Deposits in cheque format

[Deby]

Our next set of guests have arrived and have given us a cheque (Irish Bank in Euros) as by way of their deposit, then adding "oh just give us the cheque back when we leave".

Unfortunately, we didnt really have time to respond to them. Our normal policy which is clear on our site is that we require a cash deposit of 500 Euros on arrival. With all our other guests this has never been a problem and there have never been any breakages or if they have guests have replaced items.

If we cash the cheque it will cost us 17 Euros to do so and if there is any damage or breakage we really dont have any recourse should there be a dispute as they could stop the cheque.

I feel a little uncomfortable raising this but we are trying to run a business and we need to be firm. Also their group is going to increase from 4 to 18 people for 4 days as the wife has organised a surprise family visit for the husbands' 40th. Obviously increased numbers is increased risk.

So my question is do we stand firm on insisting on the cash deposit and has anybody had experience of deposits in cheque format.

Thanks
Deby

[Miki]

Deby,

You really must stand firm by your own rules and regs.

Little point in having them, if guests do not abide by them. All security deposits (I guess that is what you are talking about?) we accept are cashed 8 weeks before arrival, along with their final payments.

No point in sitting with a cheque, any breakages and the the guests, when they get home, can cancel the cheque.

Insist on the cash, in the nicest way of course. If you have it written in your regulations, you are within your rights to ask for it. Do you make your clients sign to say they have read and understood the rules and regs when they book one of your properties?

We have guests arriving Saturday who have booked late (a cancellation by previous guests)and did not send the security deposit along with full payment. So on Saturday, I shall have to grit my teeth and then get Tina to ask them for the cash !!

Miki

[passiflora]

Hi Deby

I must admit we always cash the deposit cheque along with the final payment 8 weeks before the visit. Then I just deduct any breakages, telephone calls etc from this amount and return the balance.

If it were last minute I would definitely insist on cash unless it was a cheque drawn on a french bank because they are almost impossible to cancel. I have always been able to agree an amount for breakages etc and invariably something has been left behind which has to be posted on from teddy bears to whole drawers full of clothes. I always return the deposit by cheque within 7 days.

My two properties sleep 18 in total and are usually let together with such a large number of people I think it is inevitable that there will be breakages etc.

Good luck

Carole 16
www.erminea.org.uk

[Ianhaycox]

I'm suprised no-one has mentioned credit cards. We have a credit card machine from the bank and take all our deposits and balances via the card. The money goes straight into your account and doesn't 'bounce'. Any breakages just charge the credit card.

Ian http://www.brittany-holiday-gites.com

[Deby]

Update,

Still no deposit - I did speak to them and the wife was all very convincing until hubby piped in - stating that he didnt think it was necessary, I still insisted and have left it with them till Friday, if I dont receive any cash then I will cash their cheque and when it is cleared I will inform them and deduct any costs which I have incurred, plus damage/breakages.

It should be cleared before they leave on the 28th. The rest of the group arrives tomorrow so then after the husbands' surprise I will put the pressure on (subtly of course). I have learned the lesson here though. I've noticed the way they have left the pool in a state which shows they have no consideration for our home and they have the most awful demon son (7yrs) who could do with a serious clip round the ear, just walks in our private wing and has no manners whatsoever! I blame the parents.

As for returning the deposit after leaving, how does this work when you have a changeover and problems appear later. Is this the responsibility of the next set of guests or do you stipulate any problems need to be pointed out? I do check for certain things, but I struggle with wear and tear -our metal flan dishes were scoured with knife marks and some saucepans were gouged, but I think this is part of the rental business as my levels of taking care of things is different than obviously those who are in holiday mode!

We will wait and see.
Deby

[Marie]

This is our first year running our gite, but we have always insisted that the security deposit has cleared our bank account (either by cheque or transfer) before we send out the keys and directions. No-one has yet queried this, and having just had one particularly careless (and dirty)family I would certainly not be prepared to let anyone stay who had not handed money over.  We had to deduct money from this particular family's security deposit to cover several breakages (including pulling the front off a kitchen drawer!), and they then had the cheek to claim it wasn't them.  They eventually (reluctantly) admitted the drawer had "come off in their hands", but still weren't happy that we had charged them.  I dread to think what would have happened if we had not had their money in advance and were faced with the prospect of trying to claim it back from them. If your terms and conditions state the money is to be paid in cash up front, then they don't really have any grounds to dispute your request. (We take all our bookings via internet and clients have to tick a box to say the have read and accept our terms and conditions, so we always have a paper record)

At the end of the day, it's your house, and you make the rules! I'm just hoping we don't have any more unpleasant guests this year, as this lot were particularly nasty about the whole thing.

Best of luck!

Marie