Getting villa deposit/bond back - Grrrrr!!!

[paulfoel]

Now am I being unreasonable here ???

Been back almost 6 weeks now and still not got my £200 deposit back for my villa booking.

Emailed the owners after two weeks and asked if everything was OK and whether it was OK to return my £200 deposit/bond. No reply.

Sent a few more emails eventually got a reply a week later. Said yes no problem with villa we'll get refund sorted but owner said they were on holidays in villa at the moment.

Stupidly, I said no worries sort it out when you get back. That was three weeks ago. Still no money. Send a few more emails - no answer.

Now, I think its dragging on a bit now. 6 weeks is taking the pee a bit. The villa owners seemed quick enough to answer emails when I was booking it but seem a bit slow at the moment.

I dont know whether they're just being completely useless or are trying it on?

I will name and shame if it turns out they're trying not to pay me though !!!!!!!!! They'll wish they never met me with all the bad publicity I'll create for their villa.....

 

[buzz for boys]

We had this with our villa last year !!
It started out that they had sent it then they hadnt then there was a family energency. Eventually I threatened them with teh small claims court and hey presto I recieved my money next day.
I think in our case they were hoping we would rebook with them and use the security deposit as the new booking deposit and in all honestly we may have done but the whole charade about getting the money back put us off !!

Id suggest trying to phone them instead of emails and if no luck there suggest the only way you have left to retrieve your money is the small claims court,
Good luck x

 

[paulfoel]

We had this with our villa last year !!
It started out that they had sent it then they hadnt then there was a family energency. Eventually I threatened them with teh small claims court and hey presto I recieved my money next day.
I think in our case they were hoping we would rebook with them and use the security deposit as the new booking deposit and in all honestly we may have done but the whole charade about getting the money back put us off !!

Id suggest trying to phone them instead of emails and if no luck there suggest the only way you have left to retrieve your money is the small claims court,
Good luck x

Thought I didnt have their phone number but I do have it.

Unfortunately, dont have their address.....

 

[nemmie]

Thought I didnt have their phone number but I do have it.

Unfortunately, dont have their address.....

As long as you have the full name of the owner and the villa address you should have no issue finding out where the owners reside permenantly via the Orange County records. Let me know if you need help doing that.

 

[paulfoel]

As long as you have the full name of the owner and the villa address you should have no issue finding out where the owners reside permenantly via the Orange County records. Let me know if you need help doing that.

Didnt know you could do that. Yeh. Got owners name and obviously villa address.Thx for offer.

 

[wildwood]

very bad pratice and not good advert for all us honest villa owners this make me so cross , I always with out fail send back my clinets depoist back with in a week of the renters leaving my home even though my contract states they will recive it up to 14 days after there departure . Really hope you get this sorted out soon and I hope you let them know how upsetting this has been for you and please be assured that not all villa owners are the same .

 

[lin85prest]

Only once did I have to wait for a deposit and it had just been an oversight. This year we arrived home on the Sunday and received deposit cheque on the Friday. I would try to phone as it is easy to get fobbed of with e mail. Hope you get it sorted out soon

 

[paulfoel]

As long as you have the full name of the owner and the villa address you should have no issue finding out where the owners reside permenantly via the Orange County records. Let me know if you need help doing that.

Nemmie,

Can you pm me how to do this just in case?

 

[paulfoel]

very bad pratice and not good advert for all us honest villa owners this make me so cross , I always with out fail send back my clinets depoist back with in a week of the renters leaving my home even though my contract states they will recive it up to 14 days after there departure . Really hope you get this sorted out soon and I hope you let them know how upsetting this has been for you and please be assured that not all villa owners are the same .

Yeh. Getting annoyed now. When the fella emailed me I thought great no problem sort it out when you get back.

They were quick enough to answer my emails when I made the booking. Now looks like they cant be bothered.

Oh well. I did have a family member interested in the villa for next year but they've been put off because of this so they've lost business because of it.

And like I said, if I have to chase for the money, you can be assured the name of their villa will be top of google for all the wrong reasons !!!!

I'll give them a bit longer just in case...

 

[skelfbsfb]

Sorry to hear of this, only hope its not with the same people we rented from, if so then you will be wasting your time as they dont care. The problem with some of these people is they then give the rest of the honest villa owners who are happy to rent their villas without any issue. Hope you manage to get your deposit back quickly.

 

[2Tiggies]

Id suggest trying to phone them instead of emails and if no luck there suggest the only way you have left to retrieve your money is the small claims court,
Good luck x

It may not be a bad idea to advise them that you are considering raising a small claim action and that you will be seeking expenses. Give them a set time limit to respond to your email as well. So something along the lines of

"If I do not hear from you within the next 48 hours, I shall be considering ....." and whatever you want to threaten them with The time limit usually generates a response eventually. I have just had an issue, ongoing for 2 weeks with no response to me phone calls, messages, etc. Yesteray I left a message notifying them that I will be withholding payment (due tomorrow ) should I fail to recieve a response AND proposals for remedy to my satisfaction within 24 hours. It took 10 minutes for my phone to ring But be prepared to follow through as you may need to and you don't want to look like you're all talk and no action. Although I get a sense you are the type to back up your words with deeds

 

[paulfoel]

It may not be a bad idea to advise them that you are considering raising a small claim action and that you will be seeking expenses. Give them a set time limit to respond to your email as well. So something along the lines of

"If I do not hear from you within the next 48 hours, I shall be considering ....." and whatever you want to threaten them with The time limit usually generates a response eventually. I have just had an issue, ongoing for 2 weeks with no response to me phone calls, messages, etc. Yesteray I left a message notifying them that I will be withholding payment (due tomorrow ) should I fail to recieve a response AND proposals for remedy to my satisfaction within 24 hours. It took 10 minutes for my phone to ring But be prepared to follow through as you may need to and you don't want to look like you're all talk and no action. Although I get a sense you are the type to back up your words with deeds

Yep. They aint getting away with it.

Even if I never get my £200 back I'll make sure they struggle to ever rent out their villa again !!!!!

 

[skelfbsfb]

Paul have you had any response yet.

 

[paulfoel]

Good news is they've now paid up.

Dont think there was any dodgy dealing going on just sounds like they couldnt be bothered sorting it out. They'd actually been in Florida for two weeks (albeit back a week).

However, it is still annoying to have to chase the money like that. Has put me off booking with them again.

Its all well and good to be dead keen when someone is making a booking with you but it is off-putting when this happens.

 

[skelfbsfb]

Glad you got it sorted mate

 

[nemmie]

Glad the issue was resolved. Customer service runs throughout and beyond your stay so its sad they let you down somewhat at the last stage.