Here is the story. 23 days ago, someone booked my apartment to rent it for 2 weeks. Every other customers could see since 23 days that my apartment was not available for 2 weeks at the date they chose. They paid me for the 2 weeks then, at their second night, they told me that they want to stay only 1 week and they want that I refund them the second week. We didn't sign a contract (only one for the deposit). The problem is that during 23 days, I could have booked the apartment with other people for their second week. So what should I do? They ask me to refund their second week.
2007-09-19 10:46:01 · 5 answers · asked by Kitkat 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Renting & Real Estate
Obviously, by law, you need not return the rent.
What would I do? I would return it and feel good about myself. It's purely your call, though. What kind of person are you?
2007-09-19 10:54:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am assuming this is a vacation rental. I would say that unless they are saying they only want to stay 1 week because there is some maintance issue with the property that you do not owe them a refund.
You could have rented the apartment out if they had let you know sooner but they chose to wait until they got there to tell you...that is not your responsibility or your fault...you shouldn't loose the income because they didn't have proper manners or forsight. The fact that there is not contract may eventually be a problem if this were to go to court, but that is unlikely. You need to point out to them that they booked the place for 2 weeks which prevents you from renting it out for the 2nd week...they need to grow up.
Again, if they are saying they only want to stay one week because of a maintance issue you should refund them, but I doubt that because they still stayed the rest of the 1st week and didn't just leave.
Good Luck
2007-09-19 10:54:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since you don't have a written contract with them (bad idea by the way), this is a he-said, she-said situation. You had a verbal contract that they would stay two weeks, but you didn't tell them that they would have to pay for those two weeks even if they left early. If this goes to court, the decision could go either way. The polite thing to do would be to return half of the 2nd week's money. That way they get something back and you keep something for your trouble and to cover the loss of renting it to another person for that week. In the future, you should use a written contract that can be enforced. If you have a contract, people are more likely to stick to it and if they don't, you can still keep the money.
2007-09-19 10:51:55 · answer #3 · answered by jml167 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That really doesn't make a lot of sense. Do the right thing and refund the money. You can find another tenant, right? It doesn't look like you lost any money because you don't know for a fact that the unit would have been rented out. Make them pay for the days they were there. Than put it back on the market. You won't look like a jerk and everybody's happy.
2007-09-19 10:55:18 · answer #4 · answered by musicrow21 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The general rule of thumb is that a weekly rental requires a one week notice to change the terms if there's nothing in writintg.
If they gave notice immediately when they arrived, give them their money back for week #2.
If they gave you notice any time after their arrival you don't owe them anything. (But if you want to be a nice guy, offer them something.)
2007-09-19 11:03:38 · answer #5 · answered by Bostonian In MO 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋