Madeira Vista Reviews (%countItem)
Madeira Vista Rating
Address: 14800 Gulf Blvd, Madeira Beach, Florida, United States, 33708-2177
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Recently cancelled planned January 2021 stay at Madeira Vista condominiums. Have reached impasse regarding return of deposit money. Website prominently displays in Blue font (mostly CAPS) to highlight "January Special" - "January . . . RENT THREE WEEKS, STAY THE FOURTH WEEK FREE!" Our billing for initial reservation is for 3 weeks plus free week; and not 4 weeks minus 25% discount nor minus free week. Yet Madeira Vista manager feels that deposit money should be withheld for "FREE" week. After email exchanges, links were sent by manager for other equivalent properties to illustrate higher pricing & fees. While that is true for daily rates; there are more factors to consider than arbitrary rate comparisons, such as: property age and condition, condo furnishings and amenities, and services. These same links also provided refund policy information such 100% refund and cancellation deadline dates of either Nov.3,2020 or Dec.3,2020 depending on the individual property. Madeira Vista does neither. Seems to me the concept of "FREE" week offer does not imply expectation of income for that week nor should it imply loss of income. I don't accept withholding of deposit money for the "FREE" week.
Refund Would prefer total return of deposit money along the lines of other area rentals. At worst, want "FREE WEEK" deposit return plus return of deposit money for any of the other 3 weeks if rented. Since the manager has stated that this unit could be rented at a higher rate; renting of any of those weeks during January is likely to result in more income rather than loss of income; so return of deposit shouldn't be an issue.
Madeira Vista is a WEEKLY rental vacation condominium with 35 individual owners, 23 of which on our rental program. Madeira Vista has a clear cancellation policy and customer agrees to policy upon booking. The deposit to reserve a condo is $250 per week, even if offering discounts. Mr. reserved 4 weeks and paid a deposit of $1000.00 per agreement and was issued a refund check in the amount of $800.00 (Cancellation fee is $50 per week, regardless of discounts). To be clear, we did NOT reach an impasse regarding a return of his money as he states. The customers' fee for cancellation is $50 per week and he was issued a check for $800.
The cancellation policy can be found clearly on our website (http://www.madeirabeachvacations.com/ratespolicies.html) and reads as follows for a cancellation outside of 90 days prior to arrival which is the category Mr. falls into: Cancellation Policy: "We want to be fair to the guests AND fair to the owner who has taken their ONLY unit off of the market for the guest who reserved it and is counting on their business. For a cancellation more than 90 days from arrival date, $200 of the $250 per week will be refunded." Mr. booked the 4 weeks as he has done for 5 years in a row and SHOULD understand our cancellation policy. NOWHERE on the policy does it state if condo is re booked that his $50 per week we charge as a cancellation fee will be returned. Customers do not get to make up a policy that they feel is fair AFTER agreeing to our policy which is what Mr. is implying in his complaint. Not only is our policy very fair and reasonable, we are also a very reputable business on Madeira Beach and pride ourselves being #1 on Trip Advisor and have a great reputation of customer care and a professional business in the community. That information can be confirmed here: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-***. The links to other properties for rent in the same building were sent to Mr. to show him that his monthly rate of $4028 was very fair compared to other condos in the same building that are getting $10,000 - $12,000/ month. It is fair and generous of our 23 owners that utilize the rental program to offer discounts and reduced rates. The purpose of the links to Mr. was also included so that he has additional insight that all vacation properties have DIFFERENT cancellation policies and it's the customers' responsibility to be aware of that policy PRIOR to booking. (since he has stayed with us since 2015, I'm sure he was aware of the policy that has not changed in 8 years.) One of those other condos cancellation fees that he neglected to mention charges the "service fee" of $1200.00 if a customer cancels. Our rental program for Madeira Vista does not even charge a service fee to our customers. Another discount that goes unnoticed, obviously. Mr. felt the need to dispute our policy and demand a full refund, even so much as badgering us through emails back and forth. Our discounted/ free 4th week we offered is still a week that owner has taken their property off of the rental market and may not be able to re booked. Customer knew this, otherwise the deposit would have only been $750.00 for 3 weeks, for 5 years he has always paid the $1000.00. ($250/ per week)
We are also not offering this discount he is disputing any longer since it does not seem to be appreciated or needed according to other condos in the building that are able to rent at double our rental rate.
To be clear, we did not "withhold customers' money", he was given an $800 refund per our policy and only ONE day after he requested it.
Madeira Vista offers a great vacation rental program for our customers and our reputation is stellar. Over 80% of our guests are return guests, including Mr. for 5 years. We sincerely hope that this complaint does not tarnish our great reputation in the community.
*** I have attached a copy of the refund check dated 07/24/20, one day after his final confirmed cancellation email.
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Despite Ms. L's declaration that we are NOT at an impasse; we ARE & that is precisely why Revdex.com is mediating. Contrary to her insistence, Madeira Vista refund policy does not address the FREE week deposit, in fact there is nothing indicating that it is considered a booked week - a FREE week but not a booked week. The attachment shows the confirmation for the reservation for January 2021. It clearly states 3 weeks booked and the weekly price - giving a total amount minus deposit - and balance due. That's the way that it's been for the previous years. The issue of deposit and return of deposit has NEVER arisen previously. Despite Ms. L's claims of badgering her, previous emails were efforts on my part to reason with her and avoid this complaint. During our prior emails, Ms. L proclaims that their policy is fair and reasonable when compared with other properties on the area. I refer to the 2 links that Ms. L emailed me for the Jan-2021 timeframe at other nearby properties. Supposedly it's to show me how reasonable Madeira Vista rates and fees are: https://.vrbo.com/XXXXXXXha?*** and https://.vrbo.com/XXXXXXX?***. While Ms. L stated intention was to point out their rates and fees; these links also include the stated refund policy for the lessor - which for link #1 is 100% refund without fee deduction if before December 3rd; & link #2 is 100% refund without fee deduction if before November 3rd. Link #2 also happens to be an owner at Madeira Vista, and is one of the other 12 owners who do not participate in Ms. L leasing activities. I'm cancelling in July - and Ms. L wants to withhold $200. Do you want to tell me what fair is? Furthermore, the 23 owners that have voluntarily chosen to participate in the "January Special promotion" are agreeing to accept 3 weeks revenue for their unit in January 2021 and foregoing possible revenue for the 4th week. The alternatives are to not participate and receive revenue for whatever weeks get booked outside of the "January Special" promotion - possibly 4,3,2,1, or 0 weeks. Apparently, Ms. L wants you to believe that week #4 is a given, even though the renting owner has agreed to accept 3 weeks rental income. So, if the owner has agreed to accept 3 weeks rental income & provide the 4th week FREE; why is Ms. L continuing to insist that 4 weeks deposit must be withheld? That aspect is NOT spelled out in the refund policy! Nor is it covered in the attached rental confirmation, nor is it in line with the refund policies in the area (as referenced above).
The 4th week which we previously offered as an incentive to encourage our guests to stay the whole month is STILL a week that the owner has marked off of their rental calendar (clearly stated in cancellation policy). The policy CLEARLY states that cancellations outside of 90 days will receive $200 PER WEEK of each of the $250 week's deposit.
*** "We want to be fair to the guests AND fair to the owner who has taken their ONLY unit off of the market for the guest who reserved it and is counting on their business. For a cancellation more than 90 days from arrival date, $200 of the $250 per week will be refunded."
This is clear and precise and FAIR! If the 4th week was not understood, then why was the customer willing to pay the $250 deposit for the 4th week the last 5 years? It is still a week that now has to be re booked! Our cancellation policy has not changed in many years and Mr. has been a customer for 5 years in a row. Perhaps prior to agreeing to our policy the previous 5 years he should have asked questions. Now trying to make up his own cancellation policy and even having the audacity in his first complaint to ask for the $50 for each week if the condo is re booked shows he is trying to navigate his own policy to benefit himself and not abide by the policy he agreed to by paying the deposit. If the condo is not re booked, the owner is out an entire month of income, $3450, the $200 is the cancellation fee for the 4 weeks that the owner agreed to take their condo off of the rental market. $200 is not only fair, but honestly, if Mr. looked at other properties cancellation policies, I'm sure he would be shocked at how fair $50 per week really is. On another note, the $50 we are debating at this point is not even enough to cover the time, labor and effort this complaint has taken.