Some advice please

[wrightbuxton]

Hello

does anyone know where I would stand if the villa I have booked gets sold, do the new owners have to take the booking at the original price or can I get my deposit back from the owner I made my booking with?

Thanks
Julie

[roger]

As Martin says, normally bookings transfer but it's worth asking the owner. Either way, you should not loose out.

Didn't you just sell your own villa last year? If so, I guess the same rules will apply.

[wrightbuxton]

Yes we sold a couple of years ago and had bookings in place which the new owner took over, however, we were advised that they didn't have to honour any outstanding bookings - although they had nothing in place themselves and were not planning on going out to the villa to decorate/refurnish etc., so would have been daft not to.

I am just not sure of my position if anything like that arises.

Julie

[steph_goodrum]

Julie
The new owner i snot obliged to honour any existing contracts as they have not bought a business just a property, unless there is something written into the purchase contract. This would be highly unlikely for most sales as the new owners may not be happy with the terms agreed by the previous owner (who could have taken many bookings at low rates just to increase the chance of a sale by saying it has xxxx number of weeks booked.

Anyone starting out in rental would as you say possibly like to get some guaranteed weeks and experience if it avaialble even if the lose out in the short term financially.

If the villa you booked gets sold then as your contract is with the original owner whatever terms are set out on the agreement you sign will come into play, usually the extent of their liability will be to refund any monies already paid, with no further compensation. Just the same as if an airline or hotel fail to deliver they should refund the money paid.

[gpullan]

We were in the same situation. Booked the villa from here then it was sold 3 months ago. The seller said the new owner would be continuing to rent the villa out but was not obliged to. The seller said that we could have the deposit back and they would help us find another home in the vicinity if we wanted to. We chose to stick with it having spoken to the new owner.

My main question to the seller was that when we looked at the villa we were very impressed with the fit-out. What if they sold it and the new owner whilst still renting it out, changed the furniture for poor items and devaluing what they could demand as weekly rental. That for me is an important thing to look at.

To answer your question from my perspective is that the seller had already transferred my deposit to the new owner before i even knew it had been sold. (Not sure how i could get my deposit back as mentioned to me earlier)

[wrightbuxton]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by gpullan

My main question to the seller was that when we looked at the villa we were very impressed with the fit-out. What if they sold it and the new owner whilst still renting it out, changed the furniture for poor items and devaluing what they could demand as weekly rental. That for me is an important thing to look at.[/quote]That's right and also whilst the present owner is waiting to sell the upkeep of the villa may not be their priority. I booked on the strength of the pictures on their website and am worried that tv's/dvd players might be removed and pool furniture replaced with the kind of stuff you get in a basic furniture package.

Julie

[gpullan]

Yep exactly, me too.

Luckily for us i am in close contact with the new owner who has actually made a host of improvements to the previous owners (games room conversion, new pool heater, new jacuzzi heater, PS3) but it is a very valid point as to whether you're going to get the villa as per the pictures which sold it to you or something entirely different in the same shell.

[blott]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by wrightbuxton
That's right and also whilst the present owner is waiting to sell the upkeep of the villa may not be their priority. I booked on the strength of the pictures on their website and am worried that tv's/dvd players might be removed and pool furniture replaced with the kind of stuff you get in a basic furniture package.

Julie[/quote]Julie, if you were a home owner on OV as it seems from the comments above, I can't really imagine why you should be suggesting such a thing should occur, particularly with an OV owner. I have never heard of anyone doing this in many, many years of being involved with Florida rentals.

As far as the return of deposits, etc is concerned, then the owner will have Terms & Conditions which should cover this eventuality and adhere to those. In fact, those same T & Cs probably also describe what happens about equipment in the home and its availability or otherwise.

You'll know that being a Florida home owner depends on trust - renters need to trust owners and owners need to trust guests. If you don't trust your owner (which it sounds like you don't) then perhaps it's time to be upfront with your home owner about this.

[ctgirlscout]

When we sold our villa we put into the contract that all bookings were to be honored. The new owners were thrilled to have bookings in place. The upside for the guests was that the new owners completely re-did the house with brand new carpets, appliances, furniture and other upgrades which was an unexpected bonus for the guests. I can't see a new owner replacing anything in their home with a lesser quality item.

[wrightbuxton]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:[i]
Julie[/quote]Julie, if you were a home owner on OV as it seems from the comments above, I can't really imagine why you should be suggesting such a thing should occur, particularly with an OV owner. I have never heard of anyone doing this in many, many years of being involved with Florida rentals.


You'll know that being a Florida home owner depends on trust - renters need to trust owners and owners need to trust guests. If you don't trust your owner (which it sounds like you don't) then perhaps it's time to be upfront with your home owner about this.
[/quote]Blott I think we have our wires crossed I have never mentioned anything about the owner being on OV, they are not. I also wonder should owner's check if their T&Cs mention something about if they have to cancel the booking not the other way around. In fact I have just had a quick look at a couple of sets of T&Cs (not OV owners I hasten to say) and neither of them mention anything about what will happen if the rental owner has to cancel the contract - it seems to be assumed that any cancellation will be on the part of the holidaymaker.

I have been in touch with the villa owner in my particular case and they have set my mind at rest about what will happen if the villa is sold or stays in their ownership.

Julie