searched the forum and cant find any information about what other rental owners are doing about returning or not returning deposit's... As I said previously I have returned deposits and full rental payments up to the middle of July , partly because I thought this was only fair but also because I didn't think I had any option especially during The State of Alarm ... Can anybody advise me please ?
sorry I though when you wrote
Im interested to know what everybody else is doing regarding refunds ?
You was asking a question what other have been doing.
searching say Virus it will show up a lot of information on this subject. just two examples, there are other threads
viewtopic.php?t=29317&highlight=virus
viewtopic.php?t=29329&highlight=virus
The length of time the Spanish state of alarm will be enforced is presently unknown.
But other country travel regulations would surly affect reservations too.
I have read that the President of the European Commission, von der Leyen , is suggesting older pole may not be able to travel. The lower age limit was not given in the articles.
Never try to out-stubborn your guests.
costa-brava
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Post by costa-brava »

A parallel development that might interest owners in Spain. I have just read a news article where the owners of "Casas de Colonias" are pleading their case. These are big country houses where primary schools send kids in the months of April, May and June for 3 or 4 days of open air activities. Then in the summer families use them for the same purpose.
The schools usually pay 30% up front and most are claiming a refund.
The Casas de Colonias are counter-claiming that they have already spent that money on maintenance and preparation.
There is a strong argument that this is also the case for hol-let owners and additionally hol-let owners will have to pay for water, gas, internet and electricity because the bulk of these charges are fixed monthly (or quarterly) payments.
So while everyone can debate the ethics of refunding or not, the fact remains that owners are not just putting this money in their pockets. And if you refund a deposit you are effectively taking that money out of your pocket.
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joddle
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Post by joddle »

Replying to above post - I do not agree that by returning deposits you are taking money "from your own pockets". Had the virus situation occurred a few months earlier then you would not even had some of the deposits as no one would be booking. It is certainly true we are all out of pocket but this is not because we are returning deposits !!!! If I was a holiday maker I would be thinking twice about rebooking with someone who is keeping my deposit knowing they cannot guarantee the booking.
I don't profess to own anything here apart from my own opinion.
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roxytoo
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Post by roxytoo »

As an agent or as an owner by rolling over a deposit to another time in effect you are giving it back/taking it from your own pockets as you cannot make that deposit on the time you are rolling it over to from a new guest. I am out thousands because I am returning deposits as an agent (which was my income) and as an owner.
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