friends wants to bail on villa at last moment without payment Post Reply

[lovehearts]

Would love some perspective.

We are three families who booked a villa last October. We are due to travel to Menorca in a couple of weeks and now one of the families of four wants to pull out due to the changing travel rules etc. Rather surprisingly they 'obviously don't want to pay' their words not mine. The full balance on the villa is due in a week or so.


It puts my family and the other one involved in a tricky situation regarding our holiday. It won't be financially viable for us to take the villa if we need to pay the extra third but I am not sure whether it is OK to politely insist that they pay. We all knew the risks etc. when we committed. I know it is a bit of first world problem but any advice much appreciated.

[juliantenniscoach]

You can only ask, explaining your situation.  No joy, I'd consider changing my circle of friends to be honest.

[Scottov]

That’s a tricky one. No easy answers, they don’t want to go but it condemns you and the others to cancelling and no holiday

On the other hand, the balance hasn’t been paid so they’re thinking they’re within their rights to withdraw

You can talk to them but I have to wonder where it goes?

Sorry I can’t help don’t think there’s an easy answer

[Bunnyboots]

By paying the deposit they have committed to pay the balance and are obliged to do so . I would insist they pay their share of the balance. However having said that, I’m view of their selfish and arrogant behaviour I would probably agree to share the costs with the other family and have nothing more to do with them.

[jamali]

Poor you - that is pretty rubbish behaviour.  Maybe there are mitigating circumstances in their eyes but that still leaves you in this situation.  I would ask them if they are aware of the position they have placed you and the other family in and ask if they have any ideas as to how to resolve it (as it is their decision that has created the problem) - maybe they could pay a part of their share?  Or if they have a genuine reason, can they claim on travel insurance to reimburse you?  Whatever, probably a good thing you won't end on holiday with them as they don't sound like great people to be sharing a villa and longed for holiday with!

[chorister]

This is going to sound incredibly unsympathetic, but what on earth were you all thinking when last October in the middle of a pandemic you booked this ?  There were warnings everywhere about the risk of new waves etc.  Didn't you insure against a change in the travel rules?  And if you tried to and couldn't get cover didn't that tell you something?

[Torcat]

Hi, what an unpleasant situation and what horrible, selfish people! I agree that you should try and talk to them about the position they have put you in, although I don't think they sound like they will budge. You might at least feel a little better letting them know the problems they have caused you all, before you cut them out from your lives.

Just a little thought.....I suspect that whoever runs the villa will be facing lots of other cancellations and they are unlikely to be able to fill these vacancies. Is there any chance they might offer a reduced rate based on the fact that there will be fewer of you using the villa? I know this wouldn't normally be remotely possible, but you just never know.....They might prefer to get a booking rather than a complete cancellation.

[dudette]

I’m a bit confused why they want to pull out - the Balearics are on the amber list but if your friends are double vaccinated then the rules are the same as for green.

Quite frankly they have behaved appallingly and I agree with the others - time to edit them out of your friends list.

It wasn’t unreasonable at all to book the villa last October. Even the most pessimistic at the time would have thought by this summer things would have eased off.

[Greyskies]

Difficult situation for you all. And assuming you are good friends with this family I guess you do not want to fatally damage the relationship with them.

Are there any other families you know/relatives who might step in and take their places at the last moment? I know this could skew the dynamics but it might go some way towards mitigating the losses.  Have they fully understood the quarantine regulations? They may have misconstrued what amber means for the vaccinated. Do they have any insurances that might cover some of their losses? 

Not much help to you now,  but going forward this experience illustrates just how important it is to look at all possible  scenarios when booking shared holidays. Covid has added more problems to the mix but there is always a risk that parties will drop out due to illness, relationship breakdown, unexpected work commitments etc. This all needs to be considered before booking and not when one party has decided to drop out. 

 

[Sueby]

I would definitely contact the owner as late as you can and explain. I’m sure they’d prefer two lots of rental than none. Say you can’t afford to stand the total rent and are desperate not to let them down or miss a long awaited holiday . Good luck

[AHW]

I'm going against the prevailing opinion to say that I have sympathy with your friends - we pulled out of a gite in France (going with my parents, although we all agreed to do so) the day before the final balance was due, because of the imposition of quarantine.  I was devastated as this was a cancelled 2020 holiday, booked in 2017 to celebrate my mother's 70th. 

Travel rules are changing almost daily - in fact, according to the papers, Spain and Greece may go to amber plus whilst France goes back to amber - if that happens next week we would have been able to go. However, the stress of the tests, the paperwork and the chance that even if we changed our rules, France may change theirs whilst we were away meant that we all decided to just cancel.  Fortunately, the gite owners have been fantastic throughout and totally sympathetic to our situation.  On Friday evening, France imposed a rule that minors over 12 now have to be tested, even if travelling with double vaccinated adults - my friend had to move her holiday at the 11th hour as they were due to go at 5am on the Saturday.....travelling anywhere currently is a risk, and if they weren't prepared to take it, then I think that in the middle of a pandemic, that is their prerogative.

I would definitely try the owners of the villa - some money is better than no money and they may offer it to you at a reduced rate.