Mbizi Caravan Lodge reviews and complaints
The good, the bad, and the ugly - discover what customers are saying about Mbizi Caravan Lodge
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Refund of deposit
I made a booking with Mbizi caravan park on 13.01.2012 for a caravan site with a private ablution. As I have Mbizi’s bank details saved in my beneficiary list on my internet banking, there is no reservation number attached to the beneficiary. I paid a deposit of R1637-50 into Mbizi’s bank account also on 13-01-2012 and emailed the proof of payment through to Mbizi with my reservation number as the name of the document.
On 21-01-2012, I sent an email to Mbizi advising that there will be an additional vehicle on the campsite as I had arranged for friends of mine to go with us. For this, Mbizi wanted to charge us an additional R80-00 per day totalling R400 extra for the 5 days that I had booked – I received no response from Mbizi.
On, 08-02-2012, I received an e-mail from Mbizi advising that my reservation had been cancelled as I had not paid my deposit. After a huge fight with Herman van Tonder from Mbizi, he suddenly found my payment and made a new booking. Initially I accepted this but on getting home and discussing the matter with my husband, my husband advised that I should cancel the reservation and get our deposit back.
On top of this, Mbizi want to charge me a 20% cancellation fee – not on my initial booking amount, but on the new amount which includes an addition R400-00. I am not willing to pay the 20% cancellation fee as it is through Mbizi’s own incompetence that this has now become an issue. As my booking is only for 26 April, Mbizi are receiving more than 2 months cancellation notice.
In addition to this, Herman from Mbizi has sent me an e-mail stating that unless I apologise to him, he will not refund my deposit. This is not only fraud and theft, but also extortion and blackmail and I would like to take this matter further
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Bad attitude and lack of empathy
On 12 Feb 2010 I booked 2 caravan sites for weekend of 23 - 27th April 2010. I paid deposit to them. On 27 Feb my husband suffered a heart attack and was admitted to hospital where he underwent a quadruple bypass. He has just been discharged and the doctor has advised him to rest for about 8 weeks - so sleeping on an inflatable mattress was not an option. I phoned Mbizi and spoke to Debbie saying I needed to cancel. She said there would be no problem as long as I had a doctors note. I faxed to her and she forwarded on to Herman (owner). He refunded my deposit minus 20%. On phoning him to discuss why full amount had not been refunded he was extremly rude and aggressive to me - leaving me in tears . He told me that he did not care what me and my family had gone through. We meant nothing to him and I must realise he has a business to run. He said that I was lucky to get anything back at all. This Lodge is very popu lar and I have no doubt the sites would have been snapped up at a moments notice. This incident was totally beyond our control. This resort is lovely and I would like to have rebooked for a later time - but with an owner like that - NO THANKS!
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Herman, I am in the process of filing my complaint on www.hellopeter.com, I will be posting it on Facebook, and will also log my complaint with the Consumer Protection Act as well as with the Department of Trade and Industry.
I WILL NOT pay the 20% deposit as the fault is on the part of MBIZI and I expect my deposit to be refunded IN FULL!
From: herman@mbizi.co.za [mailto:herman@mbizi.co.za]
Sent: 08 February 2012 19:04
To: top2@icon.co.za
Subject: RE: FW: Mbizi Caravan Lodge Booking Confirmation
Hi daar
Ek het geen verskooning nie u het die betaaling verkeerd gemaak met verkeerde verwysing (your have to make the excuses)
Daar sal n 20% admin gehef word vir kanselasie =R3675.00 --20% = R 902.50 terug betaaling sal gemaak word
Indien u saam stem daarmee per epos gaan ek voort om u betaaling te maak
Groete
-------Original Message-------
From: S. Topham
Date: 2/8/2012 6:56:59 PM
To: herman@mbizi.co.za
Subject: RE: FW: Mbizi Caravan Lodge Booking Confirmation
Herman, I am NOT interested in your excuses. REFUND MY DEPOSIT WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT AND WATCH THIS SPACE!
From: herman@mbizi.co.za [mailto:herman@mbizi.co.za]
Sent: 08 February 2012 18:44
To: top2@icon.co.za
Subject: Re: FW: Mbizi Caravan Lodge Booking Confirmation
HI DAAR
AANGEHEG IS DIE BESPREEKING WAT VANDAG WEER GEMAAK IS
U HET N BETAALING GEMAAK OP 13/01/2012 NA MBIZI BANKREKENING U VERWYSING OP ONS BANK STAAN CARAVAN BOOKING HOE MOET ONS WEET DAT DIT U GELD IS WAT U IN BETAAL HET U HET GEEN BOEKING NOMMER GEBRUIK NIE NA U VANDAG N EPOS ONTVANG HET DAT U BOOKING GAAN KANSELEER HET ONS VAN U GEHOOR TOE KON ONS DIT REGSTEL DEUR DIE BOOKING OOR TE KON MAAK EN U GELD TE ALOEKEER
U EPOS WAT U SE U HET N SNOTTY MAIL GEKRY IS ONWAAR INDIEN U NIE U BOOKING NOMMER SOOS GEVRA MET ONDERSTAANDE WAT SAAM ELKE MAIL UIT GAAN NIE KAN ONS ONGELUKKIG NIE U BETAALING ALOEKEER NIE
EK HET ONS GESPREK OP BAND OPGENEEM EN DAAR KAN ONS OP HOOR DAT U BAIE ONREDELIK WAS NADAT U NIE N BOOKING NOMMER GEBRUIK HET NIE EK WAS GEENSIN ONREDELIK NIE EN HET DIE BOOKING OMMIDELIK REGGESTEL
INDIEN U WIL KANSELEER ASGEVOLG VAN U NALATIGHEID IS U WELKOM
AANGEHEG ONS TERMES EN VOOR WAARDES
PAYMENTS: 50% deposit no longer than 48 hours after booking. Use the BOOKINGNUMBER as reference. The final amount to be paid at least 14 days before arrival. If the booking is made less than 14 days before arrival, the full amount must be paid within 24 hours from the booking. If the payment is not made in time, the system will automatically cancel the booking. No cheques please.
4. GROUP BOOKINGS: The person who made the booking is responsible for the full payment at least 14 days prior to arrival. The group will not be allowed to put up camp if the full payment is not received and proof delivered.
5. WEEKENDS: Cannot be split. The customer pays for the Friday and Saturday night. The same rule applies for Long weekends/ Public Holidays/ School Holidays.
6. REFUNDS/ CANCELLATIONS: No refunds or changes for any late arrivals or early departures. No refunds for short notice cancellations I.e.: a) 2 weeks before out of season and midweek season, b) 1 month before for June holidays, c) Not after 10th February for March/ April/ May season, d) Not after 10th October for December / January season, e) Not later than 2 months before any long weekend or public holiday, f) Admin fee (if applicable) on any refund /transfer/ upgrades = 20% of total amount. No refunds or changes for persons who did not arrive with group / on the stand. If you booked for example for 5 people, you will pay for 5 people. If only 4 arrived, you will not be refunded. If you booked for example 5 stands, but only 4 stands were occupied, the 5th stand cannot be cancelled. The person who made the booking is still responsible for all the payments. Changes, cancellations or bankdetails must be given in writing. These conditions also apply for bookings made AFTER the deadlines given above.
Dear guest
Thank you for booking at Mbizi
Use only your booking number as reference . Deposits - payable within 48 hours of booking . When booking made 14 days before arrival, the total amount is payable within 24 hours of booking . Final payment - payable at least 14 days before arrival.
Tel [protected]
-------Original Message-------
From: S. Topham
Date: 2/8/2012 6:00:40 PM
To: herman@mbizi.co.za
Cc: 'Mbizi - Reception and Bookings'
Subject: FW: Mbizi Caravan Lodge Booking Confirmation
Good day, I refer to the attached reservation which refers to your e-mail below and advise as follows:
Based on the fact that I paid my deposit on 13/01/2012 and emailed my proof of payment (see attached e-mail) to yourselves, I don’t appreciate getting this type of snotty e-mail and I basically don’t want to stay at your resort any longer
I therefore demand that my deposit be refunded in full into my bank account with immediate effect.
Bank details as follows:
Name of account: Mrs S. Topham
Name of Bank: Standard Bank
Branch: Centurion
Account number: [protected]
Please can you ensure that you e-mail me proof of payment of my refund by no later than close of business on Thursday 09/02/2012. Failure to this will result in legal action against your resort. I will also log my complaint about the treatment that I have received from you and your result on the international www.hellopeter.com website.
I await your earliest response
Yours faithfully
S. Topham (Mrs)
Cell: [protected]
E-Mail: top2@icon.co.za
From: herman@mbizi.co.za [mailto:herman@mbizi.co.za]
Sent: 08 February 2012 10:42
To: top2@icon.co.za
Subject: Mbizi Caravan Lodge Booking Confirmation
Get Acrobat reader from http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/acrobat/readstep2.htm
BOOKING GEKANSELEER GEEN DEP IS ONTVANG NIE
VIR N NUWE BESPREEKING SKAKEL DIE BESPREEKINGS KANTOOR
MBIZI CARAVAN LODGE
[protected]