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Started By
Message
Negotiating vacation rental fees
Posted on 4/19/23 at 7:28 am
Posted on 4/19/23 at 7:28 am
Has anyone had success calling a rental agency to get some of the added fees reduced or removed? It’s out of hand.
For example, a week cottage rental on 30A;
Lodging: $4200
A&E fee: $100
Departure Clean: $500
Amenity fee: $400
Damage Waiver: $175
Processing fee: $200
Travel insurance (optional) $400
Subtotal: $5975
Tax: $675
Total: $6650
That’s $2450 in taxes and fees for one week on what seems like bullshite numbers. Any of you guys have luck negotiating those numbers down or is the general attitude of the rental agencies that some chump will pay it?
For example, a week cottage rental on 30A;
Lodging: $4200
A&E fee: $100
Departure Clean: $500
Amenity fee: $400
Damage Waiver: $175
Processing fee: $200
Travel insurance (optional) $400
Subtotal: $5975
Tax: $675
Total: $6650
That’s $2450 in taxes and fees for one week on what seems like bullshite numbers. Any of you guys have luck negotiating those numbers down or is the general attitude of the rental agencies that some chump will pay it?
7
Posted on 4/19/23 at 8:02 am to BitBuster
Google the place and see if it's listed elsewhere. I've had luck doing that when it's been listed with outrageous fees on VRBO/etc and then found on a different (personal) site with way fewer fees. May not have been a rental agency though.
Also, these outrages fees and prices are just laughable now for a week in the panhandle...
Also, these outrages fees and prices are just laughable now for a week in the panhandle...
Posted on 4/19/23 at 8:02 am to BitBuster
quote:
some chump will pay it
those fees are the profit for the agency on the rental. They are not negotiable terms generally
Posted on 4/19/23 at 9:34 am to speckledawg
quote:
Google the place and see if it's listed elsewhere. I've had luck doing that when it's been listed with outrageous fees on VRBO/etc and then found on a different (personal) site with way fewer fees.
I've done this too. It's common in Europe to be able to find places on airbnb/vrbo with their own website. We're staying at a villa in Italy this summer that's on those sites, but also has it's own website that has an overall lower price.
Those fees are crazy. I don't think I've ever seen that many fees on airbnb or vrbo, but I also don't go to 30A where they can probably get away with that due to the demand.
Posted on 4/19/23 at 2:08 pm to BitBuster
Sounds like you need to book in Destin instead of Watercolor.
Posted on 4/19/23 at 2:09 pm to patnuh
quote:
Sounds like you need to book in Destin instead of Watercolor.
Meh.
Posted on 4/19/23 at 2:25 pm to BitBuster
The best you can do is search that property and try to get it through another way…will not work for Seaside or Watercolor. Rent a place in Old Seagrove if you want something with no amenities fee…but then again, you won’t have any amenities.
Posted on 4/21/23 at 6:01 am to BitBuster
I have a friend who makes travel plans to a destination but doesn’t book lodging until less than 2 weeks before he leaves. He finds available properties on VRBO or Airbnb, contacts the owner/manager and makes a much lower offer than the advertised rate. He says he gets rejected a lot but always finds something for half price or better. I don’t feel comfortable traveling like that but he makes it work. Many owners would rather collect something over their own costs rather than their property generate nothing.
Posted on 4/21/23 at 6:53 am to BitBuster
I just don’t rent from a system like that. Not sure what agency that is, but those are super high. I’ve noticed VRBO and Air BNB have very high fees but not quite that high. I’d look to some local old school rental agencies that don’t have those high fees. You may have to search, but usually they can be found.
Posted on 4/21/23 at 8:25 am to deltafarmer
quote:
I have a friend who makes travel plans to a destination but doesn’t book lodging until less than 2 weeks before he leaves. He finds available properties on VRBO or Airbnb, contacts the owner/manager and makes a much lower offer than the advertised rate.
I've done that before, but it wasn't a popular place/time of year. Doing that for something like spring break or a big holiday and you're likely gonna be scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of what's left available. Definitely a risky move depending on when and where.
Posted on 4/21/23 at 8:43 am to deltafarmer
quote:
but always finds something for half price or better.
Depends where you are headed and the time of year. That ain’t happening with what the OP is planning.
Posted on 4/27/23 at 12:37 am to notiger1997
Maybe his friend is not locked into going. Get a good rate or say no thanks.
I have been all over the country and I have no problem staying 15-20 miles away from downtown or whatever to be able to go and do.
I have been all over the country and I have no problem staying 15-20 miles away from downtown or whatever to be able to go and do.
Posted on 4/27/23 at 12:40 am to BitBuster
quote:
For example, a week cottage rental on 30A;
Lodging: $4200
A&E fee: $100
Departure Clean: $500
Amenity fee: $400
Damage Waiver: $175
Processing fee: $200
Travel insurance (optional) $400
Subtotal: $5975
Tax: $675
Total: $6650
That is nuts. I wouldn't pay that for a week at the Bunny Ranch.
I could go to Vegas 3 times for that.
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