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Top > United States > California 
| Vacation Rental Complaints |
| 33. |
Security Deposit not refunded
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For a girls’ weekend and a 40th birthday celebration, we rented a 3 bedroom house on the beach in Newport Beach CA through International Vacation Home.Travel (IVH.Travel). This company claims to have the highest standard in luxury homes but yet we unknowingly booked a home less luxurious than an 18 year old first college home. That is unless you consider futon couches, broken cabinets, mismatched dishes, absolutely no cleaning supplies such as paper towels and dish soap, lack of bath mats and a kitchen trashcan full from previous renters as "setting the industry standard". When we contacted the company during our visit about the lack of basics, we were told that as the property management company, IVH.Travel, cannot be held responsible for the owner’s failings. Although, what does a property management company do if not clean and remove trash between renters?
On Feb 5 2010, we were required to pay the full rental $1120 plus $500 security deposit for our Apr 30, 2010 reservation. It is now May 31, 2010 and no one for the company returns my calls/emails and the security deposit has still not been refunded. I suspect they need the $500 to buy some basic necessities for this "luxury home" although we stocked the house with more than enough cleaning supplies upon our departure. This house was left in better condition when we left than when we arrived.
I would never rent from this company again and feel sorry for all the uninformed future renters.
Date Added: Jun 3, 2010
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| 35. |
Don't stay at Pebble Beach Property, CA
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I made a phone reservation for a 2-night stay on 4/9/2010 at 8:03pm for 4/9 - 4/10. Seller emailed reservation confirmation/info at 8:21pm. I did not have a chance to sign the contract, but I sent 50% payment ($284) at 8:28pm. Soon after I sent the payment, I found out my husband\'s family had already made alternative lodging arrangement in advance. Since I was on the road, I notified the Seller of the change in my earliest convenience at 9:21pm. Seller acknowledged the change at 9:49pm with the following, \"Rates provided to you and your family are for a 2-night stay. I\'m very willing to make adjustments on my end, but would prefer that reservation be continued as agreed. Might that be possible?\" I responded, \"I will talk to my husband\'s family tomorrow. I think they would not mind paying a little more for a 1-nt rate.\" Since I did not hear from the Seller, I just assumed we would pay a higher 1-night rate since the initial reservation was based on a 2-night
stay. Upon arrival, Seller demanded the full 2-night payment minus a $40 discount. I did not think it was reasonable for her to charge $528 for 1 night and decided not to stay there at all. If Seller could provide evidence that she had to turn down other reservation for the first night between 8:03pm and 9:49pm due to our resevation change, I would rest my case. Since she did not miss any business opportunity on 4/9 and acknowledged the reservation change, it was unreasonable for her to demand a 2-night stay payment.
After discussing my case with 2 attorney friends, they informed me 2 issues are of relevance: 1. Equity–Is it fair for the owner to charge for two nights when she was informed of the change in reservation in a timely manner? 2. Owner suffer loss (lack thereof)-Is the owner able to show loss of business due to the change justifying charging 2 nts? Rebuttal: 1.While her contract indicate the deposit is nonrefundable; it doesn’t disallow changes to reservation. I expected the deposit to be applied toward the actual stay. She acknowledged the change & indicated she was willing to make adjustment. I made it clear in my email that we would be paying for 1 night, & she did not decline. 2. Owner seemed to imply we canceled the reservation due to a smaller party–NOT true. Had that been the case, no one would have shown up. She only had my contact info (no financial info or a ratified contract). She would not have been able to collect remaining payment. Instead, my husband, his M
om, younger brother, and older brother & his girlfriend (in 3 cars) met the owner with intent to stay. We only cancelled because she was demanding another $240 (total of $524 for 1 night).
I made a complaint against the Seller at the local Better Business Bureau. She refused to refund the $284. I then emailed her directly asking for a transferrable credit for the same amount. She did not respond. I brought it to BBB\'s attention, and she was contacted by BBB regarding my second request. Seller did not respond to BBB after 30 days. The Seller continues to advertise her property on Craigslist.org and violating the website\'s policy of only posting one ad on the same service/item once every 7 days. She posted 8 ads in 6 days. What she fails to realize is that if her business practice was friendlier, she would have more business via word of mouth. Now her property will have negative feedbacks. What a shame!
Date Added: Jul 12, 2010
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| 39. |
SoCal Hot Properties/Kauai Hot Properties
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Rental for 2 weeks. August 14 to August 28. Upon arrival listed to sleep 10, only accomodations for 6. Found blow up mattresses;but nothing to blow them up with. Blinds in LR missing, broken could not close. Master BR leak toilet had a Rubbermaid bucket under tank; but water was around toilet, carpet MB wet from toilet smelled like cat pee. Head board MB just leaning against wall. Dirty kept finding recepits or pieces of paper on floor under bed. Found a 6 year old drivers license on shelf in MB closet, used a small hotel bar of soap to keep cabinet in MB from leaning on wall. In garage sleeper sofa with burn holes in it. Hall bath mold under shower mat, all bathroom mirrors needing cleaning.In MB large mirror had finger prints all over. No air conditioning, after paid last payment in confirmation with instruction told no air. In description stated no need for air,ocean breeze. Does not say NO AIR. So have e-mail stating provide air for us, was not their and even though asked and texted and promised beforehand did not have air. The leaky toilet they knew about reason for bucket, had someone fix on Monday ;but for 2 days had I had to wrap towels around base until fixedtosoak up water otherwise wouldhave damaged ceiling and been a slip and fall issue. We had to clean bathrooms and do mirrors upon our arrival. You pay a cleaning fee, they should get it back or hire someone else. So we called Mike Hermanns, instead of him calling us back, Rene called and spoke to my husband he discussed the sofa bed or lack there of, told of mattresses no pumps, spoke about blinds told my husband our 13 year old daughter could sleep on side of blinds that closed, so no privacy. Talked about air conditioners promised 2 Rene said only one;but where was it? Rene indicated that surfers from a few weeks before had done the damage to the sofa and blinds;but it never occurred to them to let us know what to expect upon our arrive so could have looked into something else for our 2 week stay. We never heard from Mike Hermanns in 2 weeks, even though he booked our trip and that is who I called and called and left another message for after speaking to Rene. A few days later called about a 1000.00 charge spoke with Kristina who would call me back when she got into the office, no call. So a week went by, no pumps or bed and no air conditioner. So I called agian on Aug. 21 about bed and air conditioners. What I received was a text message about the 1000.00 hold for damage protection and that the pumps where in the garage,so I texted back referring to the bicycle pump on the burnt sofa, I received no other message. So for 2 weeks we had no bed for my 13 year old daughter, she had to sleep with my husband and myself and my husband was hot and complained for 2 weeks. According to locals that was the only sunny days and warm temperatures, the temps were in the 80's , before that had mostly cloudy and cooler days. So without a breeze that ocean and open windows did absolutely nothing to cool the house,not to mention the 2 room in front of the house. So our trip to beautiful California could have been a whole lot more enjoyable if Socal Hot Properties and Mike Hermanns had given us a second thought. They received over 5000.00 and never bothered after that. Tried to resolve this;but pretty much have not received a return email reply since Oct.4. Have all e-mails, photos,phone and text records relating to this complaint.
Date Added: Oct 26, 2010
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