What refund would you expect - ACTUAL update

[konapoppy]

Actual update: They processed the requested refund of one night and multiple other fees. Whew! Thanks for your thoughts and joining for the ride.
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Non update: lest anyone thinks I have forgotten - nope. These people just still haven’t responded to multiple communications requesting a refund (and the return of the security deposit).

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Since everyone loves to share an opinion!

We are at an expensive resort that is 3k a night. Property is privately owned and has a property manager.

On the first day, we reported all the toilets running (have to take off the lid and manually adjust the flapper to get it to stop).
Day 2 in the morning a toilet clogs and overflows (see running toilet) and is reported right away.
Plumber didn’t show up until the very end of Day 4 to unclog, then don’t have the parts to fix the running toilets.
Toilets finally fixed at end of Day 5.

Responsiveness of property manager has left much to be desired. Other smaller things have been not working, but weren’t worth reporting.

What refund would you expect?

[isabel]

So you spent about $15k? How much do you feel it impacted your trip? Was it a constant annoyance to deal with?

I think I’d be pretty frustrated to have spent that much to have to deal with calling anyone at all. And they should have been far more prompt in their response. I think I’d expect them to comp at least one full night.

[konapoppy]

May 5, 2022 11:29:42 GMT -5 isabel said:

So you spent about $15k? How much do you feel it impacted your trip? Was it a constant annoyance to deal with?

I think I’d be pretty frustrated to have spent that much to have to deal with calling anyone at all. And they should have been far more prompt in their response. I think I’d expect them to comp at least one full night.

We are checking out on day 7. So a little more.

Well, I didn’t enjoy having to stick my hand in a toilet 15 or so times. And it was very annoying to send multiple texts, emails, and leave multiple messages

[Jalapeñomel]

Did you have a working toilet from day 2 to day 4?

[konapoppy]

May 5, 2022 11:33:28 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Did you have a working toilet from day 2 to day 4?

Yes. They all would run when flushed, but they did work.

[wildrice]

I assume you have multiple toilets? If not, I'd want a full refund! Are they fully booked, or why didn't they just move you to another room?

I have never stayed anywhere that is that level of luxury so I am really not sure what to say is reasonable. I am sure things breaking from time to time can't be avoided, but they should have had extremely prompt response to your first report. Depending on how much this impacted your ability to use your rental, I would think even a 50% refund would be reasonable.

[kadams767]

I don't even know that I could reasonably ask for anything, because I would honestly lose my mind to be even touching a toilet if I was paying $3k/night to stay somewhere. If they couldn't fix this problem immediately after you reported it the first time, you should have been moved to another villa/room/property or whatever, and if that was truly not an available option, I really feel like they should have been offering some big discounts or incentives.

[konapoppy]

May 5, 2022 11:36:29 GMT -5 wildrice said:

I assume you have multiple toilets? If not, I'd want a full refund! Are they fully booked, or why didn't they just move you to another room?

I have never stayed anywhere that is that level of luxury so I am really not sure what to say is reasonable. I am sure things breaking from time to time can't be avoided, but they should have had extremely prompt response to your first report. Depending on how much this impacted your ability to use your rental, I would think even a 50% refund would be reasonable.

Yes, multiple toilets. It is a large condo meant for large family gatherings!

[icedcoffee]

Even one night seems like a fairly large discount for 1 out of multiple toilets. Maybe a $500 credit to the resort or something?

[wildrice]

May 5, 2022 11:41:11 GMT -5 konapoppy said:

May 5, 2022 11:36:29 GMT -5 wildrice said:

I assume you have multiple toilets? If not, I'd want a full refund! Are they fully booked, or why didn't they just move you to another room?

I have never stayed anywhere that is that level of luxury so I am really not sure what to say is reasonable. I am sure things breaking from time to time can't be avoided, but they should have had extremely prompt response to your first report. Depending on how much this impacted your ability to use your rental, I would think even a 50% refund would be reasonable.

Yes, multiple toilets. It is a large condo meant for large family gatherings!

Ah ok. I was picturing like a 5 star resort, but depending on the number of people the condo houses, that might not be as high end as I was thinking. If I was paying 3k a night for just me and my H, I'd expect to have a repair person basically waiting outside the room to address my every concern, lol.

Either way, I don't think it's reasonable that it would have taken that long. Maybe something like a 20% discount would be reasonable?

[konapoppy]

May 5, 2022 11:48:44 GMT -5 wildrice said:

May 5, 2022 11:41:11 GMT -5 konapoppy said:

Yes, multiple toilets. It is a large condo meant for large family gatherings!

Ah ok. I was picturing like a 5 star resort, but depending on the number of people the condo houses, that might not be as high end as I was thinking. If I was paying 3k a night for just me and my H, I'd expect to have a repair person basically waiting outside the room to address my every concern, lol.

Either way, I don't think it's reasonable that it would have taken that long. Maybe something like a 20% discount would be reasonable?

It is billed as a luxury resort.

[Deleted]

I'd say 15- 20% off every night you didn't have fully functioning bathrooms. That is table stakes when running any kind of accommodations.

[Deleted]

And if you booked through airbnb/vrbo I'd escalate through them or your credit card company if they don't respond.

[abs]

Not having functioning plumbing would be a deal break for me. I don't know what the right answer is but I would definitely want something. I would have asked to move right away but that obviously isn't an option now.

I would expect at least 50% off the nights the toilet wasn't working.

A few years ago we went to Disney and the A/C in the room wasn't working. They immediately upgraded us to a better room and comped our first night. This was all out with out us asking. That is the kind of service I would expect from a luxury resort.

[isabel]

For what it’s worth, the town that we own property in says you have to be able to be on site within two hours of a complaint. So that kind of thing would not fly for short term rentals there.

If there are complaints, it can get your short term rental license revoked. So it’s a pretty big deal to have a responsive property manager.

[leshoequeen]

Just to clarify - every toilet had to be manually flushed? Oh hell no. I'd want those nights comped.

[Patsy Baloney]

Yuck. That’s really disgusting to have had a clogged/overflowed toilet just sitting there for days.

I’d probably want a pretty deep refund for that.

[konapoppy]

May 5, 2022 11:59:45 GMT -5 leshoequeen said:

Just to clarify - every toilet had to be manually flushed? Oh hell no. I'd want those nights comped.

Not manually flushed, but every 3 flushes or so they had to be manually stopped from running. Besides the environmental issues of wasted water, it can drive someone crazy to try to sleep with a running toilet in the room.

[konapoppy]

May 5, 2022 12:00:09 GMT -5 Patsy Baloney said:

Yuck. That’s really disgusting to have had a clogged/overflowed toilet just sitting there for days.

I’d probably want a pretty deep refund for that.

There was definitely a smell!

[leshoequeen]

May 5, 2022 12:02:50 GMT -5 konapoppy said:

May 5, 2022 12:00:09 GMT -5 Patsy Baloney said:

Yuck. That’s really disgusting to have had a clogged/overflowed toilet just sitting there for days.

I’d probably want a pretty deep refund for that.

There was definitely a smell!

Ew.  This makes me make more than half refund is appropriate.

[orval]

I think 20% is fair. The toilets did work (except the clogged one). Did you call multiple times a day? I would or go to the property managers office to resolve - not that you should have to do this, but sometimes the squeaky wheel and all. Is it in the US? just wondering.

[isabel]

Ew to it being smelly. I up my response to two nights comped.

[konapoppy]

May 5, 2022 12:05:17 GMT -5 orval said:

I think 20% is fair. The toilets did work (except the clogged one). Did you call multiple times a day? I would or go to the property managers office to resolve - not that you should have to do this, but sometimes the squeaky wheel and all. Is it in the US? just wondering.

Yes, at least 2 emails, a text and 5 phone calls were made about this issue. Additional communications were sent for other issues (no shampoo or conditioner in the bathrooms, lack of cleaning service as advertised).

And yes, in the US.

[Tacocat]

I’d expect at least 1 night to be refunded

[wildrice]

Oh eww. I have a really low tolerance for smells. That would be seriously disruptive to my trip.

I am all over the place. I am back to thinking 50%. There should have been someone there immediately to clean it up.

[pandorica]

May 5, 2022 12:06:45 GMT -5 konapoppy said:

May 5, 2022 12:05:17 GMT -5 orval said:

I think 20% is fair. The toilets did work (except the clogged one). Did you call multiple times a day? I would or go to the property managers office to resolve - not that you should have to do this, but sometimes the squeaky wheel and all. Is it in the US? just wondering.

Yes, at least 2 emails, a text and 5 phone calls were made about this issue. Additional communications were sent for other issues (no shampoo or conditioner in the bathrooms, lack of cleaning service as advertised).

And yes, in the US.

This makes it even worse. You had to waste so much vacation time trying to get ahold of them for this issue! I'd want a pretty big discount if they call themselves a luxury resort.

[notreal]

People are focused on the toilet not working, but if it was smelly, it also meant there basically was a tub/ shower/ sink also out of commission because who wants to use the smelly bathroom, so for days 2-4 the MINIMUM I would request is the cost of the bathroom removed from my rent (if you rented a house with 6 bathrooms, but could only use 5, then 500 a night) because you did not get what you paid for. Presumably, number of bathrooms factored into your decision to choose this property over others that were available.

[DeeDee]

For that price everything should be in perfect working condition and the property better be immaculate. Plumbing issues should be the least of my concerns while staying there and I’d expect a substantial refund.

[TR]

I'd probably calculate what % of the $3k that room/bathroom was and request that amount x the number of days it was basically out of commission. Plus maybe some extra for the effort of having to call so many times.

[Aloe Vera]

This should not happen at a luxury resort. I'd ask for 50% especially since you had to spend some time to get them to send someone and it took them a few days to fix it.
If I spent $18K for accommodations, I'd expect the issue to be fixed within the hour and a complimentary service (spa, dinner, ...) for the inconvenience at a minimum.