[halteralter98]

I had a boarder that paid for a month of board on Oct 1st. On the 7th said boarder left with horse and took to another barn. Sent a text and said "X offered to keep horse". That was it, that was all. Would you be willing to give boarder a credit on unused board toward lessons or would you be apt to say "too bad, so sad?"

[Long Spot]

Credit?! HA!

They'd be lucky to not get a bill for failing to give me 30 days notice!

[JGHIRETIRE]

Standard is usually 30 days notice.

I had a boarder that paid for a month of board on Oct 1st. On the 7th said boarder left with horse and took to another barn. Sent a text and said "X offered to keep horse". That was it, that was all. Would you be willing to give boarder a credit on unused board toward lessons or would you be apt to say "too bad, so sad?"

[mbm]

personally? i would refund the $$.... especially if i had other horses that were going to consume the feed etc.

[jetsmom]

What does your boarding contract say about giving notice? If nothing, then I think you are in a gray area, if they border wanted to push the issue. If 30 days is required, then technically she owes you a week, and anything you do different is being generous.

[halteralter98]

What does your boarding contract say about giving notice? If nothing, then I think you are in a gray area, if they border wanted to push the issue. If 30 days is required, then technically she owes you a week, and anything you do different is being generous.

It says 30 days notice in the contract. Now I offered credit on lessons, but gave a total as my daily rate is more then the monthly rate. Boarder "corrected" my total. I have no issues giving lesson credit, but I"m not refunding.

Isn't it just rude to text someone that?

[JGHIRETIRE]

Did you have issues with the boarder???

It says 30 days notice in the contract. Now I offered credit on lessons, but gave a total as my daily rate is more then the monthly rate. Boarder "corrected" my total. I have no issues giving lesson credit, but I"m not refunding.

Isn't it just rude to text someone that?

[War Admiral]

personally? i would refund the $$.... especially if i had other horses that were going to consume the feed etc.

Yes, I would too.

[halteralter98]

Did you have issues with the boarder???

No! Boarder wants to come back for lessons. No fights, nothing. Lots of additional helping with new horse they just got.

[pony4me]

I would give credit too, but for a somewhat selfish reason; the horse world is small and people talk. If you run a boarding barn, don't give anyone a reason to say anything bad about you. Rather give them a reason to say something good about you. Treat people like you would like to be treated.

[jetsmom]

No! Boarder wants to come back for lessons. No fights, nothing. Lots of additional helping with new horse they just got.

You can pretty much do whatever you like since they are the one who broke the contract. Do what you feel is fair, and won't leave you resentful.

[nashfad]

I don't think the ex boarder feels $$ is due----she paid in full and left on her own accord.

[HealingHeart]

Just ask her, it sounds like you have a good relationship.

[nikelodeon79]

I can't think of why she should get a credit.... She didn't give notice as required by the contact. If you want to be nice, tell her you won't charge her for next month, even though she didn't give notice.

[goneriding24]

Well, I would prolly give the lesson credit being the small world of horses out there. Maybe just this one time though. You also don't want to be thought of as a push-over either. Too nice for your own good. Maybe a few less lessons than an equal trade-off. I mean, she did up and leave you, just like that. She may never show for the lessons either. Who knows?

When you posted she is new to horses, that may be part of the problem. Something shiny on the other side of the fence.

[Frizzle]

Well, her horse was @ your barn for a week, so at the very least you should keep 1/4 of the board. Personally, I don't think you should refund her any money, through lesson credits or otherwise. She signed a contract and agreed to your terms, so she needs to stick to them. I don't think you would get a bad reputation for simply holding someone to the (very reasonable) terms of the contract to which they agreed.

[mvp]

Do you want to keep doing business with someone who completes a transaction like this via text as your boarder did?

Do you think you'll get any money not already in your hand from someone who bails after a week and lets you know via text?

I don't think doing business by text message is appropriate-- for either side.

[sketcher]

Just ask her, it sounds like you have a good relationship.

How is leaving without telling and sending a brief text any indication of a good relationship?

Boarder "corrected" my total.

Corrected your total? Red flag. unless you truly made a mistake? Red flag..
.

Well, her horse was @ your barn for a week, so at the very least you should keep 1/4 of the board.

Was this horse only there for a week? Or did she leave after paying her October board? I guess if she were only there for a week it would mean that a spot at the barn she really wanted opened up or there was something at this barn that made her uncomfortable. I guess if it were really only a week I might refund her money.

I wouldn't count on her being back for lessons though.

[OnThinIce]

Kind of a rock and a hard place here. On the one hand, by allowing the boarder to take lessons sets a precedent that it's okay to board (invest money at this barn) and then bail when a better offer comes up, because you don't lose anything. (If another boarder does that same thing, and you don't let them lesson, you'll be perceived as playing favorites.) On the other hand, if you have a good relationship with the ex-boarder and they want to lesson with you, you could lose the potential future income from them if you take a firm stand that they threw their money away by breaking the contract. Personally the ex-boarder sounds like they need a tune up in courtesy and etiquette.

[ptownevt]

I'm actually surprised by the tone of responses. It seems to me that similar threads have sided overwhelmingly with no refund, no way, no how.
Anyway, if you have a signed contract that requires 30 days notice you owe nothing. I don't know of any boarding barns that would refund anything on this type of situation nor do I know anyone who would think poorly of the barn owner for refusing. Perfectly legitimate to just follow the contract. The barns I know would likely bill for the week used.
Yeah, texting is less than classy but a lot of people are terribly uncomfortable saying things like this face to face or even over the phone. It seems more and more are using text to avoid any kind of unpleasantness or discomfort.