Community: Message List - Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

Re: Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:34:43 GMT

Our agreement states that the initial deposit of $1000 is non-refundable. In 11 years of vacation rentals, we have only had two people cancel. One due to the death of the renter (we refunded deposit) and one due to both husband and wife (both worked for the same company) losing their jobs on the same day (we refunded deposit).

Re: Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 15:32:22 GMT

It does seem rather mysterious. Even if people had a tragedy preventing them from moving forward, they would at least at some point contact and attempt to retrieve some of their paid money. Unless, something happened to the renters themselves and they are no longer able to communicate. Sad to hear.

Re: Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 20:15:35 GMT

To provide that a contract becomes null and void in the event a payment is not received on time may not be the result an owner wants. When a contract becomes null and void, the parties would be restored to the positions they were in prior to signing the contract, i.e., the owner would be obliged to refund all payments that had been received.

My contract provides that in the event a payment is not made when due, "we may, without notice to you, treat the failure to pay as a cancellation by you of your reservation, may rent the unit to another person, and may deal with the advance rental payment as provided below under Cancellations." My contract provides that in the event of a cancellation by the guest, we will refund their payment of rent only to the extent we receive payment from another guest for the same period.

Re: Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:40:56 GMT

This language was very helpful to me. I added it to my 2013 contract after dealing with a guest's late payments. I suggest others incorporate such language. No payment on time, contract is null and void.

Re: Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:35:57 GMT

We don't like damage insurance, prefer that the guest has some skin in the game. Of course since we rent only one house, it's no problem sending them a check for the damage deposit after they've left the house in good condition.

Linda

Re: Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:23:59 GMT

But here's our question: say you accept payment by check which includes a damage insurance fee. The guests come, leave behind a phone bill or other non-covered issue. How do you cover that? Do you take a credit card number for such cases?

We are wondering because our manager took a check, including the damage insurance, but had no card number on file. They don't use security deposits anymore as they say it was a hassle getting the money back to the guests, but we wondered how they would recoup unexpected additional expenses.

Re: Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 18:11:39 GMT

I've now rented our cottage for two seasons. I will accept personal checks only. I have never had anyone even request to use a credit card.

Linda

Re: Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 17:20:06 GMT

Hi Marilyn, I just happened upon your post and love it that you don't accept credti cards. I do accept them but loathe credit cards. They charge you an arm and a leg just for accepting them so they can make money on both ends. I am seriously considering NOT accepting them at all any longer. Has anyone ever NOT rented from you because you don't accept credit cards? If so, does it happen often? I feel that we and all merchants should be paid a bonus for accepting credit card payment for the credit card companies, instead of being charged fee after fee! On my listing I state that we prefer all payment to be made via check and other methods besides credit card.

Re: Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 16:59:45 GMT

I agree - on my rental agreement with guests, it stipulates if payments are not received by the due date(s), then your dates are automatically opened up and available to rent to another family (I do send them payment reminders too). If the cottage rents to another family, the family who missed their payment is now under our cancellation policy.

Re: Payment due date has arrived and renter is nowhere to be found

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 04:19:59 GMT

How mysterious this seems! I think that something dramatic happened to those two people. I hate to think what.

And, you've lost income. Very sorry you didn't manage to rebook someone else.