Why do I have to pay a commission for a reservation that was cancelled?

Question

I booked a vacation rental apartment in Germany for a planned vacation with friends. This is through an apt booking service which charges an 15 euro commission.

My friends backed out on me so obviously I had to cancel the large 4-person apartment. I had only just made the reservation days earlier and had not yet paid the deposit. But when I cancelled they sent an invoice saying I still own the 15euro commission. (I also know for a fact that the same apt was rented to someone else days later). Does it make any sense that they should charge me a fee? What did they do for me and what inconvenience did I cause them?

Not that I'm crazy about this thought because I am an honest person who pays all debts, but give that this is a foreign agency and they do not have my CC info (just my name and address), what can they really do to me? Should I just ignore them?

Thanks.

Answer 1

You're paying for the services of the booking agency to locate the apartment for you.  Rather than looking for an apartment on your own, they located and booked the apartment for you.  In short, they did their job.  Booking agencies are in the business of putting people together, not renting their own properties out - so this was their sole compensation from you.

It's unfortunate that your friends backed out, but you hired the agent to do a job, they did their job, and now they deserve to be compensated.

Answer 2

I don't know whether you are here in Europe or elsewhere, but...It sounds like you used a booking agency that specialises in booking apartments for absentee owners, pretty much like an estate agent.  The commission they charge is actually the fee they charge for their 'service', which usually involves them making a phone call or sending an email to the owner.  Whether you are booking for a holiday or trying to let an apartment to live in, they get ya. If you are not a EU citizen and don't plan on using the service again, then its a moral flip of the coin as to whether to pay or not, especially if they don't have your banking details.