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Help needed: Guest stole a luggage full of electronics, didn't return keys and canceled the reservation one day after checkout. Booking.com doing nothing?!

A last minute guest booked my place on 20 Jan for 2 nights. And I found out that she/they took my iPad, smartphone, laptop, headphone, etc together with a suitcase, and went through every drawer, wardrobe, storage box in the apartment to find everything valuable. And she/they didn't return my keys. So she/they still have the access to my apartment. 

I called Booking.com when I found out this, and the resolution the customer service staff gave is they can refund the commission to me -- after I sending clear pictures for proving that really happened. Seriously?

In the early morning today, 23 Jan, I received an email from Booking.com saying that that guest has canceled the reservation, so I don't get the cleaning fee. Seriously? How can Booking.com allow a guest to cancel a reservation after checkout? 

I just called Booking.com. After verified my details, the staff told me he'll have to hang up the phone and call me back later. Seriously? Doing NOTHING?!

And the problem is, it is Booking.com who let the guest had the chance to do this in the first place. On 20 Jan, I was on my way back to meet the guest after had a phone with her, so I know it was a her. Then I received a call from Booking.com saying that the guest was 'very shy' and requested for a self-checkin. I agreed and put the keys in a lockbox, since I Trusted Booking.com. So I didn't have a chance to see the guest, and didn't have the chance to see her ID or take a cash deposit. And Booking.com clearly doesn't handle safety deposit like other sites do.

I had faced a similar, but less severe situation before, when hosting on Airbnb. Airbnb suggested a resolution on the phone and confirmed the step by step resolution a couple of hours after the call. But with booking.com, I have been waiting, waiting for the call back after a 'I'm gonna hang up' , waiting for replying my email, waiting for a resolution.

I am so disappointed.


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Thuild - Your … 5 years ago

Dear Tyler,

You have to understand that working with apartments and other small units is not the main business for BDC, it's new to them, they just started this, therefore they cannot offer the same support as Airbnb does, when it's all that they do.

Now, this case has to be reported to the police, hope you've filed the complain in 24 hours as it can bite back if you haven't.

Best of luck catching the thieves.

Zsolt - www.thuild.com

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Tylerxiety 5 years ago

Thanks for your comment, Zsolt.

Yes, we have reported to the police. The police officer also suggested me to contact BDC to ask about the insurance policy, if they have.

Also, could you please explain more on your comment "hope you've filed the complaint in 24 hours as it can bite back if you haven't"? Did you mean filing a complaint about the guest on BDC?

Cheers,

Tyler

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Thuild - Your … 5 years ago

Dear Tyler,

Usually BDC will find any way not to pay for this. Therefore filing a complaint in due time will decrease the chances of them finding reasons not to help. Like any big company does :)

About insurance policy, you must have this, not BDC. Read the contract. It is expected that all partners have insurance, Health & Safety implemented, etc.

Best regards,

Zsolt

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Tylerxiety 5 years ago

Thanks for your prompt response, Zsolt.

I called BDC and also reported guest misconduct via Extranet when I found out the case on 22 Jan. I assume this counts a complaint? Do you know is there any other ways to file a complaint?

BDC canceled the reservation on 23 Jan, which is after the check out date. So now I don't have the access to the guest misconduct report I filled before on Extranet. I guess this is the action of BDC to avoid the responsibilities?

Also, I didn't find anything about insurance on the contract. I used "insurance" and "insu" as searching keywords but didn't find anything. Is there other places on the Extranet or BDC website I can find about insurance?

Cheers,

Tyler

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Thuild - Your … 5 years ago

Dear Tyler,

Yes, that counts as a complaint, for which you have the reservation number, where BDC can verify the info reported.

That's what they usually do in such cases, I had the same happen to me too, where they only refunded the commission amount. I am still waiting on the police to give me info since September 2018. So you can imagine how well things are working out. For me it was a broken furniture.

I think this article and a few more stating the same will make it difficult to do anything:

6.5 In no event shall any Party be liable to any other Party for any indirect, special, punitive, incidental or
consequential damages or losses, including loss of production, loss of profit, loss of revenue, loss of contract, loss of
or damage to goodwill or reputation, loss of claim, whether such damages are (alleged as) a result of a breach of
contract, tort or otherwise (even if advised of the possibility of such damages or losses). All such damages and
losses are hereby expressly waived and disclaimed.

I think the insurance one was with another company. I work with 35 different sites, must have mixed it up in my head. Nevertheless the above article is what's important in this case.

Best regards,

Zsolt - www.thuild.com

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Katerinka12 5 years ago

Please don't forget to change the lock, so they can't enter your property.

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Katerinka12 5 years ago

"How can Booking.com allow a guest to cancel a reservation after checkout?"

Are you sure that you didn't press Accept when the client sent you Cancelation request? As far as I know, cancellation is possible after check in, if both parties agree to that. What did actually happen?

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Tylerxiety 5 years ago

Yes I've deactivated the swipe card to the building the lock change is scheduled. Thanks Katerinka12

And the reservation was canceled by BDC according to the app notification and email. I guess that's what they do to "resolve" the case?!

And I just finished a long call with their customer service team. They said the reason why they did not reply my email was that they did not receive anything from me, and the reason why they did not call me was that they couldn't connect my phone on Wednesday. Seriously?!

I did not have missed calls on my phone these days.

So during me and the customer service staff both on the line, I forwarded, replied, wrote emails to the email address they provided to me. The staff said they did not receive anything and had to hang up and wait.

I am impressed. That was the most professional service I ever used really!

Looking into the emails sent from BDC, I find some errors/typos and broken links in every email. See the screenshot below. And I told the customer service staff.

Really professional service BDC. Well done.