Asking to pay for holiday home when she said it would be free

[Momhope15]

Am I being unreasonable?
My friend has been telling that she wants to sell her holiday home in Italy to which I said I knew a couple looking for a vacation home abroad.
She told me that they could go visit the 2 bed apartment and stay for free for a couple days maximum a week as the flat was empty anyway due to it being winter.
I reverted that same information to the couple to which now they say they wish to stay 2 weeks to know the area a little bit better and also they are travelling all the way from UK to Italy. I know 2 weeks was never the agreement and I was not expecting them to stay there for free so I asked my friend to give me rate.
She first quoted me 450 euros.. a week! Of course I looked surprised and she eventually said no less than 200 euros per week. That's still 400 euros. I completely do understand that she has costs like electricity, cleaning etc but I thought the rate was a bit too high and not expected. I felt as if she is now renting as a "business" and is deviating from the original agreement. I am embarrassed to be in the middle as I feel really bad to tell the couple that the visit will cost them 400 euros at least and I don't wish to tell my other friend that they thought it would be less .....

I wonder how many other properties these people have gone and stayed at for free with a view to 'buying'?

And everyone ignores that the OP says that similar holiday lets in the winter cost $400 for 2 weeks.

And everyone ignores that the OP says that similar holiday lets in the winter cost $400 for 2 weeks.

Because it’s irrelevant. They can rent their property for any amount they like.

I suspect they are trying to discourage the OP’s chancer friends.

Yes they can rent it for any amount they want. But all those comments saying they are being generous are false. They are charging more than the going rate. Up to them, but not generous.

Their generosity was in offering a week free.

It sounds like they actively don’t want these people to stay for a second week (and no doubt use it as a base for viewing other properties) and are using a high price for week two to persuade them to just stay the first week.

There is no way 400 euros is anything more than covering costs.

I think the potential buyers are cf. They don’t need two weeks to decide on a property. Most potential buyers just view a property not actually stay there. They were very cheeky to ask for two weeks after she kindly offered a couple of days. Who does that. Bet they need two weeks to view other properties in the area and the owner knows this. €400 for two weeks is buttons. I also bet they don’t buy the property.

I agree lego, they won't buy the property and are using it as a base only and, are frankly, arseholes! Your friend OP seems generous.

They have not in reality offered a week free if comparable properties are cheaper to rent for 2 whole weeks. They are charging more for the 2 weeks than comparable properties.

They have not in reality offered a week free if comparable properties are cheaper to rent for 2 whole weeks

Mary I think you are missing the point. The offer was for the potential buys to stay free for up to a week.

The buyers asked to stay the second week - it wasn’t offered.

Therefore I would draw the conclusion that the sellers don’t want them to stay for second week hence the price.

They could still stay free for a week.

The chance of this couple buying that random holiday apartment is virtually nil.

Surely the would-be buyers could not possibly think they could stay for free for 2 weeks?! I would let them get on with it but 400 Euros for 2 weeks sounds like a huge bargain to me.

Remove yourself from the equation.

The best way would be for your friend to charge €400 for the two weeks and agree to put €100 to solicitors fees for the sale.

Win win. Both sides being cheeky. The two week people the most.

marymarkle - which bit of the OP writing, "Don't get me wrong I didn't expect it to be free neither did the couple. I should have said that the going rate for similar flat in same location is 400 euros for 2 weeks" did you interpret as them charging more than the market rate for a 2-week stay? No way do they need to stay for 2-weeks at that flat to decide whether or not they want to buy it - they have exposed themselves as chancers who are an exceptionally long way off getting round to buying a property in that area or anywhere else, if they need that long to decide on one flat. If they are even a teensy, weensy bit serious about buying in an area they have admitted they don't even know, they will be looking at other properties in the area at the same time - or just living it up for two weeks. For that, they should pay market rates, like anyone else looking for properties in the area for two solid weeks, rather than using someone else's flat as a cheap base on the back of no promise to do anything other than get a cheap holiday for themselves.

I would leave it for the two parties to discuss, OP.

My gut feeling is that your friend was thinking of a few trial days out of season. That’s generous actually, if they were viewing through an agent they would just get a walk around.

The couple, I’m afraid, are showing CF tendencies and are trying to make a holiday of it. She is right to charge them.

Also depends on when they want to go. Holiday lets are very much higher than standard residential rentals in most resorts. Near me 1000 euros a week would not be out of the way.

Another thought, couple pay rental but friend deducts it from purchase price if they buy. That might resolve things.

I don’t get why you’re embarrassed. Your friend said free for maximum a week (not free full stop) - the other couple decided they want two weeks (which seems to me to be taking the piss somewhat given the purpose of the visit) and your friend is not unreasonable to charge for the second if she wants to - accepting the couple may decide not to go. No idea whether £400 is a reasonable amount for the property for a week or not. Like the idea of knocking it off the purchase price if the couple go ahead and buy.

Or did you not clearly tell the couple it was a couple of days and a maximum of a week?

Either way as said let the couple know and suggest they speak to your friend direct to settle the details (or not). Easy.

But if they were looking for a holiday home in any area, they would expect to incur search costs. Such as travelling to the area and paying to stay there while they looked. They might not buy the place, they could trash it and your friend would have no protection at all.

They sound like chancers - cheap at best, criminal at worst!

400 euros for week in Italy is very cheap even out of season. A compromise would be pay the 400 euros but if you bye holiday home from us we take it off of bill. That is deal we got when we bought our holiday home.

400 euros for the second week is good. Many other people have to stay in hotels when they are looking at holiday homes, and 2 weeks abroad would cost substantially more.
It sounds to me like your other friends are after a free holiday.

What does CF mean? I see it on here a lot. I can only break it down to cheeky fucker.

pandechocolate you're correct.

The owner's probably deliberately trying to put them off going because they're taking liberties before they've even arrived. Chancers.

The owner is charging the cheeky fucker rate.

Think it's a flat, not a villa.

I doubt they are serious buyers (of this specific apartment)- a casual chat resulted in a freebee and they are seeing if they can get more.

If they were serious they would be heading out anyway to view lots of apartments, so would have factored in accommodation costs,

If they can’t afford to pay for their accommodation I doubt they can afford a holiday home!!!