Really? I tried to be nice........

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Baygirl

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So we had a couple stay for two nights ... They had been here before a few years ago. Seemed nice....well the day they check out their card doesn't work. UGH.....They end up having to go to the ATM...cannot get enough cash to pay for the balance. Each only have one card or so they say they did. She has me run a certain amount on her card, worded fine. He gives me $200.00 in cash and then has me run another small amount on whatever is left for his balance in bank on his card. This leaves them with a $60.00 balance. He says can I wait until Monday after he talks to his bank and get the rest of the $$ in the bank then I can rerun the card for the balance. I agreed, since they had already made good effort to try and pay for most of the balance. So here it is Thursday....I've tried calling ..goes directly to voicemail...tried running the card for the balance ...still declined and I've sent a few emails...Surprise! no response.........Soooooooo looks like we got shafted for $60.00. It's not that it's alot of $$, but it's the fact that we provided a service and should not have to be short paid by $60.00.
I will keep trying to run the balance for a few more days. Just had to vent........................Tried to be nice and..............................................................
 
BAYGIRL remember in some states it is a FELONY to not pay your lodging bill. You might look into your state and find out. You have their other details, they can be arrested.
 
What a pain. You know tho, they have to pay that bill sometime. I'd at least try it again in a couple of weeks. If it worked for a small amount while they were standing there, it might work again. If they gave you completely different cards, that one you have may be a dead card. Are you able to go into your cc processing account and get the full cc number? Some of them still allow you to do that. Or, you might be able to call your processor for the info. Get the info for the cards they used while standing there.
 
We had a weird thing like that to a group of workmen stayed before xmas setting up for a big fair. One wet the bed but only a little and luckily that bed had a waterproof mattress cover on as well so no damage except for having the duvet washed. However he told my dad as he was there (ie man to man) and he said we would find out how much and call him about charges (duh and didnt take a card number) But I was inclined to be helpful as he left a note in the room apologising and leaving all his details and came a couple of hours later to explain and apologise as he would have gotten in serious trouble with his boss who is a regular customer of ours. Rang him to say it was $40 and could he call back with his card details. I had decided to call his boss and say he had left something and needed to pay the postage (as I don't feel he should loose his job over this) then he rang this afternoon saying he had only just got credit on his phone and got the message and we sorted it. So i am glad i didn't but you never know.
 
I would send a "nice" registered letter asking for payment, then I would send "Not so nice" one 10 days later telling them you will be filing a police report for "Bilking" and then I would file the report .....
 
Our County Prosecuting Attorney's office had a complaint form that we merchants would use to file a complaint (bad check), which included instructions to submit a letter requesting payment by registered mail. Form stated it could not be filed until ten days had passed after the return rec't of the letter. I would fill out the form with their name, etc. make a copy of it & include it with the letter. Worked vey well, only had to actually file it twice in 15 years.
 
they probably won't have the money until that next paycheck clears. keep trying to run it so you can squeak your charge in there... on one of the two cards you tried to use, the one that worked, the one that didn't. they are obviously overextended everywhere. good luck!
 
Thanks...He finally called back and said he would call again in the next couple days to give me a card #. I was very to the point when I left a voicemail saying I felt like he was avoiding me, etc...A few hours later I got the call. Now we'll see if I get the payment in a few days. Yes I will keep trying to run the card. I don't understand people....If they couldn't afford the room they picked they should have went with the less expensive room or only stayed one night.
 
Have patience and try charging the card in a week or so. It probably will not work until after they get paid. You can also try charging a smaller amount. Try charging $20 and see if it goes through, then charge it again, etc. Yes, you'll pay more transaction fees, but at least you'll get your money.
Since they've been with you before, they might try to make another reservation some time in the future. If they do, make them pay their entire stay up front as their deposit.
Good luck!
 
Baygirl - do NOT keep trying to run the card or it will set a fraud alert .. wait until he calls or take other steps
 
Baygirl - do NOT keep trying to run the card or it will set a fraud alert .. wait until he calls or take other steps.
I just did this with a guest over Thanksgiving. They paid me by check on checkout, but I had their deposit on their credit card. The check bounced, the card was declined, but I was able to get my payment by waiting and charging $100 at a time until I got my full payment plus bank fees for the bounced check.
 
i don't know about the fraud alert aspect. I tried every few days one card then a few days the other til i got paid. no one called me, not the bank/card holder about suspected fraud.
since he's called, i'd say he means to pay, is embarrassed about this and likely will get you your money. hopefully soon!
could be one of the two runs up charges without telling the other.
good advice about asking for payment in full in advance for a return visit. spoken non judgmentally, just matter of fact. i had a policy like that for ant older lady who always was 'short'. who i had to chase down for $45. i told her 'the accountant' insists on payment up front next time. so, to stay, she paid up front. i saw her in the stores, asking to put things 'on account'. for souvenirs and t shirts?? probably had accounts all over back home, all delinquent.
 
Just a question-so you have your guests pay for their stay after? I always made a point unless it was late at night to have the nitty gritty-paying taken care of when they arrive that way if that where to happen again and the cards didnot work they would not stay no matter if they had stayed there before or not-sorry this happened, but it only took one time for us to charge when they arrive most of the time. It would cut down on it and then you would not feel or I would not feel like they took advantage of the service like, you cannot take or buy something use it and then pay for it-ANYWHERE so why do we allow it?
I'm sorry it hapened and i would charge the card or do whatever it takes to get the $$-Good luck.
 
Just a question-so you have your guests pay for their stay after? I always made a point unless it was late at night to have the nitty gritty-paying taken care of when they arrive that way if that where to happen again and the cards didnot work they would not stay no matter if they had stayed there before or not-sorry this happened, but it only took one time for us to charge when they arrive most of the time. It would cut down on it and then you would not feel or I would not feel like they took advantage of the service like, you cannot take or buy something use it and then pay for it-ANYWHERE so why do we allow it?
I'm sorry it hapened and i would charge the card or do whatever it takes to get the $$-Good luck..
We charge the card on file at 9 PM if the guests haven't arrived. If the card is good, I leave a note with a key. If the card is declined, no note. I go to bed and get up when and if they ring the bell.
 
Here is a situation from the guest's POV. Guest calls 2 days before to make a reservation for NYE. Innkeeper asks for cc info and guest says he's coming in 2 days, what does she need the cc info for, he'll give her his card when he gets there. She insists, he gives over number but he then spends NYE complaining to everyone at the party that the innkeeper was 'money-grubbing.'
Has he never stayed overnight at a hotel? Never made an airline reservation online? What planet does he come from? I wish I had overheard this part of the conversation, I could have clued him in. As it was, I just heard this today.
Because the party guests didn't get anything except his side, they are now disposed to think of this local innkeeper as 'money hungry'. This bothers me and mostly because he was supposed to stay here but I didn't have room! I would have done the same thing the other innkeeper did.
 
Birwatcher I RARELY take payment in advance, and I have maybe had one minor issue in 6 years, I take it the morning of checkout.
We have had several discussions on this, each to his own - in my case I do not want to have the "Liability" of advance deposits on my books, nor do I want to incur the cc fees to process the advance deposit and then again to cancel the charge. I hardly have any cancels and have had 2 no shows in 6 years, one disputed (which I won). So it really depends on your individual business. Maybe one day I will get burnt but right now it works for me. In addition in a new effort for 2011 to save on cc fees, I am asking for check payments on departure where possible.
 
A friend of mine was criticized by the inspectors for asking for payment on arrival as they said it looks like you don't trust them She said "well I dont!"
 
Just having a Grrr moment had a couple arrive as a walk in on Monday paid on arrival cash then asked could they stay another night yes that is fine then was going to try and get the money off them but when they came back I was with the Inspector and couldn't get all into it. They have now been in three nights (1 paid 2 not) DH and I decided we wanted them out today as we suspected that they would ask for another night today. They asked too stay till monday but have told them we are full to get rid of them but should have been stronger yesterday and lied then. Doubly cross as they were the only ones in last night so could have had a lie in! They have a weird smell that comes and goes partly drink and partly something else. Didn't want the inspector to think that is what is smells like here normally. They didn't want their room doing she never comes out and has room service breakfast and the sanifow goes all the time like they are running water all the time I think they are washing all their clothes while they are here. I think they are kind of like gypsies I just get a weird vibe and I want them gone. Have organised another place for them to go for the next two nights and I ruddy hope they don't try and come back. They are in a nice room and I am almost dreading going in it today. Also they used a vacume last night with out asking to vac the room think they were trying to be helpful but its a ruddy cheek!
 
We don't take payment until check out as well. (Unless it is a walk in or they call from the road or we don't trust them). Only once had an issue - you all remember the story with the man leaving the horrible toxic wife here as collateral. (You remember she wandered into the kitchen as we are prepping breakfast for a full house and sits down and says "Can you go to my car and get my make-up, I don't want to wake my husband!")
 
We don't take payment until check out as well. (Unless it is a walk in or they call from the road or we don't trust them). Only once had an issue - you all remember the story with the man leaving the horrible toxic wife here as collateral. (You remember she wandered into the kitchen as we are prepping breakfast for a full house and sits down and says "Can you go to my car and get my make-up, I don't want to wake my husband!").
Joey Bloggs said:
We don't take payment until check out as well. (Unless it is a walk in or they call from the road or we don't trust them). Only once had an issue - you all remember the story with the man leaving the horrible toxic wife here as collateral. (You remember she wandered into the kitchen as we are prepping breakfast for a full house and sits down and says "Can you go to my car and get my make-up, I don't want to wake my husband!")
Do you pull the southern belle out of your back pocket on these occasions? 'Sugah, honey, y'all look fine enough to us. Go on with yourself to the car and git yo things, no one will believe the vision of loveliness if they see y'all.'
I have not a whit of southern belle in me. I tend toward inner city 'tude.
 
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