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I have a question which has bugged me too long so I have to ask. Could you please share your thought with me?
I was talking with a villa rental company about a particular villa that we were very interested in for over a week prior to Christmas. The Thursday before Christmas, we finally decided to reserve the villa. That evening, I received the agreement in my email which stated that there is a 48-hour hold policy - I had to fax the agreement back with my signature within 48 hours.
By Friday afternoon, my friends at other cities and we all booked our tickets. I was so busy with wrapping up work and my infant kid got a terrible cold and I forgot to send the agreement back. Plus, we don’t have a fax at home. It was not very convenient for me to go somewhere to fax, especially when I have a sick baby at home. (Do you know how terrible the cold is going around right now?)
On Tuesday, the day after Christmas, I received an email from the rental agent, stating that my reservation was overlapped with another reservation which the rental agent made a mistake when they reserved the other reservation some time ago.
I felt very defeated when I learned the news. Since we all booked our airfare already, not only we cannot stay at the villa we originally interested in, we would have quite a difficult time to find other villas which would fit our now already booked time frame, especially when it is Memorial weekend.
The agent has being kindly enough to give us some discount to other available villas. But they are more expensive even given the discount. And I am always reminded that it was my fault that I didn’t fax back within 48-hour and they had the liberty to termindate the agreement anyway. The courtesy they made to us is unusual.
I am wondering if I am the only one who is so bad at time management and get punished by this 48-hour policy? Are rental company pretty strict with it?
Thanks….
Anytime around Christmas is very valuable to Villa owners. You won't find much wiggle room or sympathy if you default on your responsibilities.
It sounds like the rental company is going out if their to be helpful.
Linda, I believe the specified villa rental time is for around Memorial Day weekend, not Christmas...she was trying to reserve the villa at Christmas time, not rent it then.
May is the off-season in the USVI, but having never been there for Memorial Day, I have no idea how busy that time of the year is (and as Linda said, agencies are more strict at the busiest times of the year). I've rented from several agencies and never had to sign a 48 hour agreement, but my husband and I go always go in July and/or August. Had you signed it in time, the mistake still would have been made with the overlapping villas...so while their excuse is kind of lame, it sounds like there isn't really much you can do about it unfortunately.
Sorry, my mistake. What I meant was ....
Before Christmas, I was discussing and inquery about the particular villa with the agent. I didn't mean that we would rent it for Christmas or around that time. We are not going to VI untill summer. What I meant was that I had discussed with the agent for this particular villa for quite some time and my impression was that the villa would be available for the time I wanted.
I am aware of my fault since I didn't fax back within 48 hours.
Have you already signed an agreement with them? Or do you have the option of choosing another villa from a different company? You might be able to find a villa more suited to your needs with a different agency.
TRLK -
Thank you very much....
I tried, nothing is available given our time frame and budget.
Wow, that really stinks. Have you looked into splitting the time between two villas? It would kind of stink to have to "move" mid-way through your vacation, but it might be worth it.
Good luck 🙂
What is your time frame and how much do you want to spend the people on here will probaly beable to find you a villa I know a few that might work for you
How I wish I had posted this earlier then I would have gotten advises early.
But I just expressed my check to VI. We picked another villa through the same agent. You bet that I don't want to be late this time.
I hope it all works out for you & that you enjoy your stay. It's too bad about the mix-up.
