Comments on: That’s some cleaning bill! http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/thats-some-cleaning-bill/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Canadian Agent http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/thats-some-cleaning-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-11694 Canadian Agent Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:04:36 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=4988#comment-11694 It would have been a wise idea to ask exactly how much the cleaning fee was going to be prior to filling out any form. That way he would have known in advance the exact amount of the cleaning fee and therefore would have avoided any surprise charges on his credit card. It would have been my very first question before I started filling out any type of form. Never assume anything - especially when booking something on your own. It would have been a wise idea to ask exactly how much the cleaning fee was going to be prior to filling out any form. That way he would have known in advance the exact amount of the cleaning fee and therefore would have avoided any surprise charges on his credit card. It would have been my very first question before I started filling out any type of form. Never assume anything – especially when booking something on your own.

]]> By: Chicky http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/thats-some-cleaning-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-11656 Chicky Tue, 29 Apr 2008 21:25:00 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=4988#comment-11656 Condos do indeed charge a cleaning fee. However, every condo I've ever stayed in at Orange Beach or Gulf Shores broke down the rate by fees, and included cleaning and parking fees, lodging tax and the rest. If Bart did not receive a complete list of all fees, the renter was not honest with him and he deserved his refund. Renters should never be rewarded for playing a shell game with their rates. The folks on the Alabama Gulf Coast are still rebuilding from Ivan (to say nothing of our neighbors in Mississippi who are still recovering from Katrina) and duplicitous renters hurt a tourism industry that still needs tourists. It also reflects poorly on my home state's way of doing business and that ticks me off. Condos do indeed charge a cleaning fee. However, every condo I’ve ever stayed in at Orange Beach or Gulf Shores broke down the rate by fees, and included cleaning and parking fees, lodging tax and the rest. If Bart did not receive a complete list of all fees, the renter was not honest with him and he deserved his refund. Renters should never be rewarded for playing a shell game with their rates.

The folks on the Alabama Gulf Coast are still rebuilding from Ivan (to say nothing of our neighbors in Mississippi who are still recovering from Katrina) and duplicitous renters hurt a tourism industry that still needs tourists. It also reflects poorly on my home state’s way of doing business and that ticks me off.

]]> By: Mike Foster http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/thats-some-cleaning-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-11644 Mike Foster Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:39:49 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=4988#comment-11644 The unit that he stayed in was a condo--unfortunately, they charge a one time cleaning fee, whether you stay one night, three or 7..... The figure also was not just a cleaning fee, it was 11% lodging tax, cleaning fee, processing fee and damage fee....unfortunately, when you apply all of these fees to a one night stay, they become exorbitant... Sometimes with a third party reseller, all of the add ons don't get totally disclosed to the buyer....so, as always, buyer beware The unit that he stayed in was a condo–unfortunately, they charge a one time cleaning fee, whether you stay one night, three or 7…..

The figure also was not just a cleaning fee, it was 11% lodging tax, cleaning fee, processing fee and damage fee….unfortunately, when you apply all of these fees to a one night stay, they become exorbitant…

Sometimes with a third party reseller, all of the add ons don’t get totally disclosed to the buyer….so, as always, buyer beware

]]> By: Chicky http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/thats-some-cleaning-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-11613 Chicky Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:59:19 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=4988#comment-11613 Bart, please accept an apology from an Alabama resident. I'm sorry the hotel wasn't upfront with you to start with, and thought they were justified in charging such an exorbitant rate. I'm sending the link to this column to the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel and to the governor's office, just to let them know this is going on. I don't know if they can actually do anything, but at least someone will know our hotels are doing this. Bart, please accept an apology from an Alabama resident. I’m sorry the hotel wasn’t upfront with you to start with, and thought they were justified in charging such an exorbitant rate.

I’m sending the link to this column to the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel and to the governor’s office, just to let them know this is going on. I don’t know if they can actually do anything, but at least someone will know our hotels are doing this.

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