How do Bookabach Gift Vouchers work? (for guests)

This article is for: Renters

Bookabach Gift Vouchers provide a way to pre-purchase accommodation on Bookabach (not currently available on Bookastay Australia or Pacifica websites).  Vouchers are paid for by credit card and can be sent by email as a PDF attachment, or printed out and gifted.

To purchase a gift voucher

You’ll find a link to Buy a Gift Voucher in the footer of each page on http://www.bookabach.co.nz.  Or, click here to be taken to this page.

The funds associated with voucher payments are held in our Commercial Trust Account (Safepay) and only paid to the property owner/manager after the stay has completed.  A 2% Safepay service fee applies at time of voucher purchase.

To redeem a gift voucher

1) Make a booking request via the Bookabach website as usual.

Once your booking has been accepted and the owner/manager has indicated what is owed (the Charge):

2) Go to My Bookabach > Bookings and use the Make a payment button.

3) Choose the Pay by Gift Voucher option and then enter the code that appears on your voucher.

It doesn’t cost an owner/manager anything to accept Bookabach Gift Vouchers.  Funds associated with the voucher are shown in their Trust Account and are available to them for drawdown after your stay has completed.

Refer to the Gift Voucher Terms of Use which appear on your voucher.

How do I pay on a “Safepay” property?

This article is for: Renters

**NOTE: Safepay is currently only available on Bookabach NZ and not offered on all properties**

When you pay for your stay using credit card on a “Safepay” property your funds are held in the Bookabach Commercial Trust Account.  These funds only become available to a property owner/manager after your stay has completed.  Paying by credit card has the additional advantage in that your booking is instantly confirmed on payment.

If you cancel your booking, Bookabach will process your cancellation and refund you any amounts due (not the owner/manager).  Also, if for any reason beyond your control the accommodation is not made available to you, then Bookabach will refund you your money.

Note that a 2% Safepay service fee applies to any credit card payments.

To make a credit card payment:

1) Make a booking request via the Bookabach website as usual.

Once your booking has been accepted and the owner/manager has indicated what is owed (the Charge):

2) Go to My Bookabach > Bookings and use the Make a payment button.

3) Choose the credit card option and enter the required details.

See also:
How do I pay on a “Deal Direct” property?
How do I pay on a “Professionally Managed” property?

How do I pay on a “Professionally Managed” property?

This article is for: Renters

***NOTE: Credit card facilities for Professionally Managed properties are currently only available on Bookabach NZ ***

Professionally Managed properties on Bookabach accept payments by credit card, internet banking and possibly cash or personal cheque.  If you pay by credit card your payments go into the Property Manager’s Commercial Trust Account. We know this because we provide them with the payment facility (our Hosted Payments product).

If you pay by internet banking, cash or personal cheque the Property Manager should also put these funds in their Commercial Trust Account.

If you cancel your booking it is up to the Property Manager to process the cancellation and provide you with any refund due.

See also:
How do I pay on a “Safepay” property?
How do I pay on a “Deal Direct” property?

How do I pay on a “Deal Direct” property?

This article is for: Renters

With Deal Direct properties you pay the owner or property manager directly for the stay. You can pay them by internet banking, cash, and in some cases personal cheque. They may also accept credit card payments.

If you cancel your booking it is up to the owner/manager to process the cancellation and provide you with any refund due.

See also:
How do I pay on a “Safepay” property?
How do I pay on a “Professionally Managed” property?

A guest who’s paid by Credit Card is asking for a cash cancellation refund. Should I pay it?

This article is for: Managers

If you have a guest who’s paid by credit card (Payment Gateway, Hosted Payment or your own facility) then you should ALWAYS process refunds as credits back to this same credit card.  This protects you from any potential scam involving a stolen card or card number.

In cases where you’ve received ‘split’ payments - payments by credit card and by other means such as Internet Banking or Cash - only refund to the card the maximum that was paid using the card.

Please be cautious when dealing with refunds where credit cards are involved.

I stayed at a property recently. When do I receive my AA Smartfuel discount?

This article is for: Renters

Bookabach offers a 10c per litre AA Smartfuel discount on properties that display the AA Smartfuel logo on their listing.  These are our Top-500 Performing Properties.  We may also offer AA Smartfuel discounts as an incentive under specific marketing campaigns that use campaign offer codes.

To qualify for your AA Smartfuel discount:
* You must have a confirmed stay at an AA Smartfuel qualifying property.  This is a property that displays the AA Smartfuel logo at the time you make your booking request, or is part of a specific campaign-based AA Smartfuel offer (with an offer code).
* You must have your AA membership number or AA Smartfuel number in your personal profile (see My Bookabach > Update my details), and it must be validated (using the validation link).

AA Smartfuel discounts are automatically allocated 7 days after your stay has completed.  This allows owners/managers to update their records with any last minute cancellations.  We’ll let you know (by email) when your AA Smartfuel discount has been credited to your AA Smartfuel card.

IMPORTANT:
We record whether or not to allocate an AA Smartfuel discount at the time you make your booking request.  This means:
* Bookings lodged prior to 11-Nov-2011 do not qualify for AA Smartfuel Discounts.  This is the date AA Smartfuel was launched on Bookabach.
* Bookings on properties displaying AA Smartfuel that where not Top-500 properties when you made your booking request do not qualify for AA Smartfuel Discounts.

I’ve made an enquiry but haven’t had response.  What do I do?

This article is for: Renters

If you’ve made a booking request but haven’t had a response from the property owner/manager here’s what to do:

Check the current status of your booking

First, log into your My Bookabach account and go to my bookabach > Bookings to check your booking request.  There’s a chance that it has been declined but the owner/manager omitted to send you an email.  By default you should receive an email from them, but they can override this and choose not to send the email.

If your booking is still showing as REQUESTED

Check the email we sent you when you first made the enquiry (booking request acknowledgement).  In this email (in most cases) you’ll find the owner/manager contact information and an indication of how quickly they typically respond.  Remember that holiday homes are not like hotels and motels, and in many cases owners are not doing this “for a living”.  So, while some commit to responding quickly, otherwise are up front in saying it may take them a few days to respond.  So, please respect this. 

Use the owner/manager contact details to contact them by phone.  You’ll find a link to their contact details next to the entry in My Bookabach > Bookings.

If you haven’t heard back in the specified time frame and the owner’s/manager’s contact details aren’t recorded, then please put in a support request and we’ll follow up for you.  If the response time isn’t specified, we’ll contact an owner/manager on your behalf if you haven’t heard back after 48 hours (excluding weekends).

I stayed at a property and want to provide feedback, how do I do this?

This article is for: Renters

We automatically send a “Request for Feedback” email notice a few days after the completion of your stay.  Use the link in that email to get through to the online feedback questionnaire.

If you haven’t received this email or you’ve lost it, or if you just want to provide feedback as soon as your stay completes, you can do this online by:

1) Going to http://www.bookabach.co.nz and logging into My Bookabach
2) Go to Past Bookings
3) Use the Give feedback link on the past booking

-OR-
1) Find the listing on http://www.bookabach.co.nz
2) Use the feedback link in the Guest Comments section.  (You’ll then be asked to log-in if you are not already).

Feedback links are only generated on bookings that were Completed - and only on bookings you’ve made through Bookabach.  You can only provide feedback on bookings that were completed within the last 365 days.

If your booking proceeded, but is still showing as “Requested” or “Accepted”, then please let us know using the Did this go ahead? link.

If you stay at the same property more than once, you won’t be able to create feedback entries for each stay.  You’ll only get one feedback entry, located under the original stay date, and previous comments will be superceded each time you add new comments.  It’s industry standard to allow only one feedback entry per person, and this is to prevent feedback manipulation.

How do I cancel my booking? (rental guests)

This article is for: Renters

If you’ve made a booking through Bookabach but need to cancel, please notify the owner/manager directly that you are cancelling:

1) Log in to My Bookabach on http://www.bookabach.co.nz
2) Click the “Bookings” tab.
3) Click the “Cancel booking” button for the relevant entry.  This will generate an email to send to the owner/manager, and you can optionally add in your own message.
4) Click the “Send” button.

If you’ve already paid a deposit, depending on the agreement you have in place between you and the owner/manager, you may forfeit some or all of the rental deposit or rental payment you have paid.  We recommend that you check the owner’s/manager’s rental terms and cancellation policy before you cancel.  If the owner/manager is using online rental terms, you can view them using the Booking Statement: View/Download links on the Bookings page of your “My Bookabach” account.

How do I request a booking?

This article is for: Renters

Every Bookabach listing has a price and availability box that is located underneath the main property description.  To make a booking request, follow these simple steps:

1) Either enter your arrival date using the calendar icon and click the “Go” button, or scan for your dates using the scroll-key at the top of the calendar.  You can scan week by week by clicking the arrows on each side of the display.
Note that we use the following colour codes on the calendar:
RED: The property is already booked.
YELLOW: Provisionally booked (a requested or accepted booking is already present).  You are welcome to make an enquiry but you are unlikely to have it accepted.
GREY: Availability information not displayed.  You can still request a booking, but you will have to wait to find out availability.
You’ll also find public, provincial and school holidays marked on the calendar (small coloured triangles)

2) Use the tick-boxes to select the dates you want to stay.  Holding your cursor over a date will bring up a pop-up box with full pricing information and any minimum night stay requirement.

3) Click the red “Request a booking” button once you’ve selected your days.  (Note: the green “Make a booking” button is designed to switch between pages and doesn’t actually lodge your booking).

4) Add and/or edit the relevant details and submit your request.

When you request a booking, the website will immediately notify the bach owner or property manager.   You’ll receive an acknowledgement email from us and in most cases it will have the property owner’s/manager’s contact phone numbers, so you can call to follow up your request. 

A record of your booking request will be entered in My Bookabach > Bookings.

What does POA mean? (for renters)

This article is for: Renters

POA stands for “Price on application”.

This means that the bach owner or property manager has not provided pricing information.  You will need to make a booking request and ask for a price quotation.

Why should I book through Bookabach/Bookastay?

This article is for: Renters

Bookabach lets bach owners and property managers link to their own website. While in most cases this will give you more information than you can glean from the Bookabach website, we urge you to make your booking through Bookabach.

Booking through Bookabach doesn’t cost a thing. It ensures that your booking request ends up on the calendar used for the property Also, it gives us the traceability we need to help you if need be.

What does Enquiry Pending mean?

This article is for: Renters

Enquiry Pending means that someone has already made an enquiry over the dates shown.  It shows in YELLOW on the Price-Availability display. You can still put in a Booking Request, but you should be prepared for the possibility of it being declined if the initial booking goes through.

What is Bookabach’s policy on gazumping?

This article is for: Managers Renters

Gazumping is where an owner or property manager accepts a booking (verbally or in writing), but then chooses to accept another booking and cancel the first.  Typically this happens where an owner/manager receives a booking for a short-term stay, accepts it, then changes their mind when a more tempting long-stay booking is received for the same period

Bookabach DOES NOT condone the practice of gazumping.  We recommend owners/managers stand by their word when a booking is accepted.  However, we do recommend that owners/managers set a clear time limit for a rental guest to make a deposit to secure (i.e. confirm) the booking.  If this time limit is exceeded then it is acceptable practice to cancel the booking and accept another.

If you find yourself gazumped please contact support@bookabach.co.nz

How do I edit, update or change a booking?

This article is for: Managers

To edit a booking:

1. Go to http://manage.bookabach.co.nz and log in.
2. Find the booking using the search field at the top of the page, or by going to the Bookings page.  Click the down arrow in the date range box and select the required time frame.
3. Click the “Open Booking” link for the entry.
4. Click the Edit booking link (located under the renter’s name).
5. Make your changes and click the “Save” button.

If you can’t edit a Confirmed in-progress booking, please contact us or put in a support request before the scheduled departure date and we’ll make the changes for you.

Note that if you are using Payment Tracking (Quotations and Payments) and you change dates, then you will need to re-quote (reset the quotation) to calculate the new charges.

How do I cancel a booking? (owners/property managers)

This article is for: Managers

Should you have a cancellation please take time to cancel the booking. To do this:

1) Go to http://manage.bookabach.co.nz and log in.
2) Click the Bookings tab.
3) Find the booking in question by using the search facility at the top of the page, or by clicking the down-arrow in the date-range box and selecting “All future bookings”.
4) Click the “Cancel booking” link on the right-hand side of the entry.

We do not charge Performance Plan success fees on stays that do not go ahead but you need to cancel the booking before the scheduled departure date.  If you can’t cancel a Confirmed in-progress booking, please notify Bookabach before the scheduled departure date and we’ll do it for you.

If you didn’t cancel a Performance Plan booking before the scheduled departure date, we can cancel the success fee invoice for you, but charge a manual transaction fee to do this.

How do I Confirm an Accepted booking?

This article is for: Managers

You should confirm bookings once a deposit has been received as security.  To convert an Accepted Booking to a Confirmed Booking:

1. Go to http://manage.bookabach.co.nz and log in.

2. Click the Bookings Tab

3. Find the booking using the search facility at the top of the page, or by clicking the down arrow in the date-range box and selecting “All future bookings”.

4. Click the “Confirm booking” link (on the right-hand side).

We give you the option to send an email to your customer indicating that the booking has been confirmed.  Confirmed bookings show as red (booked) on your calendar and red (booked) on your listing.

What do the colours mean on the listing price/availability?

This article is for: Renters

We use colours to describe the availability status of each property. These colours show in the Price/Availability area of the listing. Here’s what they mean:

WHITE: Available.

YELLOW: Provisionally booked. One or more requested or accepted bookings may be present on this day, but nothing confirmed yet. By all means make an enquiry - but understand you’ll only get a look-in if someone cancels.

RED: Booked. A confirmed booking is present on this day.  Booking requests are no longer accepted.

GREY: Availability unknown. The owner/manager is not committed to providing availability information to Bookabach.

GREEN: Selected. A day you’ve selected for your booking.

How should I manage key collection? Our thoughts…

This article is for: Managers

Please refer to this article in Owner/Manager Resources: How to manage key collection.

What should be included in a rental agreement?

This article is for: Managers

A Rental Agreement protects both you and your guests and can prevent time consuming and potentially costly disputes.

Your Rental Agreement should include:

* Payment Terms (when you expect payment(s) to be made)

* Cancellation Terms and charges (what happens when someone cancels)

It should also include a clause that describes what happens if you (the owner or property manager) has to cancel the booking.

To create a Rental Agreement online:

1) Log into the owner/manager website

2) Go to My Settings > Rental Terms

For more advice on what to include in a Rental Agreement see the article: "What to include in a rental agreement".

Why do you not support feedback for externally added rental bookings?

This article is for: Managers

We only support feedback on transactions made via the website, i.e. Bookabach bookings and questions made via a property listing page on the website.

Sorry, but we can’t allow feedback from externally added bookings as it would open the feedback system to potential abuse.

How do I convert a question into a booking?

This article is for: Managers

To convert a question into a booking:
1) Log in and go to Bookings > Questions.
2) Use the “Convert to Booking Request” link beneath the question.
3) Define dates, number of people staying etc. and submit this.

The system gives you the option to send an email to your rental guest.

What if I receive a long term rental while I’m on the Performance Plan?

This article is for: Managers

Bookabach charges a maximum of 14-nights success fee on any one booking. On these longer term rentals the success fee is billed after the 14th night stay.