Guest mixed up checkout date - opninions appreciated

From the moment they step through the door your bookings become guests, and their experiences determine whether they ever come back.
kasperdoggie
Posts: 23
Joined: Mon Jan 23, 2006 1:56 pm
Location: Cape Cod, MA, USA
Contact:

Guest mixed up checkout date - opninions appreciated

Post by kasperdoggie »

I could use some advice here - thanks in advance! Have a guest who was staying at one of our homes Saturday through Friday (instead of usual Sat-Sat rental week as we have taken a booking earlier that was starting this Friday.) I discounted the preceeding 6 nights and rented to a nice, albeit a somewhat scatterbrained young man who was looking for a place to spend a few days with his family who came from overseas to attend his graduation from one of the local universities.

My housekeeper calls me today, some 3 hours past their checkout time, to inform me that the house has not been vacated, there are some packed bags in the kitchen and a lot of stuff strewn all over the place. Needless to say the dishes are not done and things are not tidied - looks as if they have clearly not checked out yet. I panicked that I overbooked the date! But no, the contract clearly states "checkout on Friday, June 15, at 10 am".

I got a hold of the renter - turns out that for some reason he decided that the checkout is tomorrow. After I reminded him of the terms of his signed contract, he apologized but alas, he was on his way to New York City (from Cape Cod) to take his parents to the airport. The roundtrip Cape Cod - NYC - Cape Cod is about 10 hours without stopping, so he was not coming back to pack his stuff any time soon. He also had our house keys, although luckily, the lockbox keys were left in the lockbox.

My marvelous housekeeper managed to pack his stuff in the bags, put it out in the garage and finish cleaning the house just in the nick of time before the new guests arrived. I and my husband made a 4 hour roundtrip to get the spare keys back to the house, get his stuff out of the garage and took it back to our home (it's more convenient for him to pick it from our home in Boston's suburb then Cape Cod), since otherwise he would be banging on the holiday home door sometime at 2 am in the morning, trying to get his luggage out of the garage.

So my question is - would you charge this person and how much? I intend to compensate my housekeeper for the extra work she did -not only she is not in business of packing people's stuff, she had to reschedule another cleaning to spend more time at our house. We spent 4 hours driving, 2/3 of a tank of gas and put extra 200+ miles on my car to get the keys to the incoming guests and his belongings out.

My contract stipulates an extra charge of $150 for late checkouts. It also stipulates that extra cleaning charges would be incurred if the house is not left in the same condition as it was found. He paid for the rental with a credit card. We take a damage deposit, but with cc payments I only put hold for that amount and only charge in the event of actual damages after the stay.

My husband is steaming mad and wants to charge him as much as we can legally substantiate. While I did not enjoy today's escapade, I'd rather get this over with and only charge the extra fee I am planning to send to my housekeeper - this guy is only clueless and self absorbed, not malicious. While we can not dock him for OUR expenses incurred while driving (at least I do not think), we can charge the late checkout fee AND extra cleaning fees. I'd prefer to just get the extra cleaning fee and let it go at that, but hubby is thinking that I am being a softie (a *very* rare occasion when he thinks I am too soft on someone :)

When I mentioned extra charges to the guest (before I knew how MUCH STUFF he had and how much longer it would take to get the house cleaned), he was under impression that it should take no more then 15 minutes to pack up his stuff. HA! The bags barely fit into my car - it is really a miracle my housekeeper managed to get it all out of there AND clean the house in the same time span.

If anyone is still reading this and has not dozed off - what would you do in this situation? Your opinions and advice are much appreciated...

Thanks,
Julia.
User avatar
The Moles Mother
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:05 pm
Location: Burgundy, France
Contact:

Post by The Moles Mother »

I have an alter ego I "channel" in these situations - she's the landlady from the folk song "The Wild Rover", who, when asked for credit, answered me nay. Such custom as yours I can have every day!. When faced with selfish and inconsiderate guests she usually comes to the fore.

This guy seriously inconvenieced you and your housekeeper just because he was too clueless and self-absorbed to read his contract properly. I go with your husband. Charge him everything you can legally substantiate. Maybe he'll be a little less careless next time he's in a similar situation.

Unless, of course, he makes a handsome apology and offers you compensation. I predict that won't happen.

MM[/i]
A vegetarian oasis in the heart of Boeuf Bourguignonne country
http://www.lesbattees.com/
User avatar
Big Sis..
Posts: 8059
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:31 pm
Location: Torrevieja and Norfolk
Contact:

Post by Big Sis.. »

Hi Kasperdoggie :) ..

Im with you really ...It has inconvenienced you..and your cleaner..but it wasnt meant...he did annoy me with his [itll only take you 15 mins max to pack though.....]bit like when people phone my hubby and say its only a 5 min job[hes a plumber :roll: ]
I would compensate your cleaner[what would we do without em ah :wink: But also at least take the travelling expenses you and your Hubby had....
You would be within your rights to take more but I dont think I would......[Im a bit of a softie too..[at times] other times :roll: well you wouldnt want to know :wink: ]
User avatar
Jimbo
Posts: 3582
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:41 am
Location: Charente Maritime

Post by Jimbo »

Code: Select all

My husband is steaming mad and wants to charge him as much as we can legally substantiate
Hi Julia

Err ... A few years back, Diana and I went on a short holiday, staying at an aquaintance's house on Gozo. Sitting on the beach early one morning, we realised with horror that we'd mixed the dates and had about three hours to get to Malta and catch our plane. Panic stations, raced back to the house, I started to pack whilst Diana rushed down to the local shop and came back with a kindly lady who (for a fistfull of dollars) agreed to help. Just made it!

Unless somebody has behaved maliciously toward me, I tend to go on the 'there but for fortune' principle because I've been grateful when kindly people have been forgiving of my occasional mistakes. But, of course, you must do what you think is right in these circumstances.

Jim
User avatar
vrooje
Posts: 3202
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:48 am
Location: Burgundy, France

Post by vrooje »

He may not have been malicious, but is that a good reason for you to go out of pocket? I agree that being forgiving is one of the things that distinguishes us from hotels, but don't shoot yourself in the foot in order to be nice.

I completely agree that you should charge the $150 charge stipulated in your contract plus the extra cleaning charges.

If you decide that his causing you to have to drive a 4-hour round trip is not within the realm of a "late checkout" (and I would guess that you could easily justify that, though I am not a lawyer), I would charge for the trip according to the federal mileage reimbursement rate, which is currently $0.485 per mile. I am not certain whether this is meant to include the cost of gas, but I'd guess that it is meant to include both that and wear and tear on your car. However, that's based on something I heard secondhand some years ago, so I could certainly be wrong.

However, if you decided to just include that in the late checkout fee, you'd still be covered if your estimate of 200ish miles is correct... $150 is $0.75 per mile for a 200-mile trip.

One other thing -- whatever you do, I'd do it soon. I don't know exactly but he might be able to initiate a chargeback on his credit card and then you may not only not get your money, but your merchant account provider might not like you much after that.

I hope, though, that he's willing to be responsible for his mistake...
Brooke
User avatar
Jimbo
Posts: 3582
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 7:41 am
Location: Charente Maritime

Post by Jimbo »

Vrooje wrote:
I agree that being forgiving is one of the things that distinguishes us from hotels, but don't shoot yourself in the foot in order to be nice.

I guess we'll have to agree to differ, Brooke. I run two business and have terms and conditions applied to every transaction. However, these can be elastic if I choose. With the gites, we live on site and form relationships with our guests, so we decide whether to apply the rod, let them off or meet in the middle.

However, don't be fooled into thinking that I'm 'nice' unless I choose to be. Anybody who abuses my copyright, for example, is in for a rough ride. But, for me, every case swings on its merits - I don't believe in applying blanket rules to every situation.

Jim
User avatar
Big Sis..
Posts: 8059
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:31 pm
Location: Torrevieja and Norfolk
Contact:

Post by Big Sis.. »

However, don't be fooled into thinking that I'm 'nice' unless I choose to be :wink: .........
- I don't believe in applying blanket rules to every situation.
Totally agree Jimbo
Stu
Posts: 853
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2005 9:53 pm

Post by Stu »

I'm with Jim here too. You haven't really 'lost' anything have you? In monetary terms? Ok, there's the gas to consider and your time, but it's not the end of the world. If you can recoup the extra costs payable to your angel of a cleaner, then I think you've done well. You simply never know if this guy's going to recommend the 'fantastic place I stayed at, where I was so dumb that they actually packed for me' to all his friends.
User avatar
The Moles Mother
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:05 pm
Location: Burgundy, France
Contact:

Post by The Moles Mother »

Stu & Syb wrote:You simply never know if this guy's going to recommend the 'fantastic place I stayed at, where I was so dumb that they actually packed for me' to all his friends.
Not sure I'd want to be packing for all his friends too! :lol:

Misanthropic Mole
A vegetarian oasis in the heart of Boeuf Bourguignonne country
http://www.lesbattees.com/
User avatar
Big Sis..
Posts: 8059
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 5:31 pm
Location: Torrevieja and Norfolk
Contact:

Post by Big Sis.. »

Not sure I'd want to be packing for all his friends too!
:wink: :lol: :lol:
Stu
Posts: 853
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2005 9:53 pm

Post by Stu »

Hmmm...see what you mean MM, but hopefully, the rest of his mates can't be half as dumb, surely? :wink:
User avatar
The Moles Mother
Posts: 175
Joined: Thu Oct 19, 2006 6:05 pm
Location: Burgundy, France
Contact:

Post by The Moles Mother »

Stu & Syb wrote:Hmmm...see what you mean MM, but hopefully, the rest of his mates can't be half as dumb, surely? :wink:
I wouldn't bet on it, Stu! They tend to come in packs, I've found. If he's like that you his friends probably are as well.

I'm not always this cynical. Honest. :D

MM
A vegetarian oasis in the heart of Boeuf Bourguignonne country
http://www.lesbattees.com/
alifrank1
Posts: 546
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2007 12:56 am
Location: Spain

Re: Guest mixed up checkout date - opninions appreciated

Post by alifrank1 »

kasperdoggie wrote: My contract stipulates an extra charge of $150 for late checkouts. It also stipulates that extra cleaning charges would be incurred if the house is not left in the same condition as it was found. Julia.
Hi Julia

I tend to be quite soft with my guests and try to accomodate where I can, but in this case I would definitely charge him for the late checkout and extra cleaning. It is not your problem if he signed the contract without reading it properly, he is not a child and he should learn by his mistakes.

Although I agree with your husband, I'm not sure I would charge for your expenses of the round trip, I go along with you on that one.

Alison
User avatar
greenfrog
Posts: 885
Joined: Sun May 21, 2006 9:08 pm
Location: Paris, France

Post by greenfrog »

Since you have a late checkout fee stipulated in your booking contract, I think you're well within your rights to charge it, and to recoup your cleaning costs.

Any more than that, I don't know. I think that's up to you and how you feel about his attitude to the situation. Perhaps you'll see things more clearly once he comes to pick up his bags and you can see how repentant he is? (Yes, I'm clearly not from the hard-headed school of business!! :lol: )
Lounging on the lily pad...
User avatar
Taff2
Posts: 220
Joined: Sun Jul 30, 2006 12:16 pm

Post by Taff2 »

Hi Julia,

IMHO I think all you can charge this young man is the $150
late checkout and the cost of the housekeeper's extra work.
As tempting as it may be to want to punish someone, for
their inconsiderate behaviour, all you can do is comply with
your own T&C's.

Cheers
Ian
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
Post Reply