I have a gentleman who has been emailing me for the past couple of weeks asking about oil spill. I have sent him updates everytime I get one and have also given him sites to go to. He sent me an email two days ago asking about when he could cancel without loosing deposit. I told him if the beaches were closed due to the oil spill I would refund his full deposit. I sent him an updated agreement stating this and asked him to initial. He never sent back. I get an email today saying that due to a family emergency they can no long come, which is less than a month away. He signed my cancellation policy which states that I will refund a deposit if I can re-rent that time for the same amount. I sent him an email saying that since it was not due to the oil spill that he needed to refer to my cancellation policy which he signed. He then sends me an email saying that it was really both. Would you refund his deposit (beaches are not closed due to spill) or stick to the cancellation policy which he initialed.?
If you were an owner who rents your home how would you handle this situation?
- Thread starter Wastin Away
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IMO, if you rerent it, he gets his deposit back.
If you don't, he doesn't.
If you were not offering him a FULL refund if oil was an issue I would say differently, but that is not the case.
Though you sort of opened up a can of worms by sending the email saying "since it wasn't because of the oil, you can't have your deposit back."
If you don't, he doesn't.
If you were not offering him a FULL refund if oil was an issue I would say differently, but that is not the case.
Though you sort of opened up a can of worms by sending the email saying "since it wasn't because of the oil, you can't have your deposit back."
IMHO - Stick to your original cancellation policy that he signed. The oil one doesn't apply in any case, since we don't have oil on the beaches. If you rerent then he gets his deposit back.
His follow up email to you that it was both doesn't stand, since he didn't sign your 'oily beaches refund agreement.' Refund him if you can rent it for the same amount, which is in your agreement and from what you say is legal and binding.
While we all want to do the right thing, I think renters are going to learn the hard lesson on this one.
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RiverOtter
got any pics?
So far we've only had one cancellation. Thus the reason for my June 5-12 availability post. The silly thing is we waived our cancel policy and offered a full refund if they couldn't make the trip and a pro-rata refund if they had to leave during their stay. They just couldn't get past the news. Personally, if I was looking at this situation I would much rather come in early June than later in the summer 
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.So far we've only had one cancellation. Thus the reason for my June 5-12 availability post. The silly thing is we waived our cancel policy and offered a full refund if they couldn't make the trip and a pro-rata refund if they had to leave during their stay. They just couldn't get past the news. Personally, if I was looking at this situation I would much rather come in early June than later in the summer
That is what I was thinking but my daughter has a soccer camp that week and we are coming for 11 days at the first of July. He did email back this morning that he may have jumped the gun on cancelling and is going to speak with his wife but my husband said he thinks it is better to return his deposit and be done with it since he is being so wishy washy.
IF is a big word to be so small. The beaches are not closed, so this excuse shouldn't apply, in my non-legal opinion. I'm not sure how someone can have an "emergency" in the future, especially 30 days away.
Yes, people are nervous from watching the news and they will do some things which are out of character when they are scared. Have some compassion for their situation, but don't damage yourself in the process. Let the renter know that you understand they won't make it and that you will give a faithful effort to rent it to someone else. If you cannot, your cancellation policy will apply.
Refund the deposit now.Let him learn the lesson when he is not sitting on the prettiest beaches in the world.I hope everyone that owns a B.P. card has cancelled it.
