topic Re: what would you do in this situation in Community Chat

what would you do in this situation

I am still oxox — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:40:31 GMT

My husband and I just returned from three nights away on Brigantine Island near Atlantic City, we rented a condo for the three nights; we prefer to stay this way, usually less than a hotel and more like home.

The renter’s ad read on what and what we got was something else.

It said air conditioner; yes one old unit in the living room that kept shutting down.

The place was small and smelly and in near of a make over.

Her ad reads like this - 1 bedroom 1 bathroom NEWLY Renovated ground floor condo right on the beach in Brigantine, NJ. There are two community decks with an ocean view. Free wireless internet. Laundry facilities on premises...Weekly and Yearly rates Available.

Amenities

Beds 1 Queen Bed 1 Sofa Bed

Air Conditioning

Oceanfront

Parking Included Beachfront Kitchenette Outdoor Shower

About 80% of this is true I was so appalled when we arrived I called and well it was not a nice conversation, I wanted to leave and of course my other half perused me to stay. When we got home tonight I sent her this

I am wondering when my money will be returned
I had to leave a very lukewarm review of the condo due to following issues:
1 its old and small and smelly
2 greatly in need of a make over, I would think the competition on the rental market is huge and a bad review could
ruin your season, I am sorry for that, but I came expecting on thing and got something totally different the place needs updating soon
3 The blinds on the windows offer no modesty I felt like I was living in a fish bowl
4 The living room air conditioner is OLD and kept shutting off.
5 It was very hard to sleep without air conditioning your ad says air conditioning and it is very misleading since it is not in the whole apt, the ceiling fan was very loud and the small fan did not work properly, you should have a standing fan to move air around the condo

I am not sure what you expect people to do since, the bedroom windows face the parking lot and busy street

I would not want to be there on a day that was 90 degrees and humidity to match.
I am not sure who you usually rent to but I am far from a 20 something and I was expecting the Hilton by the Shore and barely got the Days Inn
Finally I am seriously wondering if this is your condo or are you just the renting agent.
This was not our first time renting an apt at the shore but it was surely one of the nastiest ones.
I expect to receive my deposit with in 10 days of receipt of
this e-mail.

Did do the right thing

Re: what would you do in this situation

muttmom — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:48:40 GMT

I doubt you will get a full refund since you did stay for 3 nights. I would have called the rental agent immediately, then gone to a hotel.

You say the add was 80% true. Maybe you'll get a 20% refund.

Re: what would you do in this situation

Poodlepet2 — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:48:44 GMT

You did the right thing: but I would not have stayed either. I would register a complaint with The Better Business Bureau, but NJ probably has some department that oversees rentals.

Poodlepet

Re: what would you do in this situation

I am still oxox — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:51:41 GMT

On 8/10/2014 muttmom said:
I doubt you will get a full refund since you did stay for 3 nights. I would have called the rental agent immediately, then gone to a hotel.

You say the add was 80% true. Maybe you'll get a 20% refund.

I am not looking for a refund just my deposit, and no I am thinking to myself we have rented before and never needed a deposit, i wonder if she rents to 20 somethings who would not mind the conditions

Re: what would you do in this situation

I am still oxox — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:53:13 GMT

On 8/10/2014 Poodlepet said:
You did the right thing: but I would not have stayed either. I would register a complaint with The Better Business Bureau, but NJ probably has some department that oversees rentals.

Poodlepet

If it was up to me I would of gone to the first realtor down the street and say here I am, my other half is PIA at time and wouldn't move

Re: what would you do in this situation

muttmom — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:54:37 GMT

On 8/10/2014 Usedtobeoxox said:
On 8/10/2014 muttmom said:
I doubt you will get a full refund since you did stay for 3 nights. I would have called the rental agent immediately, then gone to a hotel.

You say the add was 80% true. Maybe you'll get a 20% refund.

I am not looking for a refund just my deposit, and no I am thinking to myself we have rented before and never needed a deposit, i wonder if she rents to 20 somethings who would not mind the conditions

My misunderstanding. I wondered why you used the term deposit.

Re: what would you do in this situation

sophiamarie — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:54:43 GMT

I don't think you're going to get any money back.

When you first went there to look the place over (I hope you did this) that was when you should have said you weren't taking it. You would have seen the A/C unit and all the other negative things you mention in your letter.

The very fact that you stayed in a "hot, smelly, etc" place for 3 nights, tells them that you were satisfied with the way things were. Now, you're asking for your money back????

This is JMO and I could be totally off base. I would like to hear others' answers to your post.

Re: what would you do in this situation

ROMARY — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:55:06 GMT

You stayed for three days.........As Judge Judy often says: ""If you ate the steak"".........

Re: what would you do in this situation

sophiamarie — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:55:56 GMT

Hmm, when I typed this, there were no answers yet. LOL

Re: what would you do in this situation

sophiamarie — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:56:42 GMT

On 8/10/2014 ROMARY said:
You stayed for three days.........As Judge Judy often says: ""If you ate the steak"".........

LOL That's exactly what I was going to say. ""I wonder what Judge Judy would have said""..... LOL I forgot to mention that. Thanks for doing it.

Re: what would you do in this situation

terrier3 — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 22:57:48 GMT

On 8/10/2014 ROMARY said:
You stayed for three days.........As Judge Judy often says: ""If you ate the steak"".........

I agree.

You gave the owner money in return for staying at her place.

You stayed for the entire length of the contract.

I doubt you are entitled to anything.

The best you can do is give the place a bad review and warn other potential renters away.

Re: what would you do in this situation

Burnsite — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 23:05:02 GMT

You should have left a one-star review, not a three star, but I think you are not going to get a deposit. I would not place a deposit on an unseen rental. One thing about hotels: you change the res. within their limit and they have to give any down-payment back. It's why I prefer hotels.

If I am disappointed by a place I stay at when travelling (it is always a hotel, I don't like b&bs and rentals), I just leave a frank and full review and chalk the unpleasantness off to experience.

My reviews get awards at a site where I post them.

Other people need to know, but if it wasn't bad enough to warrant relocation, I think you should be happy that you registered your sense that the advertisement was dishonest.

People who claim to offer services they _don't_ offer deserve reviews that mention this and other travellers will know better than to book there.

Re: what would you do in this situation

4Kicks — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 23:39:20 GMT

I'm just curious. Did I miss where you said how much you paid for the room?

Re: what would you do in this situation

minkbunny — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 23:42:02 GMT

Leaving the review was fine if that is how you honestly felt.

Now, I would move on and forget it. You were alone with someone you love for three days.

Priceless.

Re: what would you do in this situation

NoelSeven — Sun, 10 Aug 2014 23:57:19 GMT

Unfortunately, that is the new normal with vacation/hotel rentals. In fact, comparatively, yours was a pretty good deal.

I see this reported on quite often on the magazine-type TV shows. They recommend you look at the sites that do hotel reviews that give you the REAL scoop on what you're getting, as opposed to the selling promises.

Sorry your vacation wasn't all it should be.

Re: what would you do in this situation

AngusandBuddhasMom — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 00:02:14 GMT

Do you live far from the shore? I only ask because before we got our place and rented we would go down the shore over the winter to see the places so we knew what we were getting. Or look around in season to see what places were like. So sorry you had a bad experience but I agree you may have to chalk this up and move on.

Re: what would you do in this situation

VanSleepy — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 00:02:19 GMT

I don't know how much you paid for the three days, but maybe you get what you pay for. I know we could have "slummed it" for three days considering how much time we would actually spend in the room.

Re: what would you do in this situation

------ — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 00:03:24 GMT

How did you find this place?

Re: what would you do in this situation

sunshine45 — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 00:09:48 GMT

On 8/10/2014 4KICKS said:
I'm just curious. Did I miss where you said how much you paid for the room?

i am curious also.....

we didnt even rent our condo for only 3 days in season....it was weekly only. the hotel right across the street from us rents for $260 a night in season, a block off of the beach, and includes breakfast.

i wonder if there was an online slideshow of the unit? many places in our area do slideshows of the unit along with the description.

Re: what would you do in this situation

I am still oxox — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 00:47:04 GMT

On 8/10/2014 sunshine45 said:
On 8/10/2014 4KICKS said:
I'm just curious. Did I miss where you said how much you paid for the room?

i am curious also.....

we didnt even rent our condo for only 3 days in season....it was weekly only. the hotel right across the street from us rents for $260 a night in season, a block off of the beach, and includes breakfast.

i wonder if there was an online slideshow of the unit? many places in our area do slideshows of the unit along with the description.

It was a bit over 600 for the 3 nights and it included nothing I had to bring sheets towels the works.

There were photos were ok but we all know photos could of been taken years ago