1770 Getaway Holiday Retreat -Rip Off

[mermaid]

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UPdate,Told today by Vera cheque sent Monday and taking out 10% from our $480.00,another call back to Michael and he said cheque sent yesterday,so tell me should we be angry about this.I also would like to say to Agnes Jack thanks for your advice about Agnes Water but Vera and Michael at 1770 Getaway Holiday Retreat are not nice people and do not seem to want to give our money back which we gave them 3 months ago.I am sure if you give someone 5 months notice to cancel you cannot take 10% of their money so i guess it must be going in their pocket. I feel this episode with them does not say a lot for having a holiday at Agnes Water.
Thanks

[Derek Bullock]

Mermaid

I have done a bit of checking around and it is quite common and acceptable for holiday places to take a cancellation fee. Justv trawling through quite a number of websites most of them do advertise it and in most cases it is 10%.

It sux I know but I am not sure you can do much about it.

I hope by posting here that other people planning a holiday will be made aware of this.


Derek

[big_red]

Hi Mermaid,
The "1770 Getaway Resort" is 9 km from the Town of 1770 on the south side of the nearest town to 1770..Agnes Water.
I think what the owners meant when naming it is that you GETAWAY from Town of 1770, which is the main tourist drawcard in the area and very attractive.
The name is a misleading on its own let alone your complaints re owners. The "resort" is nowhere near 1770. It is a brisk 15 minute walk to the top of a cliff which then leads down a 100 metre steep track to the beach south of Agnes Water. You would have been more disappointed if you had have arrived at the "resort" and realised you had a 9 plus km drive to Town of 1770 beach and boat ramp.
Dont write off Agnes Water/1770 because of your bad experience...its a gem, and still untouched comparitively, and you can camp right on the water's edge.. The attitude you encountered does not reflect the genuine honest attitude of most locals. Go and take a look..its only a half days drive north of Brisbane.

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

It sux I know but I am not sure you can do much about it.

in no way is this aimed at you Derek. You give compassion where it should not be offered.

We are talking $48 because YOU mermaid changed YOUR mind.

Assuming they fill the spot with another booking - they still have costs associated with YOU changing YOUR mind.

Then there are the possible bookings, perhaps a single bigger than yours declined to honour your booking, perhaps 2 smaller ones with a higher daily rate on each were declined on the assumption your were coming.


They banked a cheque, have had to issue a cheque, have some accounting changes to tweak associated with the quarterly payment of GST etc etc.

Walk in the other guys shoes. Imagine they played the "safe" game of "100% utilisation" (it happens in the car rental trade - i'm sure same goes with some accomodation cowboys) & they took your booking but required no prepayment but you rocked up on the day & were informed just prior they were booked out. You'd be pretty happy huh.

The delay in a refund may be their cash flow is low at this time of year - or they've just spent up on maintenance. Don't ya hate places that don't do maintenance - unreliable cash flow is a contributing factor.

If they didn't advertise the policy on a brochure / website or verbally to you - they have acted inappropriately in the application of what should be a legitimate fee through their neglect & it should be refunded. If you had reasonable access to that information & thru your own neglect didn't read it or chose to believe you should be exempt from it - pull ya head in.

just my thoughts,

chris

i've got nuthin' to do with the business concerned & hope no-one takes the above as a personal attack - it is not - i just dislike the general attitude.

[jimbamb]

Chris AKA its a good thing ya not associated with this crowd. ya coulda got really upset!!!!an give Mermaid a real serve...

[Derek Bullock]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Food for thought Chris but I still think it sux.


Derek

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

places like that ask prepayment to show bookings are serious; to establish a contractual obligation.

If you are not serious or not willing to pay what is a standard & reasonable cancellation fee - DON'T BOOK. They have wages to pay - a business to run & keep afloat when the cash flow is low offpeak. If there is not some punitive remuneration what exists to keep the punters serious. A contract exists in law at the point of exchange. The moment Mermaid issued & allowed the cheque to clear she made a contract, the village were willing to obviously honour it - she then chose to break it.

Its a selfish attitude that pervades our society that I should be able to do what I choose & have what I want without consequence or responsibility to others.

Sounds a long bow to draw given the topic of camping but isn't that what mermaid is asking for?

This is actually an excellent thread in the camping forum to make people aware of the responsiblity when you book something.

Better business practice though (PR) may be to waive the cancellation fee. However if cancellations are a problem - strict adherence to policy can be a nescessary evil far a business

chris
ps it is of course not MY $48.

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

If they didn't advertise the policy on a brochure / website or verbally to you - they have acted inappropriately in the application of what should be a legitimate fee through their neglect & it should be refunded.

although I stand by what I wrote - I need to say YOU ARE TOTALLY CORRECT IN YOUR POSITION MERMAID.

I just tracked down the original thread in full & Dereks link to their website, thanks Derek.

Sorry, the disjointed nature of the topic (in three seperate threads) threw me & I didn't have all the info. I had attempted to see the big picture by looking at Mermaids last ten posts before posting but only the original entire thread shows it all.

You deserve your money in full Mermaid - CHEERFULLY refunded as is clearly advertised.

chris

[mermaid]

hi Chris, thats ok i forgive you.
Well a cheque arrived on Monday no letter just a cheque for $436.36 ,they took out $43.64 for what? so now we are going to try and get back that amount.Have a think about it ,we gave them 5 months notice to cancel our booking so there is no way they can lose money on re-booking.
Anyway life goes on and thanks again.
I wish we had your weather here in Melboune as it is very windy and to cold to take out boatie.
happy fishing

[jimbamb]

Well done Chris AKA.
It takes a decent bloke to admit his mistakes.You are one of those...
Cheers.

[Derek Bullock]

Chris, thanks for all of that. I do think they deserve their money refunded in full.

Mermaid, can you please keep us posted.


Derek

[Needmorerum]

To save the search, OK I'm lazy, can someone lead me towards the initial posts. I am very interested in reading these as I am close to Agnes and have been planning a trip down there. If I can boycot someone who has done wrong by this group then I most certainly will.

Corry

[MY-TopEnder]

Really i mean its $43.... i mean if it was $430 then yeah sure but cmon... $43 is cheaper than a good carton of beer.

[bruce4x4]

Sh..t where do u buy your beer My-Topender lol

[MY-TopEnder]

A carton of crownies is around $50, and a carton of black rats is around $55