Hello, a debt recovery group (debt collectors) is seeking $6k worth of damages due to a hotel room that was flooded. I would appreciate anyone's views on this please.
1. My cousin stayed in a hotel in QLD in September 2013 for several nights. On the last night she returned to the room and turned on the bathroom tap. No water came out. She accidentally left the tap on.
2. She advised reception of the water issue and was advised water maintenance was going on and should be returned later. No signs of water maintenance anywhere in hotel nor in my cousins hotel room.
3. She went out and returned to find the room flooded. On check out, the hotel took her bond of $300. My cousin states that had she been warned about the water maintenance from the hotel, she would not have turned the tap on in the first instance.
4. In Feb 2015, a debt recovery agency contacted my cousin and advised they act on behalf of CGU Insurance and seek $6,517 due to damage. Breakdown as follows:
Loss of rent - $232 per night for 17 days ($3,944)
New carpet $1,990
Gold Coast cleaning $583
5. I asked the debt recovery group where is the contractual obligation between my cousin and CGU? They replied as this is a debt recovery, no contractual obligation is required.
6. My cousin states that she called the hotel to obtain any file notes they may have on their system and spoke to a manager. The manager verbally advised my cousin she was not liable and asked the debt recovery agent to contact him/her.
7. My cousin states that the debt recovery agent contacted the manager and from that conversation, the debt recovery agent is now offering $5k to settle or will seek instructions from their client to comment litigation.
Please help.
1. My cousin stayed in a hotel in QLD in September 2013 for several nights. On the last night she returned to the room and turned on the bathroom tap. No water came out. She accidentally left the tap on.
2. She advised reception of the water issue and was advised water maintenance was going on and should be returned later. No signs of water maintenance anywhere in hotel nor in my cousins hotel room.
3. She went out and returned to find the room flooded. On check out, the hotel took her bond of $300. My cousin states that had she been warned about the water maintenance from the hotel, she would not have turned the tap on in the first instance.
4. In Feb 2015, a debt recovery agency contacted my cousin and advised they act on behalf of CGU Insurance and seek $6,517 due to damage. Breakdown as follows:
Loss of rent - $232 per night for 17 days ($3,944)
New carpet $1,990
Gold Coast cleaning $583
5. I asked the debt recovery group where is the contractual obligation between my cousin and CGU? They replied as this is a debt recovery, no contractual obligation is required.
6. My cousin states that she called the hotel to obtain any file notes they may have on their system and spoke to a manager. The manager verbally advised my cousin she was not liable and asked the debt recovery agent to contact him/her.
7. My cousin states that the debt recovery agent contacted the manager and from that conversation, the debt recovery agent is now offering $5k to settle or will seek instructions from their client to comment litigation.
Please help.