Les Schrenk is not a rock star. He’s a law-abiding, 86-year-old World War II hero who is a model hotel guest.
So why is Quality Inn in Fort Pierce, Fla., insisting he pay $200 for a broken mirror?
“I just cannot afford to pay a $200 charge for something I did not do,” he told me.
Schrenk says the fee took him by surprise.
On the night of Oct. 1, we stayed for one night at Quality Inn, Ft. Pierce, Florida in room 109 and were billed for $50 for the room.
On our next credit card bill we were charged $50, plus another $200. We called the Quality Inn and first were told that the billing was a mistake and that a credit was given.
Then were told that a credit had not been given and the charge was for a broken mirror.
When we told the clerk — we think it was the owner claiming he was a clerk — that there was no mirror that we had broken, he said the manager would return our call, which he never did.
We contacted MasterCard and filled out a form denying responsibility, but after a few weeks the reply was rejected, saying the motel owner claimed we had broken a closet mirror and would not issue a credit.
Did Schrenk break the mirror, or not? He doesn’t fit the profile of a guest who would break a mirror. But even if he did, would it cost a hotel $200 to replace a mirror?
I share Schrenk’s skepticism. Why would the hotel change its story, calling it a “mistake” and later claiming he broke the mirror, if not to run down the clock on the 60 days he has to dispute a credit card charge?
I suggested he send a brief, polite email to Quality Inn at the corporate level, asking them to review his request, which he did.
He was told told that Quality Inn’s motels “are independently owned” and the only action they could take was to place a complaint in their file.
This made no sense.
If Schrenk broke the mirror, then the hotel should have contacted him immediately and presented him with a bill. Not waited weeks to surprise him with the real reason for the charge. I’m inclined to believe the word of a war hero on this one.
I contacted Quality Inn on his behalf. A few days later, he wrote to me with an update:
I received a phone call from Choice Hotels International’s executive office. A credit for $200 had been issued to our credit card. We are very thankful for your help in resolving this issue.
I’m happy to help, and glad that Quality Inn did the right thing.
(Photo: arielp/Flickr Creative Commons)
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Or the cleaning person bashed it with the handle of the vacuum and decided to blame Les so it wouldn’t come out of his/her pay.
It usually takes much more than the force of hitting a mirror with a vacuum cleaner handle to break a mirror most of the time unless the mirror is defective. Maybe it’s time to start doing what we tell car renters to do and photograph the room on check-in and departure.
My guess, it was already broken and the owner wanted to find an EASY victim to pass the bill to. Who easier than the elderly? Most older people simply DO NOT SUE and will not fight. It’s quite sad. That owner should be put in jail for fraud if you ask me, pending there was malicious intent behind his actions. Now if Eric’s scenario is true, then I feel bad for both the owner and victim. It’s hard to say WHO BROKE IT (if there even was a mirror), but I am sure the 86 year old wasn’t having a kegger with a bunch of his friends. He doesn’t fit the bill as the likely culprit.
Once again stuff like this amazes me. The customer gets nowhere but Mr Elliott is able to secure help and get a refund issued. Why these cases even need to wind up on the column is beyond me. The hotel chains would do themselves a great service by realizing that heading stuff off before it grows larger is a good policy.
oh no – my wife broke a water glass at the Embassy Suites in LA Sunday night – horrors – what’ll that cost us? $100?
I’m not going to ascribe malicious motives to the hotel because this is SOP for the travel industry. If something is missing, damaged, eaten, broken, etc., the travel industry assumes that the guest is at fault and bills the credit card. I wouldn’t mind it so much except that the travel industry doesn’t feel the need to then notify the guest of the additional charge and the reason why. Given how easy it is to do, I must assume that its because some guests won’t notice.
Last year I stayed at a Hilton Garden Inn. A week later I noticed a charge on my credit card for an additional $200.00. Housekeeping had reported the bedspread missing. Fortunately, the manager saw the absurdity of someone stealing a king sized bedspread, particularly someone who’d been at the hotel at least 10 times, and immediately reversed the charge.
And yet AGAIN Christopher has to come to the rescue to get a travel company to do the right thing.
I have to agree with Christopher’s suspicians on this one – and I’m not just “suspicious”, I’m sure. This owner was trying to pull a scam an an elderly man. That is just dispicable.
I have relatives near Ft. Pierce, FL. You can be sure that I will be telling them not to let anyone they know stay there. And I’m sure there are many others who will read this blog who will cross them off their list. Even though the Corporate Office did the right thing, the owner is still a criminal.
When are business owners going to realize that in this day and age, the Internet is here to keep them honest, and if they behave dishonestly, it will get publicized on the Internet…and STAY here for all eternity?
Makes me want to bang my head against the wall–but I might break a mirror. Good grief. Glad Chris could resolve this one. Too bad the Quality Inn couldn’t just step up and do the right thing initially.
The fact that someone is a war hero is irrelevant in cases like this. (No offense to veterans.) But in any case, it is wrong for a hotel to be able to charge your card for anything they like, leaving you to hash it out with the credit card company. If hotels continue to do such things–and it seems that it’s only getting worse–people are not going to do business with them. And I think David H’s idea is a good one–it’s wise to take a few photos of the room before you check out.
I’m having trouble with ascribing evil motives to the owner. Have we become so jaded reading travel blogs that ever dispute requires an evil intent by at least one of the parties.
There is ZERO evidence in the story that the owner was trying to pull a fast one. The owner acted like ever other travel provider. You see something amiss, you bill the last guest. I’m not saying that’s right. In fact, I think that’s wrong, but that’s the travel industry. It routinely happens in both the lodging industry as well as the car rental industry.
So why single out this hotel?
Mr. Schrenk might consider shopping around for a different credit card company; it seems that there’s variability in how consumer-friendly they are.
I would have immediately sent a letter to the hotel, denying causing any damage and requesting that dated photos be sent immediately (the hotel has the burden of proof). Include this letter with the dispute letter to the credit card company.
Also, when the first agent said the billing was a mistake, it would have been a good idea to get that in writing/email, or at least get their name, and contact your card company right away. I’ve done that for double-charge mistakes — the company acknowledged the mistake, but my credit card company actually suggested that I file a dispute anyway but hold on to the paperwork; when the second charge was reversed the dispute automatically was closed with it. This prevents the clock from running out on you.
This type of story does suggest that one needs to take photos of the room before leaving. I have often wondered what would happen if the towel count was wrong at the end of a visit – and sometimes housekeeping has brought extras or run short during a longer stay so it does vary. Or if that fluffy bathrobe meant to be used in the room, but with a price tag attached, were to disappear but not into my suitcase? I have never had an extra charge, but have often wondered.
Even though you may be in the middle of trying to work things out with the merchant (the hotel in this case) you should file the dispute with the credit card company anyway, before the 60 days or whatever runs out.
Years ago I stayed at a hotel in Waikiki and when I put my suitcase on a dresser I hit a lamp and broke the base. The next day when I checked out I told them at the desk what happened and I was ready to pay for the lamp. They had the manager go up and look at the lamp and he came down and told me “it was an accident and to forget it.” I thanked him and left. I never got an additional charge on my card or anything. I’ve never had any problems with any hotel I’ve stayed at like this person’s trouble with the mirror. I guess tho that we’d better start taking pictures like was suggested if the hotels continue something like this. I feel also that before the hotel puts any additional charges on your card, they should contact you and let you know why and give you a chance to dispute the charge.
I also believe that this particular property was trying to pull a scam on an elderly person. Unfortunately, such things happen all the time. My late father’s medical insurance held off paying for covered care until the doctor and hospital started sending payment notices. Fortunately, my step-mother is an insurance agent and knew the industry tricks. She had a lawyer friend call the insurance company and threaten legal action — the bills were paid within 2 weeks. The scam is to hold off paying providers until the providers send bills to the patient. Many elderly patients, especially those who don’t have someone else to check/help with their accounts, will simply pay the bills, letting the insurance company off the hook.
I know I’m really late in posting this (was travelling!), but why does it always take a call/letter to a travel writer to get some action? Telling us to contact corporate 9/10 doesn’t do a darn thing until you get involved. What a shame that companies/individuals can’t do the right thing until they know it will be published.