Location Verification
We have 2 properties, next door to each other. One had been put under review for location verification, a process that should take no more than 10 days to complete (and even this seems a long time). During this time, the property the property was closed by BDC, payments are frozen but we are asked to honour existing bookings. It's now been 22 days and the property is still under review. The only explanation is that they are short staffed. If they don't have the resources to carry out such a review within the stated time frame, then why are we being penalised with closed properties and no income?
Today, our other property has now been put under review!
What are other people's experience of this? What can we do? This is ridiculous and hurting us badly. We're new to BDC but the experience has been very poor and this has been a major blow.
If we advertise elsewhere, we need a channel manager but don't know where to start. Any advice on this would be appreciated.
Thank you.
we have the same problem its un belivible there is no one to talk to
As this is a real and very persistent subject, if you look at all the messages on this board. We have been trying to get the property verified for five months now (5 MONTHS!). Real help should be provided, instead of generic referrals to contact Partner Services.
We believe that BDC are in breach of contract, and today I have instructed our solicitors to look at this. BDC are still billing us for commission and expecting us to honour any pre-existing bookings but have frozen payments the other way.
Today, the Partner Services representative hung up on us - she kept repeating that the only thing to do was to wait, and asked if there was anything else she could help us with. I said there was - I was looking for our formal complaint to be responded to properly, and an explanation for why the process was taking so long and why Article 7iii(c) was being invoked without grounds. At that point, she simply hung up!
10 days, we were promised. They allowed the property to open without so-called verification. They allow guests to stay during the verification. They have no other way of verifying (despite contradictory advice). We have supplied official documents proving our address. The property was previously listed on Booking.com. None of this makes sense.
We are also reporting Booking.com to Trading Standards and the Competition Commissioner for anticompetitive activity and unfair terms. We would encourage others in this situation to do the same, if they feel so inclined.
I'm not sure what else we can do?
Please add further comments and follow the discussion on another post: "Account Disabled after Property Listing" where we are adding additional insights and avenues to possible redress:
Account disabled after property listing | Booking.com for Partners
We've been Verified! Happened with a Video Whatsapp Call - something we had heard about but were told by Partner Support that they didn't do any more. Turns out they do. Very straightforward. Took around 45-50 days in the end for this to come about which is too long, but shorter than some. Keep pushing. Once the Whatsapp call was concluded, the property was reopened immediately (within 10mins).
Hi Julian,
Our property (and payments) have been closed for 6 weeks now. It’s incredibly frustrating. Having read the contract in detail, am now keen to start legal action given clear breach of contract.
Any hints as to what you did to hurry it up?
Kind Regards, Catherine
Financial Ombusdman and Trading standards for me
we jus literally rushed to get ready for xmas place took off now shut no income not a rich man no way of paying the bills, banned me from joining hotels.com as they own that n i have only been 8 days. but reading these i think we are going to have to shut down they seem to have the monopoly so wrong, i was told they just ring your hotel you answer n thats it, but the day before a got told not to ring no more as it will work against me. if it goes over the 10 days i will be seeking advice and the worst thing is they email you saying dear partner what an insult.