An old chestnut...the gift certificate from out of the very distant past

Since you have no record of this GC and the possiblity of a scam is high, due to PO having a GC on their site (if I read it correctly), there is no way I would accept it. 

These scam artist are everywhere - and will do anything they can to scam you.  Being small business owners, known to try to make our guests happy, we may look like easy prey.  I invested in a embosser with my B&B info on it. (purchased orginally for envelopes)  After I sign the GC, with a unique number sequence, I emboss over my signature.  Trying to duplicate the signature with the embossing is very difficult   - not impossible, but we are not talking about major criminals here. 

Ok i made a boo boo..but thats how we learn nonetheless. Sorry about that and you are all right, don't accept it. I've never heard of no expirations on GCs I've always put an expiration date and their name and for the $$ of one night or two whatever it may be and our names where always at the bottom.

Wow; didn't really know that it was such a problem as a scam, I guess anything is possible. But you are right I should have thought of that.

Birdwatcher said: But if you do give the good will of having him, it would be a great story and what a great thing if he would leave you a good comment?

The answer to will she honor this GC should be no - too many years of too many owners to honor it. But honoring it would be a great story for every scam artist who read about it. Yes, it is a good feelie story BUT everyone and his brother would be "finding" a GC from 20 years ago. I can just see it coming here - even though I am the original owner and have only been here 14 years.

My GCs are each original meaning each one is created specifically for the person receiving it and from the person giving it. Different artwork etc.

As for the way the box stores get the GCs depleted is the same way banks get rid of "dormant" savings accounts - the charge a "service fee" every month after a specified period of time until the balance is zero. Banks charge $2 per month. I do not know how long it takes to be dormant.

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 At closing, all outstanding gc's need to be paid to the new owner.  That is the way we had the clause.  This is where I think the PO's did have some outstanding but never told us about them, since they used index cards for record keeping, and took all of them as well.  

We had zero guest information, zero anything except a big box of expired directories and other things we had to renew and had expired.  That was the other rqmt a buyer should insist upon, "all directories and current marketing must remain up to date and active."  As closing takes so long these days they never renewed any of it.  We started from scratch essentially.  Had to pay NEW set up fees on a couple of them. Didn't know what worked and what didn't work either.  Hard to tell when POs lie to you about revenue.

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 Arkie I mentioned, that as it IS in the contract.  The sellers need to fork over the $ for any outstanding GC's.  Not just WHEN they are redeemed.

PUT IT IN the contract, definitely.  This is why I stopped selling GC's since we are for sale, and then I bent and sold a couple as one in the hand was better than three in the field.  

We had lease-to-buy people here of a B&B here who did exactly what JB said a restaurant person did.....printed GCs, offered free stays, and kept deposits AFTER scamming the owners for 3 months taking all the money out of the business and then having to be evicted.  So......since there are scams out there....I say no as you can't validate the gift certificate. 

I would just say that you had no information from any previous owner about the existence of that gift certificate and you are not able to honor it.  Which is the truth! 

If state law considers it the same as money, and it can't expire, you're probably legally bound to honor it. It would make me think twice about offering GC's in your state.

I don't guess anybody thought of things like this when the place sold, and resold, regarding whether such things are being taken on by the new owners or stay with the old owners. Or if they DID think of it, it should be in the sales contract somewhere.

I'm thinking mayby if I give GC's, I'll put a dollar amount rather than saying "good for a free night's stay". Like "Good for $[the current price of a room] off on a night's stay", or what ever amount off the GC buyer pays me. That way time and inflation work against the value of the GC, rather than in its favor.

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 So WHAT if it is a state law, holy cow...put a dang expiration on it.  If someone were to fight it then say okay, I will extend the expiration for you.  It is also the law not to drive 56 in a 55 MPH zone.

The things I hear make my grey hairs sprout I tell ya.  Put an expiration date on the things or don't sell them at all.

 Also, everyone ...please SIGN your GC's for authentication.  

I always print mine on a colored paper so they can't just photocopy them (they are numbered and signed as well and state NO CASH VALUE). Yes anyone can scan them etc, but not on my watch.  At closing please make sure you have handed over copies of all outstanding GC's to the new owners.  We had some floating around when we bought, NO name on them, No who they were for no numbers, no signatures, nothing.

 Oh is it for a ROOM or an amount?  A room? Well are they all diff names now? Tell him there is no room by that name.    

Let me remind you of the rogue Food and Bev Director at an upscale restaurant in SD who was about to be let go and a lawsuit pending from his misconduct...he quickly printed out GC's and gave them out everywhere he went, by the dozens.  People poured in with these GC's.  We told them NO. 

 Tell him no. and then laugh heartily.

Another reason to state what the value is on a GC instead of 'good for one night's stay'.

I think you could politely tell him that he would have to contact the first inn owners who issued it. You can only honor the gift certificates issued from you, and the previous owner who gave you the file on valid gift certificates when you purchased the inn. He is unfortunately not on that list so you have no record of the gift certificate having been paid for. 

RIki

Essentially, there is no way to validate the guy actually DID receive this 20 years ago and isn't like the last one of these we got where the person basically donwloaded the GC off the PO's website and claimed she found it in a drawer. It was totally a scam.

OO got and kept the GC money, not you. Tell your caller to go spend the night at THEIR house!

I'd never consider selling a gift certificate without an expiration date.

Totally agree with CatLady.  That's insane.   I usually measure my response to outrageous requests like this "Would I ever do such a thing? Okay, maybe that's biased.  Would my Mother?  Would anyone that I associate with do/say something like that?"  Usually the answer is no, and that's my response to this crazy loon!

 I have personally gone through every iteration of this and I tell you DON'T accept it, period.  It is well past expired and this person knows it.  I've done the "give a discount" thing and the person was a nightmare from beginning to end.

Tell him to take a hike!  No ...but that was my first thought. Politely tell him...SORRY, we do not honor GC from that far back. Why in heavens name would any of you honor such a thing? There is no way she is responsible to give a guy a room for a 20 year old GC. ANd not out of the goodness of her heart either. Come on now folks, this is just a bit out there.

What if you use it as just cash value from the rates of the room from back when. I can't imagine the OO's rates were too high...Maybe $75 or so.

What's your state's regs on GCs? 5 years from date of purchase? Forever???

Or maybe as a compromise say it is invalid but you will give him a discount? or free upgrade? or he has to book 3 nights and gets one free? something like that? it is just a thought.

I would politely but firmly tell him that it's no longer valid. I'd tell him it became invalid with the FIRST sale of the inn. He really knows that he's not going to get anywhere with this.

WOW-that is something, ususally a GC has an expiration date?  But if you do give the good will of having him, it would be a great story and what a great thing if he would leave you a good comment?

Weird though huh? and hey you can ask him "how much where the rooms back then?"

OMG!  I can't wait to read the responses to this one!  I'd tell him he could use it any weekday in your slower season - and if he actually comes, I'm sure he'll have a fun story to tell about how he finally found this GC - digging out from under the pile!  I give him credit for having the balls to actually call!