Hi hkquinn,

Playing the "devils advocate"....she believes that the place is reserved and held for her. You said that you sent her an invoice *and told  her* that you would *reserve the spot on our calendar*.   So, she doesn't feel any pressure for follow up action.   

I'm speaking for myself now (maybe other owners think and do differently):   For me, only a deposit received  *confirms a reservation* -- and this  is stated in my "offer" sent.  I do not mark the calendar "unavailable" right away ...I only mark it "tentative" for myself (the online calendar still views it as "available" ...as does the search filter). So, I will continue to "field" new inquirers...and if I get another opportunity to rent....I deal with the situation as it unfolds ....but I tell the first "prospect -- who has not PAID deposit yet" that their reservation is "pending confirmation" and they risk losing to someone who is inquiring after them...if the matter is -urgent-  I phone them with this information.  I go from there based on the circumstances...using more than my gut --- I rely on the character of the response I get   {During my "gentle reminder"...I once got sarcasism from "the husband" whom I was referred to speak to ...by "the wife".  I was waiting almost one month for a deposit.  It ended by my "retracting my offer"! Sarcasism prior arrival while being in violation of agreement doesn't demonstrate "good character", to me.} 

I understand that this is someone you know and you are happy to rent to them. But, I think that makes it seem odder to me that this person is not responding to your payment instructions -pronto- because she knows you!  I would never hang up my friends, family, neighbours, acquaintances if I'm obliged to them for some reason --- and no one that I know, intimately or casually, has done this to me. Maybe it's just luck on my part...but I think it more that I am very clear about "how to confirm a reservation".  I get it across that the place remains "available" until confirmation is received  (= deposit)....now I would not "give away" the place to others if I have been in good communication with someone prior -- who is in the process of sending payment. But, I set a deadline for receipt of payment, too....so it's clear what they have to do to "secure" the place in their name....or risk losing it to others who act quicker.  And...this applies to anyone I know  personally as well --- because they do know that I have a business and the place is an income-generating property. If I don't make it clear, they do not have the "imagination" to understand the processes for me to stay in business.

However, if your acquaintance thinks that you are holding the place for her...and there is no possibility to lose it ....perhaps she doesn't feel the rush to forward the deposit.   Of course, there could be other reasons --- maybe your emails end up in her spam folder, maybe she's too busy to even think about her ski vacation right now. Perhaps she has to glean monies from her friends who are sharing expenses. And, there are some people that are just slow to react to invoice notices.  Perhaps she doens't really  understand the process.

This is what I would do....

I like to deal with this kind of situation in an email so I have a written record.  If this were my situation, I would send my acquaintance a very nicely worded *reminder* by email thanking her for her interest...and that I look forward to welcoming them...but stressing that I am feeling the pressure now to have to open up my rental as "available" due to the high demand for the ski season  --- and advise her to "confirm their reservation" by deposit before someone else does --- because you can not hold it "closed" longer without a "confirmation by deposit".  If that weekend she asks will be easy to rent to others, you could leave it "closed" on the calendar for her for a couple of days more to wait her reply.   

"How do I tell her nicely, that unless I get a deposit, I need to open up the dates?"

How would you tell anyone who had inquired that you need to receive the deposit.  Points were made above regarding the need to clear up any ambiguity regarding the reservation process. 

I suspect you are feeling uneasy about approaching this acquaintence about paying you for the use of your vacation rental.  Imagine that rather than a vacation rental you were operating a grocery store.  This acquaintence and her friends drop by and load up a couple shopping carts.  Do you let them go out the door without paying?  Even though the use of the rental may not be as tangible as a bag of oranges, you need and deserve to be paid.  Time--the periods your rental is occupied by paying guests--is your stock in trade. 

Hi Hkquinn,

Could be totally wrong here but my take is that she might be having trouble getting her friends to commit and actually give her their share of the deposit.  They may have told her they would like to go but this far out it's hard to get a group fully organized.  You need to call and explain your situation and find out what's going on.

Paul

Sounds to me like she expected to get it for free and when she got an invoice, was no loger interested.