JNelson113

Hi all, not sure if this is the right forum so please move if not, mods.

I am a US citizen who reserved a vacation rental in Whistler, British Columbia, for five nights, June 27-July 2. I paid an $800 deposit with the final payment of $2400 due May 20.

The border closure has now extended to June 21st and everything in the media indicates that Canada wishes to keep the border closed far beyond that. If I could get there I would but it simply looks impossible.

I asked the rental company to simply cancel the rental and refund the deposit to me but they are insisting on keeping the deposit money and telling me that they will allow me to use that as a credit toward a rental through summer 2021.

Would like opinions on whether you find this fair or if I should attempt to challenge them and dispute this with my credit card company, as if I owned the company I would simply refund the money. Thanks for your opinions!

catocony

If it's a non-refundable deposit, then the property legally doesn't have to do a thing as long as they're open for business. It's up to the traveler to make it there.

nomiiiii

One week before tell them that you have tested positive for covid, but since they aren't cancelling the reservation with a fully refundable deposit you plan on coming over and can't wait to see them.

They'll cancel it and refund you.

JNelson113

Thank you; I laughed out loud at that!

garykung

More than fair.

It really depends what has been written. But since the border closure has not been officially extended to impact your travel, you are not impacted yet.

So a credit is better than forfeiture.

JNelson113

Thanks, all. I've decided to accept the credit and hope that we can get in next summer and that this company doesn't fold in the meantime.

I appreciate the opinions.

Mauibaby2008

Vacation rental owners are in a really crappy position right now. As unfortunate as it is, the contract says it’s not refundable. I imagine many of these property owners will try to hang onto these deposits.

AshleyCrawford

This is the main problem with the companies. They always sell things claiming high standards and customer care. But when the time arises to show some real customer care they just escape.

LondonElite

That really doesn't fit into the business model of travel and hospitality, which operates on very thin margins and is simply not set up to weather months of zero revenue. There is a good reason why hotels (etc) offer non-refundable rates at a discount. They know they've banked the money, regardless of what happens. It is not the property owner's fault there is a travel ban, neither is it the renter's. This is why travel insurance is a good idea, though it may not come into play here.

Overall, I think the OP's outcome is completely fair. If everyone insisted on immediate cash refunds of everything, there would be no airline business, there would be no hospitality industry. Think of it as an (unfairly) levied tax on tourism services.