josephstern

I had a problem recently with an online booking agency for an apartment rental. Simple story is: I paid for A, and I got B.

I've rented plenty of apartments in several parts of the world so I'm well accustomed to a place not living up to pictures, and I even expect it. This was significantly more than that. That's my way of saying "this was a legitimate problem" but I can get into details if needed.

Anyway, after not getting satisfaction while on the trip, I called Chase to ask them to dispute the charge, upon returning home.

Chase tells me that they cannot dispute the charge if I did not walk away from the accommodations. They say once I accepted, I was done.

I'm still filing a dispute with Chase, and I have several emails from the booking agency and owning company about the problems and their feeble attempts to correct the issues.

But here's my question: Has anyone run into this policy by a credit card company before?

I just can't see how it would have been realistic for me (and my family - eight people total) to walk away from our rented apartment after flying 6000 miles.

Think I've got any chance of persuading Chase to pull my money back?

(By the way, in the interest of fairness, I had only asked the owners to return about 20% of my money when I was on the trip, with the threat that if they didn't, I would do a complete chargeback when I returned home. So they're calling my bluff, and now I'm definitely hoping for a full return of my money.)

squeakr

but substitute "hotel" for "Apartment" - would you expect Chase to uphold a full chargeback if you prepaid a hotel, got there and it was awful, yet you stayed there anyway?
(Not doubting your experience, just comparing)

josephstern

Potentially - especially if it was a pre-paid rate.

What choice do travelers have, other than relying on honesty of the provider? We should have just slept in the street?

cordelli

With Amex maybe, but even that would be slight.

With Chase or any of the others, I don't think you have a chance. Once you stayed there (or substitute rented a car, used the hotel room, ate in a restaurant) you pretty much accept whatever the service they provide and agree to pay it. Indeed, there may even be language like that in the paper you sign at the front desk.

You should have checked before you bluffed, the owner probably has been through this before and knows there's little chance of a chargeback going through.

Even if you did not stay there, while Chase may have accepted your chargeback request, the odds of you winning it are not great.


As the ancient saying says, Don't buy a Pig in Poke.. Prepaid is always a risk.

josephstern

Yeah - not much downside to the bluff. I had no other leverage. I'll certainly be posting accurate reviews about the situation at the appropriate travel sites.

If I do get Chase to accept the chargeback for filing, at least it'll be a hassle on their side. Not much, but something, assuming I get no refund.

I've had such good luck with apartment rentals that I guess I let my guard down.

squeakr

Even on a prepaid rate, if you stay, you pay. You may be able to make a case if the "apartment" wasn't an "apartment" - for example, if you rented an apartment but what you got was a room in an apartment, but short of that I 'd say your chances are nil.

josephstern

Two key issues: description said two toilets; apartment had one. Description said eight beds; apartment had seven.

So, sure, it wasn't a tent or anything, but these seem like fair points to me.

squeakr

Not that it isn't inconvenient or annoying but I sincerely doubt a CC will give you a chargeback.

If you had Amex you''d be in better shape for a goodwill adjustment.

cordelli

Those would have been issues if you did not stay there.

By staying you accepted the property.

Had you said no not acceptable and gone someplace else you may have a better argument, but since you stayed there, knowing it had one toilet and knowing it had seven beds, it's gonna be a hard fight.