**Help** Dibb Villa fallen through for August 2019

[col2501]

Originally Posted by TC Devon

I totally understand your stress. This would really upset me, especially as the person organising the holiday.
I’m currently looking for a villa now- for ‘21. I like to plan. I like to be organised. Our Florida holidays are saved up for well in advance. Sadly we can’t afford every year.

Out of Interest how do I know a villa I want to rent is nt a scam? How do I keep our booking safe?

I really hope you find something. X

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Thank you.

Where possible pay by a protected payment method, credit card, Paypal or via a company that has the payment protection for you.

When you are dealing direct with the owners these things aren’t always possible, understandably they don’t all have card machines knocking round, and the cost/fees associated with them are too high

In those instances you really are looking at reviews, googleearth the villa, can you see it? Is it where it is advertised?

Ask the villa owner for the licence and the villa address, the genuine owners almost always give this information willingly, you can check that the taxes are up to date and the licence is valid online, I’m sure there is an extensive thread on here somewhere

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by casterton

First of all , I am not going to get into a slagging match regarding this post. It was my villa this lady was booked into and yes , she did book in 2015 BUT she wasn't the first to book these dates. I have regular guests who stay with me and have done since I have owned my villa which is 15 years now. It was one of my regular guests dates that I booked over due to my computer going down . I contacted the lady to explain and I am truly sorry this has happened but I am only human and mistakes do happen. I also refunded her deposit forthwith

I tried all ways to find her another villa in my price bracket to no avail. I also didn't try to fob her off with some story as to why I couldn't accommodate her. I understand it must be a disappointment but in this case it wasn't done on purpose.

From the tone of her original post , it makes out that Dibb villa owner do what and when we like . We don't. We care for our guests and keep our homes in tip top condition and we cater to their every need.

Thank you

David Astbury


Once again I can apologise enough for my mistake and I

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Fair play for putting your head above the parapet.

However, given the facts shared on this thread your reasoning reads all a bit "the dog ate my homework" I'm afraid, particularly "I contacted the lady to explain" which seems to be a complete fabrication given the OP contacted you some three years after the booking was made, and not the other way round.

I've made a note of your details, in order to ensure should I ever be looking for a house to rent in the Orlando area, I avoid you and yours.

[120nik]

Personally I would be a bit careful of Airbnb there have been reports of people turning up to non existent properties or the owners of properties not knowing that some scammer had listed their property without their knowledge and a few reports of hidden cameras in the properties.

if you do a google search for airbnb villa scams or hidden camera it's scary

[Burgmeister]

Originally Posted by 131nik

Personally I would be a bit careful of Airbnb there have been reports of people turning up to non existent properties or the owners of properties not knowing that some scammer had listed their property without their knowledge and a few reports of hidden cameras in the properties.

if you do a google search for airbnb villa scams or hidden camera it's scary

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Seems to me that there is no safe way of booking a villa - they all seem to have their scare stories.

[SteveC]

I have total sympathy for the OP whose long term planning has been spoilt by an act of carelessness by the owner.

Hats off to the owner though who named and shamed himself and said it was an honest mistake. Having looked at the owners listing, his 2019 prices are £70 a night / £490 a week except at Easter and Christmas so profiteering would not seem to be a major motivation for cancelling a booking. Additionally, since he named himself, no one else has come out and said he let them down so this may well just be a one-off honest mistake. Personally I’d give him the benefit of the doubt on that but it’s each to their own.

When I used to book Villas, I always felt more confident renting from a Dibb owner than I did an agent as there was always more personal communication that made me think everything would be fine, which it was. With an agent there was far less communication and it’s not until I opened the villa door that I could breathe a sigh of relief which in fairness I always did.

PS: Owner, your calendar on your website doesn’t open beyond this month and you might want to update your listing to remove the references to 2018. That would be put me off more than the subject of this thread.

[JoS]

Originally Posted by Pussycat Doll

I’ll put my hands up as an owner and tell you all that I’ve double booked once in 14 years of ownership. Mine was much worse, my guests arrived to find guests already in my villa. It was only a one night overlap but still a massive cock up on my part. Thankfully my fantastic MC had another home where they stayed for the night and of course I footed the bill.

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Yes mistakes happen as we are only human ...its how you deal with it that matters. You paid for your guests to go somewhere else for the night ... slight inconvenience... but they still had your villa for the rest of their stay. The OP has nowhere at all to stay, and would not have even known had she not contacted the owner. He even told her after contact that he would honor her booking... then cancelled a couple of days later.

[col2501]

I have sent a request to villa owner on trip advisor, with good reviews, slightly over my revised budget but I’m going mental here.

Wish me luck, I will of course let you all know when I’m have successfully booked.

My final thoughts on the incident (unless any more untruths are told)

I’m glad the villa owner outed himself so I didn’t have to do it.

After his response last night I debated posting the content of the initial contact with him in 2015 to show that there was absolutely no hint of any of the explanation he gave last night.

I am still none the wiser as to why those dates were advertised in October if long standing guests already had them, I’m glad to see that other dibbers had the same questions and concerns that I did.

I didn’t post the communication, what’s the point? Enough questions have been raised on this thread for me to not have to post that email

Even at this late stage if the villa owner offered us the villa back, which he is not going to do, we wouldn’t take it anyway, too much bad blood and mistrust now.

I have had people contact me that are booked in with him for reassurance and to ask if they have anything to worry about.

I told them what I’ve posted here, it would appear this is a one off mistake, one that is devastating to me but a one off none the less, I’ve said if the communication is there I’m sure they have nothing to worry about.

I also don’t doubt that the apology is genuine, what I am aggrieved about is the story that I am not the first booked guest, or the narrative that I’ve had a full explanation I haven’t. I’ve seen the same as all of you for the first time on his response last night.

If nothing else, he will be extra careful booking stays and dealing with communication with guests I would hope

[lottiesmum0]

Originally Posted by col2501

I have sent a request to villa owner on trip advisor, with good reviews, slightly over my revised budget but I’m going mental here.

Wish me luck, I will of course let you all know when I’m have successfully booked.

My final thoughts on the incident (unless any more untruths are told)

I’m glad the villa owner outed himself so I didn’t have to do it.

After his response last night I debated posting the content of the initial contact with him in 2015 to show that there was absolutely no hint of any of the explanation he gave last night.

I am still none the wiser as to why those dates were advertised in October if long standing guests already had them, I’m glad to see that other dibbers had the same questions and concerns that I did.

I didn’t post the communication, what’s the point? Enough questions have been raised on this thread for me to not have to post that email

Even at this late stage if the villa owner offered us the villa back, which he is not going to do, we wouldn’t take it anyway, too much bad blood and mistrust now.

I have had people contact me that are booked in with him for reassurance and to ask if they have anything to worry about.

I told them what I’ve posted here, it would appear this is a one off mistake, one that is devastating to me but a one off none the less, I’ve said if the communication is there I’m sure they have nothing to worry about.

I also don’t doubt that the apology is genuine, what I am aggrieved about is the story that I am not the first booked guest, or the narrative that I’ve had a full explanation I haven’t. I’ve seen the same as all of you for the first time on his response last night.

If nothing else, he will be extra careful booking stays and dealing with communication with guests I would hope

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I really hope you get a lovely villa- I think you have been very dignified during this

[Vinniecat]

Originally Posted by col2501

I have sent a request to villa owner on trip advisor, with good reviews, slightly over my revised budget but I’m going mental here.

Wish me luck, I will of course let you all know when I’m have successfully booked.

My final thoughts on the incident (unless any more untruths are told)

I’m glad the villa owner outed himself so I didn’t have to do it.

After his response last night I debated posting the content of the initial contact with him in 2015 to show that there was absolutely no hint of any of the explanation he gave last night.


I am still none the wiser as to why those dates were advertised in October if long standing guests already had them, I’m glad to see that other dibbers had the same questions and concerns that I did.

I didn’t post the communication, what’s the point? Enough questions have been raised on this thread for me to not have to post that email

Even at this late stage if the villa owner offered us the villa back, which he is not going to do, we wouldn’t take it anyway, too much bad blood and mistrust now.

I have had people contact me that are booked in with him for reassurance and to ask if they have anything to worry about.

I told them what I’ve posted here, it would appear this is a one off mistake, one that is devastating to me but a one off none the less, I’ve said if the communication is there I’m sure they have nothing to worry about.

I also don’t doubt that the apology is genuine, what I am aggrieved about is the story that I am not the first booked guest, or the narrative that I’ve had a full explanation I haven’t. I’ve seen the same as all of you for the first time on his response last night.

If nothing else, he will be extra careful booking stays and dealing with communication with guests I would hope

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I wish you good luck and hope you have a wonderful holiday in a lovely villa. Actually this thread shows me that booking a DIBB villa is on the whole a good experience because it is rare that we see a thread like this. Just very sorry that when it went wrong you had to be the one that suffered. Keep us posted.

[ILoveDaveLamb]

So sorry to read you have had this experience, Colette. I hope you find somewhere great soon. I hope this hasn’t spoiled the kids’ excitement. X