Disclaimer "For Sale" on Confirmation email ?

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1818 SHH

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Our B and B is for sale and probably will not sell "overnight". In case it does not sell before next summer, I would like to open the 2013 calendar for bookings. The problem is - what if the house sells as a "residence" and not a B and B. I need an idea for wording the confirmation email. I already have a disclaimer stating we may cancel a reservation up to one month prior. Any ideas or input would be greatly appreciated.
 
Don't say a word.
Don't count your eggs before they are hatched.
If it happens, then you deal with it then. :) All the best, hope it sells~
Edited to add: Joni add a for sale listing here or link. Couldn't hurt! :)
 
I wouldn't mention it at all. What if it doesn't sell and you need the money next summer? Telling guests you reserve the right to cancel them will just have them calling back to cancel instead.
Hopefully you know other places you can send guests to in case your place does sell privately.
 
You are not sold yet. IF it sells (may you be blessed with a quick sale), you will not close overnight. You will have time to deal with reservations PLUS if it sells as a B &B (which you are probably hoping to do) reservations will be a good thing.
 
I agree! You will lose bookings if you do this! Deal with it when the time comes! If you think it might sell do not take bookings except for 3 months out and limit the deposit you take incase you have to refund it. Good luck!
 
Good luck! But don't say anything. You will have time to deal with it when and if the time comes.
 
I agree. Just proceed as usual. Have you ever booked a dinner reservation & the restaurant closes? They never say a thing. If you do end up selling as a residence, you can contact the prospective guests and refer them elsewhere. Circumstances change & folks usually understand that.
We are still getting calls for rooms almost 3 years after closing the biz....
 
I wouldn't say anything - if and when the time comes then I would email all the people with bookings giving them a list of local bb's contact details this seems to be standard procedure where i am.
However there have been sales where the owner has just disappeared! people were turning up to check in! this also seems to be the case where properties have gone bust - no one thinks to inform guests! we have just had one locally -never a very successful operation and later oom s and book in .gcom were still taking bookings till I rang and informed them!
 
I wouldn't say anything - if and when the time comes then I would email all the people with bookings giving them a list of local bb's contact details this seems to be standard procedure where i am.
However there have been sales where the owner has just disappeared! people were turning up to check in! this also seems to be the case where properties have gone bust - no one thinks to inform guests! we have just had one locally -never a very successful operation and later oom s and book in .gcom were still taking bookings till I rang and informed them!.
I wouldn't say anything - if and when the time comes then I would email all the people with bookings giving them a list of local bb's contact details this seems to be standard procedure where i am.
However there have been sales where the owner has just disappeared! people were turning up to check in! this also seems to be the case where properties have gone bust - no one thinks to inform guests! we have just had one locally -never a very successful operation and later oom s and book in .gcom were still taking bookings till I rang and informed them!
Had the same thing near hear. New people took over a hotel then lots of guests turning up with gro upo n bookings they knew nothing about, now they are getting grotty reviews on ta even though the problem is nothing to do with them.
 
I would say nothing, I personally would be put off making a booking if I knew the property was up for sale.
As others have said, if you take bookings and it doesn't sell all well and good, if you have bookings and it sells as a B&B the new owners will be more than happy to take them and if it doesn't continue as a B&B all you can do is your best to be fair by people and if they don't like it they can B & M on ta to their hearts content.
 
Let me tell you what happens when you share publicly you are for sale with guests:
  1. Innkeeper's with hearts no longer in it
  2. Deferred maintenance
  3. Ratty linens
So you do not want to ever tell them you are for sale. This means they will be staying in a less than par lodging. Whether this is the case or not, you will lose bookings.
Even with your listing, don't put your INN NAME wherever you list it, or they will see it when they Google. I pitched a fit when they had ours showing with our inn name, when I specified not to. I have had guests approach me and say "This is none of our business by I saw you were for sale, what happened?" And then you get to deal with all of that!
 
1818 SHH said:
I already have a disclaimer stating we may cancel a reservation up to one month prior.
I'd never thought of doing that, but I think it's a good idea, whether one's for sale or not. You never know when something might come up. Can you share some suggested wording for this disclaimer?
 
Let me tell you what happens when you share publicly you are for sale with guests:
  1. Innkeeper's with hearts no longer in it
  2. Deferred maintenance
  3. Ratty linens
So you do not want to ever tell them you are for sale. This means they will be staying in a less than par lodging. Whether this is the case or not, you will lose bookings.
Even with your listing, don't put your INN NAME wherever you list it, or they will see it when they Google. I pitched a fit when they had ours showing with our inn name, when I specified not to. I have had guests approach me and say "This is none of our business by I saw you were for sale, what happened?" And then you get to deal with all of that!.
I totally agree, don't say anything.
We are for sale, and because our Inn has been here a long time it has a lot of name recognition and thus it's actually helpful to have it listed with the name. No "For Sale" sign or anything, but yes some repeat guests have saw our listing and we were completely unprepared for so many "Oh my gosh, what's wrong???" comments. I could never imagine asking someone such a blunt question, and frankly the first few times we laughed out loud. Now it's our joke, as we're driving around and see cars or houses with "For Sale" signs..."Oh my gosh, I hope nothing's wrong!"
Sigh...bless their hearts...
 
Let me tell you what happens when you share publicly you are for sale with guests:
  1. Innkeeper's with hearts no longer in it
  2. Deferred maintenance
  3. Ratty linens
So you do not want to ever tell them you are for sale. This means they will be staying in a less than par lodging. Whether this is the case or not, you will lose bookings.
Even with your listing, don't put your INN NAME wherever you list it, or they will see it when they Google. I pitched a fit when they had ours showing with our inn name, when I specified not to. I have had guests approach me and say "This is none of our business by I saw you were for sale, what happened?" And then you get to deal with all of that!.
I totally agree, don't say anything.
We are for sale, and because our Inn has been here a long time it has a lot of name recognition and thus it's actually helpful to have it listed with the name. No "For Sale" sign or anything, but yes some repeat guests have saw our listing and we were completely unprepared for so many "Oh my gosh, what's wrong???" comments. I could never imagine asking someone such a blunt question, and frankly the first few times we laughed out loud. Now it's our joke, as we're driving around and see cars or houses with "For Sale" signs..."Oh my gosh, I hope nothing's wrong!"
Sigh...bless their hearts...
.
Don Draper said:
What you call love was invented by guys like me to sell nylons.
Love it!
 
I was talking to friends this morning who have a holiday let. When they put it on the market back in the Spring they cancelled several bookings from loyal customers in Nov and early Dec, because they felt it was the fairest thing to do. Now they wish they hadn't, although they still think it was the fairest thing to do at the time.
 
Let me tell you what happens when you share publicly you are for sale with guests:
  1. Innkeeper's with hearts no longer in it
  2. Deferred maintenance
  3. Ratty linens
So you do not want to ever tell them you are for sale. This means they will be staying in a less than par lodging. Whether this is the case or not, you will lose bookings.
Even with your listing, don't put your INN NAME wherever you list it, or they will see it when they Google. I pitched a fit when they had ours showing with our inn name, when I specified not to. I have had guests approach me and say "This is none of our business by I saw you were for sale, what happened?" And then you get to deal with all of that!.
I totally agree, don't say anything.
We are for sale, and because our Inn has been here a long time it has a lot of name recognition and thus it's actually helpful to have it listed with the name. No "For Sale" sign or anything, but yes some repeat guests have saw our listing and we were completely unprepared for so many "Oh my gosh, what's wrong???" comments. I could never imagine asking someone such a blunt question, and frankly the first few times we laughed out loud. Now it's our joke, as we're driving around and see cars or houses with "For Sale" signs..."Oh my gosh, I hope nothing's wrong!"
Sigh...bless their hearts...
.
Don Draper said:
What you call love was invented by guys like me to sell nylons.
Love it!
.
Ha ha, from the man himself, Season 1!
 
1818 SHH said:
I already have a disclaimer stating we may cancel a reservation up to one month prior.
I'd never thought of doing that, but I think it's a good idea, whether one's for sale or not. You never know when something might come up. Can you share some suggested wording for this disclaimer?.
Arkansawyer said:
1818 SHH said:
I already have a disclaimer stating we may cancel a reservation up to one month prior.
I'd never thought of doing that, but I think it's a good idea, whether one's for sale or not. You never know when something might come up. Can you share some suggested wording for this disclaimer?
You're kidding, right? You would stay at a place that has in their confirmation that they reserve the right to cancel their part of your vacation up to a month prior?
 
I was talking to friends this morning who have a holiday let. When they put it on the market back in the Spring they cancelled several bookings from loyal customers in Nov and early Dec, because they felt it was the fairest thing to do. Now they wish they hadn't, although they still think it was the fairest thing to do at the time..
vacation rentals usually - round here anyway sell as houses - Most of the BB's however just arnt shifting one we went to see is still on the market 3 years later so I wouldn't be rushing to worry about it. Plus if you do sell as a bb you are lowering your value as the "business" will be worth less due to less forward bookings.
In the last 3 years here 2 bed and breakfasts out of 10 up for sale have sold and 1 of them sold at the same price it was bought for 8 years ago they were that desprarate to get it shifted. - its now 4 flats because a builder was the only person they could get to buy it.
 
1818 SHH said:
I already have a disclaimer stating we may cancel a reservation up to one month prior.
I'd never thought of doing that, but I think it's a good idea, whether one's for sale or not. You never know when something might come up. Can you share some suggested wording for this disclaimer?.
Arkansawyer said:
1818 SHH said:
I already have a disclaimer stating we may cancel a reservation up to one month prior.
I'd never thought of doing that, but I think it's a good idea, whether one's for sale or not. You never know when something might come up. Can you share some suggested wording for this disclaimer?
You're kidding, right? You would stay at a place that has in their confirmation that they reserve the right to cancel their part of your vacation up to a month prior?
.
I agree with Madeleine on this, do not think that is a good idea.
 
1818 SHH said:
I already have a disclaimer stating we may cancel a reservation up to one month prior.
I'd never thought of doing that, but I think it's a good idea, whether one's for sale or not. You never know when something might come up. Can you share some suggested wording for this disclaimer?.
Arkansawyer said:
1818 SHH said:
I already have a disclaimer stating we may cancel a reservation up to one month prior.
I'd never thought of doing that, but I think it's a good idea, whether one's for sale or not. You never know when something might come up. Can you share some suggested wording for this disclaimer?
You're kidding, right? You would stay at a place that has in their confirmation that they reserve the right to cancel their part of your vacation up to a month prior?
.
I agree with Madeleine on this, do not think that is a good idea.
.
People don't see the confirmation until they've booked and most people don't read it anyway....but if I was going to put it anywhere I'd put it in my terms and conditions.
 
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