ComplaintsforDel Mar Vacations

• Initial Complaint

  11/05/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Upon arriving at our rental house, rented through ****, we heard significant construction from directly next door. I contacted the **** home management company, Del Mar Vacations, after seeing/hearing all the deafening construction at the motel 20 feet or less away.There were rotary drills and hammers, electric saws, electric *******, pry bars, and nail guns in use ALL DAY LONG. Nothing was done to alleviate the tremendous noise problem. Even though the workers had started work the week before our arrival, the homeowner and Del Mar Vacations claimed ignorance.The work began at 7:30 a.m. and continued until dark (7:40 pm) throughout our stay. I called Del Mar Vacations on the second day, and *** offered us $100 for our "inconvenience." She suggested that we leave our vacation house and enjoy the beach instead. The third day, I called Del Mar again, and *** informed me they wouldn't be renting the home to anyone for the upcoming four weeks because the noise was unbearable. She said she could offer me another 100 dollars, suggesting that we leave the house for the day and "enjoy what the Cape had to offer." I then called **** to see if they could help. I explained the construction noise. The **** representative could not hear me on the phone and asked me to go somewhere quiet so we could continue the conversation. He offered us $120 of the $122 fee paid to rent through ****. He agreed that this was not up to the standards that **** sets. He took the house off of ****. He said he would call Del Mar Vacations and see what options we had, to either stay somewhere else or be refunded. He never called back. No one from ****************** came over or did anything to help. One of the members of our party could no longer live with the incessant noise and left early. We could not talk over the electric saws, nail guns, and other loud construction noises. We were only compensated $200 from the management company for an unlivable intolerable situation.

  Customer response

  11/16/2023

  I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint. I have spoken with the business and they only offered me $200 total, which is unacceptable for an unlivable property. 

  Business response

  01/10/2024

  Dear ****,

  
  Thank you for reaching out in regards to your stay with Del Mar Vacations. I apologize as this was not the vacation you envisioned.  We do have a few variables in life that we cannot control and require us to pivot -one being noisy neighbors.  We acknowledge that your valued experience was not as anticipated, so we did offer you a partial refund on your stay.  I am sorry that this was part of your vacation, and appreciate your understanding.  We are eager to host you again and hope you enjoy a different experience here on the Cape.  Please feel free to contact us directly with any future bookings, ************.

   

  Thank you,

  Del Mar Vacations

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  10/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I booked a property for a 9/20/2023-9/25/2023 stay in ************, **. There were 4 members of our party, including one person with a disability who relies on a wheelchair/cane to navigate.Photos of the property chosen and the property's description on VRBO all appeared to accommodate this disability, however, upon arrival, this was not the case. There were several steps leading into the house from the outside which weren't shown in any photos; there were steep stairs leading upstairs, which is where the living space and the bathroom with a shower/tub combo were located (neither of which were described as up a set of stairs), and the downstairs restroom had a step leading up to the toilet.A member of my party fell three times in an hour because of the poor layout of the property that was not described in the listing. I've reached out to the company several times to request a refund for the nights we did not stay in the home, as after the first night I made a last-minute hotel reservation as it was physically unsafe for our full party to stay in the property. ******* has refused every request for a refund (on a $3,000+ booking), and only offered to cover the cost of our hotel booking (~$900). Emails to and from the management company appear to agree that photos and the description could be reviewed and edited for future bookings to be more clear, however, the company refuses to provide a partial refund. I offered to cover the one night we did stay in the house.

  Customer response

  10/27/2023

  I have not heard from the business in response to my complaint.

  Business response

  01/10/2024

  Dear *****,

  
  Thank you for reaching out in regards to your stay with Del Mar Vacations.  I apologize your lodging was not as you thought the pictures portrayed; it is always a best practice to reach out to us directly with any pertinent questions and requests so we can work with you ahead of time to find a great home match when that is an option.  If you ever have questions about layout, locations and what certain homes offer, our ************* team is extremely knowledgeable regarding the ins and outs of all our homes.  When we learned this home was not a good fit and you had moved to a hotel, we did offer to refund you your hotel costs so you would not incur any extra charges during your vacation.  I apologize you had this experience, and we are here to help if you have any future questions. 

  Thank you,

  Del Mar Vacations

  
  

  Customer response

  01/11/2024

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  I dont accept the business response as satisfactory to resolving my complaint. The business offered to cover the cost of our last-minute hotel, however, this charge was far less than what was charged by the business for their inaccurately-described service. 
  

  It should not fall on the customer to confirm every unique detail of the property when so much effort went into hiding the true nature of the property. Photos were taken that didnt display the reality of the layout, and there was no mention within any descriptions that prospective guests should reach out should they have a concern prior to booking. 
  

  the fact that it took three months for the property to respond to my complaint shows a lack of care/desire to resolve the situation. 
   
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  Grant

   

   

• Initial Complaint

  12/25/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Order Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I rented my home through Del Mar Vacations for the 2022 season but opted not to rent for the upcoming season. I asked ******* to transfer my **** account and they have refused. This is in breach of the contract I signed with them that does not state anywhere that they own the **** reviews. I have reached out to my direct contact and the *** several times to resolve this issue with no luck. Despite challenges this season, I would like to part on good terms with ******* and wish them well but they must honor the contract we signed.

  Business response

  01/03/2023

  Dear ********,

  
  We are sorry to have lost you as a customer and are glad that we served you well through the rental season.  We understand though when homeowners want to use their house most of the peak season and only want to rent it for a few weeks that is typically not a great fit for our premium service. 

  
   As your personal client manager shared, anything that ******* created to market the property and anything that came as a result is the Companys property according to our contract. This includes photography, the **** listing (which we designed and paid for) and other marketing materials.  Since the **** customer reviews were submitted during your tenure with us and apply to our listing and our management of your property, these remain the Companys property.

  
  We appreciate your continued understanding and are happy to answer any other questions you may have.

  
  Thank you,
  Del Mar Vacations
  
  

  Customer response

  01/04/2023

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as Answered. 

  Again, ****** is in breach of its contract with me. There is absolutely nothing in writing that says I do not own my VRBO reviews. I would like those turned over asap.
  
  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  ********

   

   

  Business response

  01/08/2023

  Dear ********,
  
  As previously stated, we paid for and own the **** listing and all associated marketing materials for every home we manage to include yours. More details on our marketing process can be found in section 19 of your contract.
  
  I apologize for the confusion here; please reach out if you have any further questions.
  
  Thank you,
  Del Mar Vacations
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  06/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  ***** Vacation Rental: June *****, 2022. Paid $4,548.73 + $300 Security Deposit Del Mar advertised water access for kayaking which does not exist.We chose 105 Countryside given its river access. We planned to unload our kayaks once and have them available for all to enjoy. Del Mars description . or you can stay in your own backyard and enjoy going down along the river. Airbnb: One of the unique features of this home is the access to the river behind the house. The river leads all the way to beautiful ************** on Pleasant Bay, the perfect place to explore with some rented kayaks! I emailed to confirm and we put down the deposit.Upon arrival, we could not find a path. I called. ****: Nobody has ever asked about this. I asked for a site visit. When ***** and a colleague arrived, ***** said: there is no path, there can be no path, its too marshy and overgrown.. About the property description, which I read out loud, verbatim, he said Owners write those, we have nothing to do with that and office people have no idea...The very next day, our next-door neighbor got out his weed whacker, cleared a path, brought down his kayak and paddled off. At no time did Del Mar try this and, in fact, on the 11th or 12th, they amended the Del Mar description to replace access with view.Continued on attached document.

  Customer response

  07/05/2022

  We actually HAVE heard from the business (see below) in separate emails, but not in response to the BBB complaint/BBB emails, so I have asked that they respond to the BBB complaint.

  The refund should be half the total cost of $4,500, which includes taxes and fees. Inside the house was fine, outside not as advertised, not as confirmed in writing before we put down a deposit and not rectified when brought to their attention. So, not a misunderstanding at all, but false advertising followed up by an untruth followed up by inaction.

  I would like their reply to be on public record. So if you could reach out again and ask that they respond to the complaint through the BBB website and communication portal it would be appreciated. Below is the last we heard.

  Thanks, *******

   

  Good morning, ******* --
  

  
  I understand and I'm sorry we weren't able to rectify the situation by providing direct access to the water during your stay. There was clearly a misunderstanding that we are working with the owner to resolve. 
  
  I provided the sum of $1,500 as it's over 40% of the room rate for your stay and I feel it's commensurate with the situation given that you had full access to use the majority of the property for your booked week. The taxes and fees are not items that I have access to refund as they must be paid regardless.  
  
  I hope you understand and I look forward to your response.
  
  Best,
  ***

  Business response

  07/08/2022

  Good morning *******,
  We received your public record complaint via BBB on 6/27. We pride ourselves on providing exceptional experiences for our Guests and are disheartened that you experienced this miscommunication during your stay and sorry that we were unable to meet your needs.  We have many protocols in place that ensure that every Guest has the ability to communicate with our team so that we can address all situations as promptly as possible.  I have noted that we had several conversations with you in the hope of resolving this situation to your satisfaction.  Per your request, your security deposit was credited to your card on 6/21 and should be showing on your statement by now. As previously stated on 6/20, although we were unable to recreate the exact vision you had for this vacation, we did attempt to offer you an alternative. We also offered you a 10% discount and included complimentary water sports rental equipment on a future stay. We then proceeded to offer, on 6/21, a 20% refund of the room rate in the amount of $733. On 6/24, we attempted to further remedy matters by offering you a 3 night refund of your 7-night stay of $1500 this sum is over 40% of the room rate for your stay, given that you had full access to use the majority of the property for your booked week. The associated taxes and fees are not items that we have access to refund as they must be paid regardless of any issue.  I am truly sorry that none of these solutions were satisfactory. We do hope to have the opportunity to host you again and to help you recreate your vision for you and your familys vacation.
  
  

  Customer response

  07/11/2022

  Better Business Bureau and Del Mar Vacations:

  We have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not resolve our concerns in reference to complaint # ********.

  This is not a case of a simple misunderstanding. It is a case of a real estate company lying to a customer who lives 500 miles away, who relied on their property description and assertion in email about direct water access. However, we will accept the $1,500 refund and consider the case closed once we receive it. We are pleased that Del Mar Vacations is documented on public record that they lied to us about water access. We will also be happy to tell this cautionary tale to those we know who also rent on the Cape.

  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *************************

   

  Business response

  07/14/2022

  Hello *******,
  As mentioned by my colleagues, we made multiple offers in hopes to remedy this experience privately.  I apologize as these offers did not seem to rectify the situation at that point in time.  Once again, we hope to have the opportunity to host you again, and myself or an experienced member of the **************** team will personally help you with a property that will ensure to hit all your needs.
  
  

  Customer response

  07/15/2022

  Better Business Bureau:I have reviewed the response submitted by the business and have determined that the response does not satisfy or resolve my issues and/or concerns in reference to complaint # ********. Please add your rejection comments below; if you do not provide any details, your complaint will be closed as

  I have accepted your latest refund offer of $1,500 as you will not agree half of total paid is fair, and we have no interest or reason to put our trust in ******* a second time.

  Businesses and Customers should be civil, courteous and polite in their responses to complaints. It is important to remain professional and productive when participating in the BBB complaint process.
  
  FAQ
  
  Regards,

  *******

   

   

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩