Homeaway, wake up please!
odin78 Mar 22, 2012 2:31 PMA week ago I received a bad review. It was withdrawn due to this guy verbaly abusing my wife and making false accusations. You can read more about this here http://community.homeaway.com/message/19447#19447
Now this man has made a serious complaint accusing us of charging him more than the rates listed on our site. He claims we did this because he and his wife are black. Also, in his complaint sent to HA he actually claimed we cancelled his reservation when in reality, he actually stayed the entire agreed period. We only called him asking him to please leave the apartment at 3pm when checkout is actually 12pm.
Just look at what this man is writing to me in his latest email...
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I was very upset about my stay first let's address your refutation. I actually have print-offs of the rates ok. Your website reads:
Name of Period Begins Ends Weekly Week Night Weekend Weekend NightExtra NightMonthly Event Rate Minimum Stay
Low seasonMar 1 2012Jul 31 2012R$ 650R$ 110--R$ 110R$ 2,200-3 Nights3
Notes:Rates do not include special holidays such as Xmas, carnival, easter etc. Please contact us for info
High seasonAug 1 2012Mar 1 2013R$ 800R$ 135--R$ 135R$ 2,800-3 Nights
This is me cutting and pasting now directly from your site ok. You can stop lying ok. We stayed in your apartment for eight days. During High Season your apartment is listed at $800 reais. Your page never says anything about holidays. I think you need to read your page again. In the U.S. this is illegal . You cannot advertise one price which it clearly states as $800 dollars per week and then give another. NOWHERE on your page does it state anything about Holidays.
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Can somebody please tell me that it doesn't clearly state that rates do not include holidays? He actually copied the rates directly from my site and does not see the Notes directly in front of his eyes! Why did he actually agree on the price of 1300 reais for one week in carnival here in Brazil, pay the deposit and then make these accusations?
Yesterday I received a notice from HA that this man has made serious complaints about his stay and that I cancelled his reservation and that he wants a full refund or he will go to court. If I don't answer HA within 3 days my account will be suspended! Yes, suspended!
So I wrote back to HA within the hour and explained very detailed the entire story about this guest, just as I did when I tried to remove his very rude review a week ago. HA actually asked me to answer the following questions...
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Please contact us within two (2) business days from today with answers to the questions below:
1. Has the traveler received a full refund of their payment? If not, when can they expect to receive it?
2. Have alternative accommodations been offered or suggested to assist this traveler in securing another rental?
3. What is the reason for this cancellation?
If we do not hear back from you by 3/23/2012, we will be forced to suspend your listing until this matter has been resolved.
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First of all, thank you HA for actually giving me the benefit of doubt and thank you for asking me these questions before actually talking with me first! Why would I refund this man's money after he actually stayed with us the entire period? How can I possibly have cancelled his reservation after he stayed with us?
Please everybody read this man's complaint and tell me what I've done wrong because I have no clue in the matter. Please note I have cencoured the names of the individuals...
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The property Rental XXXXXXXX . First to begin with I thought something was suspicious about the owner. The price of the apartment as listed on your website was $800 reais per week during the high season we stayed their for one week during the high season and were charged $1300 reais. FXXXX Dos Santos paid $300 by deposit and I paid $1,000 reais directly upon staying. We are both black and were charged higher rates. Second I was told I could stay as long as I wanted afterward. On the following Wednesday of Febrauary 21st 2012. I got a call we had only stayed since the 14th that night. The call was from Sao Paulo I was told that the owner wanted me out of the apartment by 3pm it was 10am that day. You listed an individual that violated my human rights and likely overcharged me due to my race. I am furious and if the matter is not resolved...
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For the record I told this man he was free to stay in the apartment to wait for his flight that day. We received a booking later that day and unfortunately we had to ask the man to please leave the apartment at 3pm. When we called and asked there were no aparent problems. He had no aparent complaints about this at the time.
So, I replied to Homeaway as they requested and asked them to please respond asap what they are planning to do next. I am totaly dependent on this business and if HA wants to suspend my account then I would like to know soon so we can look elsewhere to advertise our properties.
I think it is extremely unfair of HA to threaten to suspend our account due to one man's insanity! This man sent me an email telling us we will be sued in court and he will do everything in his power to have our website and HA account removed.
I'm tired of writing you emails to respond HA. Please, I ask you very respectfully, as a paying costumer, and as respect to our business here in Brazil, please respond to this matter as we are tired of being left in the dark.
Regards,
Andreas Bachmann