Newly listed on Booking.com

A new problem that I had it’s how the cleaning fees are charged.
In various countries people don’t see the cleaning fee included in the price when looking for accomodation.It’s written in this page that the cleaning fee is extra (of course people don’t read…).

I am now sending a confirmation mail with the total price every time people are booking to be sure that they now the correct price. What do you do regarding this problem?

Anyone that has this problem and now what to do ?

People are saying that I am trying to cheat them…

I can’t find a service that allows me to process credit card details from my country (Malta). Can I send guests a request for payment via pay pal? Has anyone done this?

Hello,

I know this is offtopic but i have no one to ask so thats why i decided to ask it here.

I am new also trying to sign up an account to list my vacation rental on booking.com although i have waited over 10 days now and still there is no email regarding my access to dashboard or extranet. My question is how long will i have to wait until the Local Support Team from booking.com to contact me to get my listing up and running. By the way i am living in Cambodia.

Thank you in advance

I had an (webcam) interview with booking.com a week ago.

The subject was an improved system on how to offer and charge extra services.
One of the issues was exactly this.

Things like a pet fee, cleaning fee etc. were not shown in the reservation price, but added in small print below the reservation price, the guest will not pay for these services at reservation, but upon arrival.

I told them this is a huge issue. Guests will blame the hosts for luring them in, with a low price and charge them with hidden cost upon arrival, because booking.com is not clear on this.

In you case I would call booking.com and have them contact the guest and explain the situation.
That booking,com is trying to lure guests by showing incomplete prices is not your problem.

This is very true. A few years ago I sent a booking.com guest my invoice for payment, and the guest sent back a nasty email saying they weren’t going to pay any more than what they were quoted. It all got sorted out, and the guest didn’t take the time to see on the itemized invoice that there was a $200 refundable damage deposit. Of course they didn’t notice in the small fine print on their booking.com receipt either.

For now I always send a confirmation mail for price all include right after they book.

If they are complaining they can cancel for free or I get booking to call them

A very important lesson, never accept to be paid after the stay of the client with an invoice (for private clients).

Let me tell you the story as it’s …

We got a booking 19 december (last minute).The client didn’t read correctly the price as it’s a cleaning fee. I was very nice and gave a discount (30%). For the payment the client asked me if was ok to pay with an invoice as it was hard (christmas) . I was too nice to accept. Of course today no payment arrived (it was last day), so I told the client that I am charging the credit card.
Now it’s getting interesting, as soon as I charged the card she said that I have no right to do it and she will report me to the police, I refund the money (directly with stripe) and she said the amount was blocked so she will not been able to have a week end with her daughter. She writed directly a bad review to me after saying that I need to pay her for the disturbtance (not going to happen). She said that she has send the money but the bank should be slow… so in the end no money, a client that harrassing me on sms and a bad review.

So never anymore invoice for private clients and I will start to pre autorize credit card before clients are arriving (as hotel does).

I forgot she said the is publishing the story on a blog that has many followers…

It’s 1 am and she keeps to send me sms and mail saying she wants money and I need to reply and getting agree…

so now starting to block her on sms/mail/what’s app.

Some people are crazy

I am not following your entire story. Are you saying she lied about sending payment? And now she is demanding compensation for you trying to get payment?

Did you tell her that you will glady report her to all the police authorities for fraud? I must be missing something in your story.

Don’t worry about that.

I never received any payment so either she is lying, or payment on the way (after due day).

Yes she wants compensation as I am blocking her money for few days.
She is from an other country, so I am not sure that will make so much (plus I don’t have more time to loose)

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I would turn this around and go to the police and report her instead for fraud and harassment.
Also contact booking.com and inform them that you are going to the police, and request them to take down the review.

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Thanks for your advice, I wanted to give the advice to others users of booking.com to never be too nice and accept that private clients pay with invoice.
The best is prepayment or pre autorization on client card before they come.

Yes, we always require payment upfront by bank transfer.
Creditcard is just a backup, because they can still backcharge. So it is better to stay away from them.

We mostly ask our guests to transfer the down payment within 14 days of booking, and pay the remaining 6 weeks before arrival. Last minute bookings should pay cash upon arrival.

Do you have the prepayment policy activate ? as you are not normally allowed to collect before clients are coming

It is in my booking policy on booking.com:

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I see.

I have from this week possibility to make prepayment and no refundable policy. I will maybe make this change next time I have a problem

We have the 30% prepayment because of the high amount of no shows.

In our region guests from certain countries have a habit to book multiple places.
And then decide which one to stay in upon arrival. They drive around in they car along all the places they booked to choose the one they most like.

With the 30% prepayment we have less no shows, and are covered for some of the loss in case of a no show.