It happened in the summer. My acquanted real estate agent called me and said that she has a man (private agent) with the client on our apartment for rent. Client wanted a nice studio apartment for 3 weeks. We arrange an appointment, to which came that agent without the client. He liked the apartment and the price was comfortable, but the only condition – the customer must settle himself and at that moment he could pay for the apartment only for a few days. The other condition from him was that all payments only through him, because the client did not need to worry, he was very well-known athlete from the East. As soon as he inhabited as a client, he would call and give all the money. Because it was the man from our friend, so it was decided to accept. However, history had not ended so well, as in words.
In the evening the agent called and said that everything is in order – he settled the client, but at that moment he could not bring up money, so he left to prepare for a wedding in another city. But he would coming just the day before he paid, and would bring the full amount. It was already not the first but the second alarm, and we arrived at the apartment – to get acquainted with the client. It was a middle-aged man from Iran, not talking in Russian, but owned by the British. It turned out that some of his relatives living in Minsk and in the agent got him an apartment for living instead of a hotel. He paid the full amount for accommodation to that agent. We explained to him the whole situation and put him on notice that if the agent did not pay us, or we would be forced to evict him, or he would pay us – the owners – the remaining amount. He immediately called his cousin, his cousin called immediately that agent. Some time later the agent called us back and told us that our behavior is very upset that we were violating our agreement – not to go to the client – and needlessly panic. Of course, we were very interested, what exactly we were violating the agreement – the client fraud or apartment owners fraud? Before the appointed day we did not bother the client according to the rules of etiquette. When that day arrived, as we had feared, the agent could not come again, and just asked some of his friend a ride to pay just for one more day. It was no good in any scope, but because it was already evening, we decided to go to the apartment the next morning. The next day we agreed to meet with the customer, and he was forced to pay the remaining amount for accommodation in a larger size without giving the original discount.
Of course, you can avoid this unpleasant history, observing the following rules:
- to see the client in person and to talk about money only with him;
- 100% payment for the entire period of residence from the hands of the client;
- no trust strangers – friends, strangers – business is business and it has clear rules.
In this situation, as a result the client affected. Although most likely we were just lucky that it happened and all the client actually was a decent man and nothing happen with our apartment. All this proves only one thing – the rules for renting an apartment must be respected.
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