ComplaintsforGulf Coast Getaways

• Initial Complaint

  10/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Our vacation rental for 7/1/2023 - 7/8/2023 was abruptly canceled by phone call at 4:57pm CDT on 6/30/2023. Condo was booked for over a year, was cancelled on us 23 hours prior to check-in. Debi claimed hot water tank issue and the owner cancelled our reservation. Then was told by the owner Greg on 9/27 that it was "double booked". Coincidentally there was then a hot water issue that week, even though the week was blocked off long ago by the owner and it was "overlooked by the office"? Checked with Santa Rosa county and no permit was pulled to replace hot water tank, as I was told by Debi was the reason for cancellation. They put us in a subpar unit a mile down the road managed by a different rental agency. Electrical outlet hanging out of the wall in a kid's bunk room, nasty stained rug in that same room, a third of the ***** bulbs out in the unit, broken security hasp that was known about, according to the maint guy that came, broken balcony tiles piled up outside. Offered no discount or money back for the troubles, just a discount on a future stay. Why would anyone want to use this company after this? I was asked if I had requested a partial refund from the agency that managed the new condo, why would I do that? I rented from Gulf Coast Getaways, it was on them to ensure that the unit we were moved to was an upgrade! I was told by Greg that the unit was an upgrade because it was $1500 more to rent for the week, and it had the extra bedroom and bathroom. Due to the condition of the condo, and the fact that we did not need an extra bed/bath, the unit was not an upgrade whatsoever for us.

  Business response

  10/16/2023

  Please see the attachments, this is a frivolous complaint.  The guest was offered full refund and it was turned down, then we went out of our way and found an available condo which was a considerable upgrade with another company and they agreed to take that condo.  At that point we were done with the transaction, any issues they had with that condo has nothing to do with us as it was not a condo we manage and it was managed by a different vacation rental management company.  We have already answered this complaint to the following agency: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.  We have attached our response to this complaint.  Thanks, Greg **** Owner Gulf Coast Getaways

  Customer response

  10/16/2023

  
  Complaint: 20735920
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  "We discovered about 36 hours before his arrival we had a conflict, the owner actually had reserved this week for his unit so we had a double booking situation."

  I was notified 23 hours prior to check-in, after we had already left for the 1,000 mile drive to Florida.

  "We asked the owner if they could move this week and they were not able to move their time and were insistent on using the unit for this week.  They did relay they had some scheduled appointments at the unit during the week for some repair/maintenance and they did not want to reschedule those appointments."

  Provide proof that the owner had blocked this week off prior to our reservation, and also provide proof that these "appointments" took care of the hot water tank replacement, as Debi specifically stated via phone call on 6/30/2023 at approximately 6pm that was the specific reasoning for cancellation.

  "We informed Mr. ***** of the situation and offered the following: A complete refund of all monies paid."

  Complete fabrication. In fact, I specifically asked Debi in a follow-up phone call on 7/1/2023 at approximately noon if I could get a partial refund/credit, and she flat out said NO. Insisted that we got an upgrade. This was prior to check-in, so any suggestion that the complaint was because of the conditions at the "upgraded" unit are false. The complaint is based on the lies and runaround regarding the alleged reason for cancellation. A permit is required in Santa Rosa county for hot water tank replacement, and there was no permit pulled for work. If it was required, something like that could've been handled while we were at the beach.

  "We also made contact with another Vacation Rental Management agency and found Mr. ***** a replacement condo.  This replacement condo was a premiere unit at Belle Mer, the cost was normally about $1700 more than what he was paying, however the other company was willing to honor the same price.  Mr. ***** agreed to be moved to the other company and other condo."

  Again, I didn't have a choice when asked about a refund or partial credit. Had 100% of my money been offered back as a refund, we still would've been out $506 for our stay in Nashville that couldn't have been refunded, since we had already left prior to being cancelled on, $710 for the rental vehicle that couldn't have been refunded, and $410 in wages for taking off of work to leave for vacation on 6/30/2023. Did Gulf Coast Getaways consider this as part of the offer of "complete refund" that was never offered to us? Also, simply because a condo unit costs more does NOT equal an upgrade. We did NOT need an extra bedroom or bathroom, therefore it was not an upgrade. It was a downgrade in quality, a downgrade in pool size, a downgrade with ZERO lifeguards in the area, a downgrade being a mile further from the pier than we had wanted to stay, and a downgrade in decor, as we would have never booked it in the first place. Just because you call it an upgrade, doesn't make it so.

  "Here is what Mr. ***** agreed to in our Terms and Conditions which speaks to alternative unit if the original unit is not available – 
  Unit Substitutions:  On very rare occasion(s), a property that has been reserved will become unexpectedly unavailable. In the event that this occurs, Gulf Coast Getaways reserves the right to change Renter’s reservation to comparable or better accommodations.  In such an event, Renter will not incur any additional fees or rental costs."

  The problem is this blanket statement allows Gulf Coast Getaways to fabricate any reason in order to cancel. If the reason was that Debi gave was legitimate, we should have been offered some sort of credit for the troubles. If there was a legitimate need for cancellation, simply provide proof that it required cancelling us. Also, since Gulf Coast Getaways moved us to a different location with a different rental agency, it was STILL up to them to ensure we were getting an upgrade. My contract was with them, not the new rental agency.
  
  

  
  Sincerely,
  
  Brandon *****

  Business response

  10/17/2023

  This is my final response.  The customer was offered a refund prior to deciding on the replacement condo which we spent time researching an option for them, the option was with another management company as it was July 4th and we did not have a suitable replacement.  Once the customer agreed for the replacement unit, our business was done with this customer.  Again, that unit was a significantly more expensive condo, at a significantly more prestigious/expensive resort.  The rest of this is not consequential, there was a human error and a double booking, we did our best for the client and found a great replacement unit for them.  Additionally, I personally spoke to the customer and offered a discount for a future stay which he rejected.  There is no other documentation, we are offering no other compensation, if the customer is not satisfied with how we very professionally handled a difficult situation then it is what it is.  We will have no further comment on the matter.  We do over 1700 reservations a year, on rare occasions we have a double booking based upon human error.  We cover this rare event with our Terms and Conditions, and then we do the best we can for all involved including the customer.  The fact we were able to find a bigger and nicer condo on July 4th week was a minor miracle in itself - their dissatisfaction with our gracious solution is unfortunate but we feel very comfortable with our solution, customer service, and the outcome of the unfortunate human error.   Gulf Coast Getaways

  Customer response

  10/17/2023

  
  Complaint: 20735920
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  "The customer was offered a refund prior to deciding on the replacement condo which we spent time researching an option for them, the option was with another management company as it was July 4th and we did not have a suitable replacement.  Once the customer agreed for the replacement unit, our business was done with this customer.  Again, that unit was a significantly more expensive condo, at a significantly more prestigious/expensive resort."

  We were not offered a refund, partial refund, or anything of the sort. We were told we were being put in an "upgrade" that turned out not to be an upgrade, not only based on the condition of the unit, but also the multitude of reasons previously given, the biggest one being the lack of lifeguard stations at Belle Mer. There were many other reasons we booked at Beach Colony and didn't look twice at Belle Mer. Again, just because someone charges more for something, doesn't automatically give an increased value/upgrade to another.

  "The rest of this is not consequential, there was a human error and a double booking, we did our best for the client and found a great replacement unit for them."

  There was a hot water tank issue that was given as the specific reason for our cancellation by Debi, this was not "human error", this was a fabricated scenario in order to justify cancelling on us so the owner could be in the unit during 4th of July week. Simple documentation showing work that was required to be done on the week that we had reserved for over a year would be a big help, but Greg continues to sidestep any mention of gathering that information, and even states "there is no other documentation".

  "Additionally, I personally spoke to the customer and offered a discount for a future stay which he rejected."

  After having our planned, reserved vacation disrupted, nobody in their right mind would want to book another failed vacation with them, considering it's this easy to just cancel on a family and put them in a subpar unit with none of the amenities that were crucial in booking the original location. A partial credit for the troubles regarding both units would've been nice, considering my only contract was with Gulf Coast Getaways, not anyone else. 

  "The fact we were able to find a bigger and nicer condo on July 4th week was a minor miracle in itself"

  There's a reason it wasn't reserved during the busiest beach week of the year in the area, it was subpar! It doesn't matter that it was "bigger" or "priced higher", we didn't want an extra bed and bath, we wanted to be near the pier with lifeguard stations accessible for our children's safety. 

  
  Sincerely,
  
  Brandon *****

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