Corfu Bareboat Charter - Refusing to return our deposit

[Annabubble]

Hi, Grateful for any advice or hearing about similar experiences but we have recently returned from a bareboat sailing holiday off Corfu with our children. On check-out, and knowing we had a flight to catch that morning, the company refused to return our 2500 Euro deposit saying that we had damaged the keel of the boat by running it aground. We didn't go into water less than 10 meters let as lone crash into rocks so we know we didn't cause any damage. We feel that we have been completely scammed by the charter company to cover the cost of damage that was already there. Is there any route we could go down to try and get all/some of the money back?

 

[KompetentKrew]

I doubt I can help, but how did the charter company identify the supposed damage? Did they lift the boat from the water?

 

[Annabubble]

They sent a diver down below the boat. Then they lifted some flooring up inside the boat and there was a large crack, but you could also see that the crack had been worked on previously, which they denied and said that it was a new crack, when clearly it wasn't.

 

[Ray Purchase]

They sent a diver down below the boat. Then they lifted some flooring up inside the boat and there was a large crack, but you could also see that the crack had been worked on previously, which they denied and said that it was a new crack, when clearly it wasn't.

Tell them you will instruct an independent surveyor to assess the damage, also ask on their social media outlets to see if anyone else has suffered the same treatment, perhaps mention the yachts name.

 

[Caladh]

Hopefully you paid by credit card. We had an issue many years ago chartering in Oz and the credit card company sorted it out for us. Similarly had been told we’d run the boat aground, however the company didn’t tell us till 3 months later and took money from the card without authorisation.

 

[Annabubble]

No unfortunately we used a debit card! Lesson learnt!

 

[Concerto]

No unfortunately we used a debit card! Lesson learnt!

If it was a Visa debit card, then they should be able to assist. Worth a phone call to Visa.

 

[Annabubble]

If it was a Visa debit card, then they should be able to assist. Worth a phone call to Visa.

Thank you. I will try that.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Name the company.

 

[Annabubble]

Name the company.

Isalos yachting

 

[Never Grumble]

Yes I'd be interested to know which company acts that way, just so I never book with them.

 

[Annabubble]

Yes I'd be interested to know which company acts that way, just so I never book with them.

It was a Greek company called Isalos yachting.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

A long shot, but do you have the boat's track on say, your phone version of Navionics to prove location? It could then be used top back up a claim against them, or argue your case, if the Visa Debit rout does not work.

It is worth checking, I just checked my iPhone and it recorded my track from the weekend, even though I did not use it, instead using my iPad.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

It's possible that the yacht had a tracker but getting access to that would be part of legal action. It would of course give an indication of any previous track and haul out following the previous incident.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

It's possible that the yacht had a tracker but getting access to that would be part of legal action. It would of course give an indication of any previous track and haul out following the previous incident.

Looks like they all have AIS so tracks will be available.

 

[Irish Rover]

I couldn't find any other negative reviews or warnings in relation to this company. OP joined the forum today. I'd be keeping an open mind.

 

[Metalicmike]

Keep posting on their ad pages, Beware still waiting for our deposit to be returned.

 

[Klausen]

We had similar experience with broken old sails on a charter boat in greece. The company wouldn't also not return the deposit, but we have always an insurance for the deposit so no problem for us. These insurances are not expensive.

 

[Annabubble]

It's possible that the yacht had a tracker but getting access to that would be part of legal action. It would of course give an indication of any previous track and haul out following the previous incident.

Unfortunately we deleted our tracks as we went along. We are trying to see if there is away of retrieving that data from the iPad but we're not hopeful otherwise that would have been good proof.

 

[Annabubble]

We had similar experience with broken old sails on a charter boat in greece. The company wouldn't also not return the deposit, but we have always an insurance for the deposit so no problem for us. These insurances are not expensive.

Yes I wish we had done the same! I will from now on.