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We have rented our villa in Florida for 19 years with 5* reviews and no problem until June when a guest reported 'bed bugs'. Our management had a specialist in who confirmed them so we arranged to move the guest to another villa at our expense immediately. All went well with no complaint until the guest returned to the UK and then demanded compensation for the inconvenience and suffering with bites.
We told them we felt we had done all that we could be expected and would not pay any compensation. After treatment it transpired that only the master bedroom was affected but we had to replace all bedding and pay US$1500 for treatment. We had no complaints from the previous 2 guests to them and therefore believe the bugs were brought in by the claimant even if unwittingly. Our guest has now issued a money claim for the cost they paid to our advertising site Homeaway although we do not receive all that they paid due to taxes and Homeaway fees.
I have responded to the claim with a counter claim for our expensed which come to more than the guest claim but have only requested the same amount as theirs.
Is the court likely to just award to the claimant or will they look at the facts I have provided? Who in the court actually deals with these cases, hopefully not just a clerk but someone who will review everything?
We told them we felt we had done all that we could be expected and would not pay any compensation. After treatment it transpired that only the master bedroom was affected but we had to replace all bedding and pay US$1500 for treatment. We had no complaints from the previous 2 guests to them and therefore believe the bugs were brought in by the claimant even if unwittingly. Our guest has now issued a money claim for the cost they paid to our advertising site Homeaway although we do not receive all that they paid due to taxes and Homeaway fees.
I have responded to the claim with a counter claim for our expensed which come to more than the guest claim but have only requested the same amount as theirs.
Is the court likely to just award to the claimant or will they look at the facts I have provided? Who in the court actually deals with these cases, hopefully not just a clerk but someone who will review everything?
