First of all I've already made my mind up, regarding the question I am about to ask but I would appreciate anyones opinion just the same. I have just found out that a booking that was confirmed for two weeks in August (through a letting agent)has been priced to include a £100 discount for booking a second week. I am absolutely furious, having contacted the agent his reply was 'this is quite normal'. He should have consulted me first.What do you think?
Regards Phil.
Is my rental agent out of order ?
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charliechoice
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:33 pm
- Location: Ayia napa
hi Phil
I would be furious too! £100 is an awful lot of discount. No doubt his commission stays the same - or is he working on a % To answer your question - yes I do think he should have consulted you, as I would have thought most agents would have to refer to the owner..however I've never used any.
Can I ask - do you have a contract with him - and if so, who does it say has the responsibility for setting the prices (and offering discounts come to that)
Can you demand he wavers his fee? Or any other recourse?
If you're not too dependent on him (as an agent) for getting you bookings I would be definately be saying 'adios' thats after I tried to get my £100 back.
good luck with this
Mouse
x
I would be furious too! £100 is an awful lot of discount. No doubt his commission stays the same - or is he working on a % To answer your question - yes I do think he should have consulted you, as I would have thought most agents would have to refer to the owner..however I've never used any.
Can I ask - do you have a contract with him - and if so, who does it say has the responsibility for setting the prices (and offering discounts come to that)
Can you demand he wavers his fee? Or any other recourse?
If you're not too dependent on him (as an agent) for getting you bookings I would be definately be saying 'adios' thats after I tried to get my £100 back.
good luck with this
Mouse
x
One martini, two martini, three martini floor!
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charliechoice
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:33 pm
- Location: Ayia napa
Thanks for your reply Mouse,
we have no written contract as such, but it is stated quite clearly the price per week to be paid. Do you think I should tell him to cancel the booking, as it is during the prime weeks I don't think I will have a problem re-letting it. However I do feel some obligation to the people who have booked at the reduced price.
Regards Phil.
we have no written contract as such, but it is stated quite clearly the price per week to be paid. Do you think I should tell him to cancel the booking, as it is during the prime weeks I don't think I will have a problem re-letting it. However I do feel some obligation to the people who have booked at the reduced price.
Regards Phil.
It would be a shame to upset the holidaymakers.
So I think you have to make a decision; is the £100 loss important enough to 'possibly' lose this booking.
If yes - then if it was definately the fault of the agent (i.e he was supposed to consult you before issuing any discounts) I would put the problem straight into his lap and tell him he either has to contact the holidaymakers and explain his error - or he has to give you some form of recompense - otherwise you will cancel his booking (making sure first of all that the holidaymakers can't come back at you for doing this)
If no - then I would keep the booking, certainly not pay him any commission on it, and no longer deal with him ...and hope that the clients become repeat bookers (at the correct rate!)
I'm sure others will be along soon to give you their opinion. I think also seeing how others would approach it sometimes helps you to calm down! I know it does with me
Mouse
x
So I think you have to make a decision; is the £100 loss important enough to 'possibly' lose this booking.
If yes - then if it was definately the fault of the agent (i.e he was supposed to consult you before issuing any discounts) I would put the problem straight into his lap and tell him he either has to contact the holidaymakers and explain his error - or he has to give you some form of recompense - otherwise you will cancel his booking (making sure first of all that the holidaymakers can't come back at you for doing this)
If no - then I would keep the booking, certainly not pay him any commission on it, and no longer deal with him ...and hope that the clients become repeat bookers (at the correct rate!)
I'm sure others will be along soon to give you their opinion. I think also seeing how others would approach it sometimes helps you to calm down! I know it does with me
Mouse
x
One martini, two martini, three martini floor!
His reply of "quite normal" sounds baloney and I'm furious for you. Personally I wouldn't allow the letting agent to get away with this. Ideally they will contact the holidaymakers, explain 'their error', and ask them whether they still wish to book at the correct rate. Chances are they will say yes.
Hi
I agree with all of the above...August especially...I dont discount for 2 weeks....
Just a thought....Is the agent receiving the money or you....maybe the £100 is 'handling fee' meaning into theyre hands
.......if it is your first booking with them they might be trying it on 
If they dont sort it I would go elsewhere......
I agree with all of the above...August especially...I dont discount for 2 weeks....
Just a thought....Is the agent receiving the money or you....maybe the £100 is 'handling fee' meaning into theyre hands
.......if it is your first booking with them they might be trying it on If they dont sort it I would go elsewhere......
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charliechoice
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:33 pm
- Location: Ayia napa
Good, then he will be able to make up the £100 you are owed won't hehe takes 15% from the total amount
In my book he has two choices, make up the extra himself or contact the guests and see if they want to pay or cancel, end of. Maybe if you stand your ground on this one, they will know not to try anything on in the future and you can continue to do business with them if it suits you.Don't waste energy on things you can't change.
Costa de la Luz apartment rental
www.ownersdirect.co.uk/spain/S5386.htm
Costa de la Luz apartment rental
www.ownersdirect.co.uk/spain/S5386.htm
He should be working for youIn this particular case I rather suspect that he must have some kind of friendship with the people renting our apartment.
....and looking after your interests...have you been with him long...have you had problems before..is it a big company or a one man band..maybe you need to speak to his boss[if he has one].....no way would I accept this
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charliechoice
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:33 pm
- Location: Ayia napa
Thanks for the reply Ross,
as far as I am aware he is a one man band. To be honest up to now there have been very few problems. This is our second year renting out, and this year we are also attempting to do it ourselves as well as using the rental agent.I am going to contact him, to find out what he intends to do to rectify this problem.
as far as I am aware he is a one man band. To be honest up to now there have been very few problems. This is our second year renting out, and this year we are also attempting to do it ourselves as well as using the rental agent.I am going to contact him, to find out what he intends to do to rectify this problem.
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Hells Bells
- Posts: 13173
- Joined: Sat Apr 30, 2005 8:42 am
- Location: French Alps
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I have an arrangement with my apartment manager, she chearges me 15% of my rental to look after the apartment and an additional 5% for any bookings she takes. She checks with me fisrt what the total rental will be, but the price is mine to set, and she does not offer them discounts. In return, we usually get a disount off ski lessons (her hubby is an instructor), and I get a 5% fee for any bookings I send in her direction as she has a couple of studio apartments.
This is easy, don't get angry, don't get upset, it's a misunderstanding. Either you gave him the authority to negotiate the 100 discount for a multiple week booking or you did not. There is no grey area.
Set the ground rules for future bookings. Maybe you're happy to negotiate discounts for certain periods, such as off peak, maybe you're not, that's for you to decide, not him. He's only an agent. I am an agent for other people's property and it goes without saying that I am not at liberty to negotiate any discounts without the owners agreement in advance.. I don't care if it's normal or not in your market, it's not something you agreed that he could do and that's the only thing that matters here.
An appropriate response would be to thank him for his work in securing the booking and to tell him that you are happy to work with him on this and future bookings. However, if he wants you to confirm the current booking at a discounted rate which you had not agreed in advance, he must deduct the promised discount from his commission on this occasion. If he won't accept that deduction from his commission, then I would decline the booking. He won't do it again.
If you give in and accept the booking with the discount, still paying him full commission, he may do it again. Not good. Make your decision on a point of principal. Either he has authority to negotiate for you or he doesn't. Which is it?
Best of luck!
Set the ground rules for future bookings. Maybe you're happy to negotiate discounts for certain periods, such as off peak, maybe you're not, that's for you to decide, not him. He's only an agent. I am an agent for other people's property and it goes without saying that I am not at liberty to negotiate any discounts without the owners agreement in advance.. I don't care if it's normal or not in your market, it's not something you agreed that he could do and that's the only thing that matters here.
An appropriate response would be to thank him for his work in securing the booking and to tell him that you are happy to work with him on this and future bookings. However, if he wants you to confirm the current booking at a discounted rate which you had not agreed in advance, he must deduct the promised discount from his commission on this occasion. If he won't accept that deduction from his commission, then I would decline the booking. He won't do it again.
If you give in and accept the booking with the discount, still paying him full commission, he may do it again. Not good. Make your decision on a point of principal. Either he has authority to negotiate for you or he doesn't. Which is it?
Best of luck!