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Pengman
Posts: 115
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2019 4:54 pm
Location: Portland, Dorset UK

Post by Pengman »

I had one guest who booked a short spring break follwed a day later by a short autumn break. A few days later she booked another short break about 2 weeks after the first one. All have since been cancelled. Timewaster! One or two other cancelled bookings (thankfully short, non-peak ones) but I see it as an ongoing problem henceforth. And we've got the OTAs to thank for it - first they encouraged us all to provide 'flexible cancellation policies' (in reality, free cancellation until the last possible moment), then secondly they advertised to the masses that 'their' properties provide 'free cancellation'. I can't see that this is likely to reverse once the Covid dust has settled.
I came, I saw, I bought it.
farley
Posts: 169
Joined: Thu May 29, 2014 11:14 am
Location: Poitou Charentes

Post by farley »

Free cancellation at the last possible moment !
Does that work both ways?
zebedee
Posts: 1270
Joined: Fri Sep 12, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: yorkshire dales

Post by zebedee »

farley wrote:Yes, totally agree Sunbeam.

Have you seen the recent news article showing a happy couple who’ve booked two holidays in the knowledge they’ll cancel one ! They think it’s fine because of course the owners can re let ...

Words fail me at this point.
This issue is also picked up on the UK thread following reporting by the BBC this morning
Sunbeam
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: Spain

Post by Sunbeam »

If the article was at least about questioning the couple's morals and asking them to think about the impact of their behaviour - sending a strong message that it was absolutely the wrong thing to do - but they were actually gloating and the BBC allowed it ...

Most enquiries are supportive and understanding.... and the tiny trickle of guests are just so lovely....

... But there's was the woman who wanted us to book out every half term between May 2021 and October 2022 - plus 2 weeks in august 2021 and 2022 - and she'd let us know as time went by when she'd be coming - we are just a one whole-house holiday let, not even several gites or cottages .... we didn't respond ... words failed us ...
Sunbeam
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: Spain

Post by Sunbeam »

farley wrote:Yes, totally agree Sunbeam.

Have you seen the recent news article showing a happy couple who’ve booked two holidays in the knowledge they’ll cancel one ! They think it’s fine because of course the owners can re let ...

Words fail me at this point.
I saw it and The Times picked up on it this morning too... hopefully the couple are identified by the owners and don't get any kind of holiday this year
Sunbeam
Posts: 198
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 5:24 pm
Location: Spain

Post by Sunbeam »

Pengman wrote:I had one guest who booked a short spring break follwed a day later by a short autumn break. A few days later she booked another short break about 2 weeks after the first one. All have since been cancelled. Timewaster! One or two other cancelled bookings (thankfully short, non-peak ones) but I see it as an ongoing problem henceforth. And we've got the OTAs to thank for it - first they encouraged us all to provide 'flexible cancellation policies' (in reality, free cancellation until the last possible moment), then secondly they advertised to the masses that 'their' properties provide 'free cancellation'. I can't see that this is likely to reverse once the Covid dust has settled.
Were you in a position to query the multiple bookings as they came in - or are you bound by some kind of contract to accept them? That is shocking behaviour - and irresponsible of the OTA (not quite sure what it stands for but guess it is a site that books out your property) - i hope in time this practice is stamped out
farley
Posts: 169
Joined: Thu May 29, 2014 11:14 am
Location: Poitou Charentes

Post by farley »

Pengman were you able to make a complaint to the OTA and have this person ‘flagged up’ on their system? Surely there has to be a way to raise awareness of serial offenders ?
Isn’t technology capable of this sort of thing?
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