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

[col2501]

August 8th - August 29th

I cannot quite believe I am writing this. but unfotunately I am. I am putting it here in the hope more people see it and can help me.

I booked a Dibb villa in 2015, all good reviews, I asked if it was okay to book this far in advance, to be told yes of course, I am taking bookings for 2020 already, so I filled in booking form, paid deposit, got my receipt and there we are, sorted.

Fast forward to now. I emailed a couple of days ago asking if we could poss move dates by one day due to flights, the owner said he didn't have access to his calendar as he was away with work and he would get back to me. He didn't straight away and don't ask me why I was uneasy. I searched on the dibb only to find a post where he has offered some of our dates out as available 'because a guest had changed their holiday.' (this was posted in Oct 2018)

I screen shot this and sent it to him and asked for an explanation, to which he admitted he thinks he has made a mistake and deleted half of my booking off the calandar. I asked him if he would be honouring our dates and his reply to me was 'Yes I will be able to honour your booking.'

I have booked flights. we are renewing our vows and that is all booked, my oldest is doing A levels, my dates are not movable, we want to go for 3 weeks

I emailed him again today to say our flights are now booked and they are for my original dates and therefore I am not asking for anything other than my original request.

his reponse has devastated me.

basically, sorry Colette, Unfortunately I have not been able to resolve my mistake, and I will not be honouring your booking, I will return your £50 deposit tonight. I never normally make mistakes but at least I haven't tried to fob you off with a story (yes really)

He has apparently checked on the villa section of the DIbb and there are no villa's available in my price range for my dates. He said he is going to email villa owners to see if anyone can help, but if I'm honest the trust is now gone on my part

Why am I posting here? I wondered if anyone knows anyone with a villa for our dates or can anyone direct me to a website or company they trust where it's not allocate on arrival?

I've booked Dibb villas before with no issue (not this one) and I've booked on another site and that was a scam so I really do prefer to book from here when I can when the members are active and I can speak to them.

I understand that the dibb doesn't offer any extra protection to booking elsewhere, (as I can now attest too) I also understand how mistakes happen and it's how the mistake is dealt with that matters

How can we just be cast aside when we clearly booked first? what's worse (not that it matters now, if I hadn't emailed about flights I wouldn't have known this until much closer to the time when I was due to make payment

I am so sad right now. We haven't been back in 5 years, it's my 40th, my son's 18th and we are renewing our vows, it is a special trip and now I don't know what to do.

The villa was in Davenport, the cost for 3 weeks was £1350.00 for a 3 bed villa I can't go wildly over this because most other things have been paid for but can/will do my best to stretch to more if anyone can help me?

[taylaboo]

Sorry to read of your problem. That's so disappointing. Try Homesaway. They have some beautiful villas and I've already contacted the guy from the management company about our pool heating. We booked a package with Kenwood Travel but had the villa details to enable us to contact the villa manager. I hope you get something sorted.

[Milpston]

That's awful and I agree with the name and shame comment.

Plenty of people rent from sites like owners direct, homeaway etc with no issues. You will not have a problem getting another villa for August as there is loads of time. However, I think £450 per week is seriously cheap. My guess is he has rented again for more than that and that is why your booking is the one to be cast aside.

Your budget may need to stretch a bit to get a replacement villa.

Really hope you get sorted out!

[floridasarah]

So sorry to hear this,

Have you tried the facebook page of Florida Dreaming Villas and Market place, It was a link that was posted on L & R dreamings facebook page, if you put your dates in you might get something and they often put their licennce numbers on the post so you can check they are genuine.

[josephus_fl]

It does feel like he undervalued your booking and has rebooked your dates at a higher price.

He shouldn't have taken a booking so far in advance as its so tough predicting future price rises.

It's important to note that most villa owners make virtually no money so to hold an owner to your £1350 three week summer rental is also extremely unfair. Whilst it's disappointing you haven't gotten an amazing deal, I'm sure you wouldn't want the owner to face financial hardship when I'm sure the original booking was taken in good faith.

It's a learning lesson that there are too many unknowns when booking so far ahead. Plan yes, book no.

[minnie29]

This is awful! Surely you booked first with it being so far in advance! As you acknowledge in your post, mistakes can be made and it’s how they are dealt with that matters. I would say whoever booked first should have kept their booking.
I really hope you sort this out.

[Bozza]

Originally Posted by josephus_fl

It's important to note that most villa owners make virtually no money so to hold an owner to your £1350 three week summer rental is also extremely unfair. Whilst it's disappointing you haven't gotten an amazing deal, I'm sure you wouldn't want the owner to face financial hardship when I'm sure the original booking was taken in good faith.

It's a learning lesson that there are too many unknowns when booking so far ahead. Plan yes, book no.

See more...

Sorry, what?

The OP made a solid commitment which she backed with a deposit. As such it is entirely fair to expect that to be honoured by the villa owner.

[col2501]

Originally Posted by josephus_fl

It does feel like he undervalued your booking and has rebooked your dates at a higher price.

He shouldn't have taken a booking so far in advance as its so tough predicting future price rises.

It's important to note that most villa owners make virtually no money so to hold an owner to your £1350 three week summer rental is also extremely unfair. Whilst it's disappointing you haven't gotten an amazing deal, I'm sure you wouldn't want the owner to face financial hardship when I'm sure the original booking was taken in good faith.

It's a learning lesson that there are too many unknowns when booking so far ahead. Plan yes, book no.

See more...

I accept I won’t get a villa for that price now, do I expect people to drop their prices for me because of my situation, no I don’t, I know my post sounds that way, I was angry and extremely upset writing it.

I’ll look on the sites suggested and adjust the budget as much as I can accordingly. We are going. Whatever I have to do we are going.

Thank you everyone for your advice, it’s going to be a long weekend

I always book years in advance, never had a problem until now. Do I expect a price to be honoured 5 years later? No, villa owners normally give a projected this is what I plan to charge in or a warning that prices will increase, which I accept when booking (they never increase beyond budget)

[josephus_fl]

It's so easy to say name and shame or that they should honor the booking, but the reality is that the villa owner is probably loosing £100's of if they keep this booking.

If it's a big firm then they have more opportunity to absorb this kind of loss, but for a family living the dream of owning a Florida rental; this kind of loss may be financially too large to suck up. Villa owners need to make their money during peak times or they simply may not be able to pay their mortgage etc.

The op still has ample time to find an alternative accommodation. It's just such a shame that people are too eager to pick up pitch forks and make people suffer for an honest mistake when there are far many more purposely deceitful crimes taking place that need championing.

[minnie29]

Originally Posted by josephus_fl

It's so easy to say name and shame or that they should honor the booking, but the reality is that the villa owner is probably loosing £100's of if they keep this booking.

If it's a big firm then they have more opportunity to absorb this kind of loss, but for a family living the dream of owning a Florida rental; this kind of loss may be financially too large to suck up. Villa owners need to make their money during peak times or they simply may not be able to pay their mortgage etc.

The op still has ample time to find an alternative accommodation. It's just such a shame that people are too eager to pick up pitch forks and make people suffer for an honest mistake when there are far many more purposely deceitful crimes taking place that need championing.

See more...

Are you joking? I’d be fuming! Especially if I’d booked first