Renter problem

[klcason]

I rented out points to another dvc member for a stay in November. A deposit was made and it was agreed that the balance would be paid 2 months after she rec'd the paper confirmation in the mail. I have been trying to confirm that she in fact rec'd the confirmation since the middle of April.

I have sent countless (probably 10 or more) e-mails from my personal account, plus several e-mails via the dis, and several pm's. All to no avail. She just will not contact me. I have called her house and left messages and sent a letter in the mail stressing the need to contact me.

I know she has logged on since I have attempted to get in contact with her.

I of course still have the reservation but I am way beyond nervous. We have rented out some of our points in the last couple of years and I have not had 1problem, this is the first time anyone has avoided me like this.

I guess my next course of action will be a certified letter with a cancellation date. I really don't know what else to do????? Any suggestions?

Kayla

 

[LisaS]

Based on your description, it sounds like your renter is avoiding you. Are you saying it's been 2 months since you sent the confirmation letter? If so, I would contact her one more time (via email and a PM and a phone message) and state that if you don't receive the balance due within 7 days the reservation will be cancelled. If I didn't receive the funds by the deadline I would cancel the reservation and rent the points to someone else. I hope you specified that the deposit is not refundable. If not, I would still keep some of the deposit money as compensation for the aggravation.

 

[popisme]

I am not at this very moment a DVC owner but well on my way as we are waiting for ROFR.

IMHO I would do exactly what you said....send out a certified letter so she will have to sign for it and you will have proof that it was received...Have the letter stating that you have tried numerous times to contact her and in accordance with your agreement she is in violation of the contract. Then give her a date to contact you by to be in compliance and if no contact is made she forfeits her deposit and the reservation returns back to you...


As a previous renter I am sorry you have to be in this position.... It has to be hard to just be in limbo....

Good Luck.... Let us know how it turns out....

 

[kimberh]

I think you need to do just what you said, send your certified letter. Then you are off the hook. If you just cancel the reservation, chances are you won't be able to rebook it, not at this late date... Good luck.

 

[drag n' fly]

Renting is so stressful for the renter and rentee. We rented points once before we bought and even though we had no problems it was still stressful. I think the suggestions the OP received are great ones. Hope it works out for you

 

[rinkwide]

Renting is so stressful for the renter and rentee...

Renting vacation points is an extremely safe procedure with a mortality rate of less than three percent.

 

[popisme]

Renting vacation points is an extremely safe procedure with a mortality rate of less than three percent.

I agree... we have had 3 successful rents in the past and now that we are purchasing we hope that if we ever have to rent our points we can have many more on the otherside of the coin.

I think it is important to be aware of who you are dealing with and check their histories on here and actually check referances if they have them. Most of all go with your instinct. Of course Nothing is fool proof but the intances of bad things happening is few and far between.

Even though I have always been really comfortable with the people I have rented from there is always that little bit in the back of your mind right before checking in.

This just goes to prove that there is risk on both sides....

If she does break your aggreement I am helping 3 families plan their vacations one of which is for December and might be able to help you use those points if it becomes a use or lose situation....

Once again Good Luck...

 

[bnlbebes]

Send the certified letter and get ready to cancel. Look on the bright side, you get to keep the deposit for all of the aggravation that this renter has caused you, and hopefully, will be able to rent the same points again to a more cooperative and appreciative renter. (I actually had a past renter contact me for an upcoming rental, but I am out of points. If you'd like her name, I'd gladly forward it along to you. She was NO HASSLE!)

 

[JimMIA]

I'm with Lisa -- I wouldn't waste money on a certified letter. If your renter is a DVC owner, they are well aware of the jeopardy they are putting you in.

We don't know the terms of your contract, but if two months have passed since you sent the confirmation, I'd say you're within your rights to cancel...especially if she chooses not to respond to repeated inquiries. Sure, things could have happened in her life, but how much of a problem is it to shoot you a quick email and let you know what's going on?

If you want to make one more try, I'd contact her the way you've usually contacted her and give her an absolute drop-dead date. When MS opened the morning after that drop-dead date, I'd be on the phone cancelling.

If you cancel, I'd follow whatever your contract says about cancellations to the letter. If the contract is silent on cancellations, do whatever you think is right under the circumstances.

 

[klcason]

Thanks for all of the replies, and offers of support. I will get the certified letter off Monday. The bad thing is that I don't want to cancel....I really hate to do that, but she has really not given me another choice. I was very specific in the details....no refunds and when the remainder was due.

I really felt very comfortable with her, you know she should so know better~ We have had absolutely no problems renting in the past. I will just go back to my prior policy of the entire amount due before I make the reservation. It makes it a little harder to find a renter, but at least that's one less thing to worry about!

Thanks again,

Kayla

 

[LisaS]

Thanks for all of the replies, and offers of support. I will get the certified letter off Monday. The bad thing is that I don't want to cancel....I really hate to do that, but she has really not given me another choice. I was very specific in the details....no refunds and when the remainder was due.

I really felt very comfortable with her, you know she should so know better~ We have had absolutely no problems renting in the past. I will just go back to my prior policy of the entire amount due before I make the reservation. It makes it a little harder to find a renter, but at least that's one less thing to worry about!

Thanks again,

Kayla

I can understand about not wanting to cancel and start over again. But think how you will feel if you let this drag on any longer. Your anxiety level will continue to rise as you get closer to your banking deadlines. I'm glad to hear you specified no refunds. If your renter is faced with a hard deadline and the prospect of losing her deposit, it might just light a fire under her to send the final payment. And if not, at least you have some compensation for your trouble.

Personally, I wouldn't waste the time and expense of sending a certified letter. I would follow Jim's advice and contact her in the same way that you did when you set up the rental in the first place. For example if you had been using email or PMs here on the DISboards then I would send an email and a PM and leave a message on her phone and start that 7-day clock today. I would spell out exactly what she has to do to keep the reservation in place (which I assume at this point would be to pay the balance in full) and I would specify a short-term deadline (7 days). If she has to send a check to you by Fed Ex 2-day or overnight mail to meet that deadline, so be it. This is a business transaction. You've done your part, she has to do hers.

Good luck!! I hope there is a happy ending for you, whether that is getting the final payment from this renter or finding a new renter who will abide by the terms in the agreement.

 

[toocherie]

what does the contract say (if anything) about how notice is to be given? you need to use whatever notice method is specified in the contract (if there is one)

if it does not specify how notices are given my preference is to use an overnight service like Fed Ex--I've found them more reliable than certified mail in making and providing proof of delivery--which is why you need to do certified mail or overnight in the first place--so that you have proof that you gave the renter that last chance. I have often not gotten back from the USPS the little green card showing proof of delivery (or sometimes, refusal of delivery).

just dropping a letter in the regular mail would not accomplish that.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Best wishes. Someone agreed that you should keep the deposit if they didn't follow up. Is that your where your reluctance to cancel the reservation comes from?

Avoidance isn't helping the renter's case at all...why not communicate with you? Do what you need to do and move on!

Where is Rink...with some sage tidbit for you?

Bobbi

 

[popisme]

awwww.... Bnlbebes I am guessing you is talking about me...unless you have other renters that have recently come forward desperate for points lol....It was a pleasure renting from you as well....

In fact it was such a great experience we submitted a resale contract at OKW Thursday .....


Okay back to your regularly scheduled programing......

 

[JimMIA]

Where is Rink...with some sage tidbit for you?

Bobbi

Rink's in Post #5 on this thread!

Anybody seen Bobbi???

 

[bobbiwoz]

Rink's in Post #5 on this thread!

Anybody seen Bobbi???

I would have sworn that was another thread!!!!
PS. The very sad thing is that I checked before I asked where he was!