ATLANTA — A Georgia family is now getting a long-awaited full refund after making a shocking discovery while on vacation.
11Alive first reported how the Boyd family was looking forward to their vacation in a condo they rented through Vrbo in St. Augustine during the July Fourth week.
But when Rachel and Brandon Boyd went to unpack, they were in for a shock: they found bedbugs.
They found them in a bedroom dresser drawer and a bedbug egg under the mattress, and they didn’t know what to think.
“Bedbugs are bad. They can get in your luggage... take them home with you,” Boyd said.
And he quickly added that his first thought was to “get out of here!”
He wasted no time in reaching out to VRBO and the Condo owner and said he was initially told his $2,575 would be refunded.
But when the money was never returned, he reached out to the 11Alive Help Desk.
For the Boyd family, waiting months to get a refund was simply not an option, and there is a reason for it — every penny counts. One of the expenses they're having to prioritize is for their 8-year-old daughter, who needs specialized treatment for a rare auto-immune issue.
“Most of it is travel back and forth to Duke University Hospital. Our daughter sees a specialist there, best in the country at it, so we go and see him. It will be put to good use,” Boyd said.
So, our Help Desk pulled out all the stops -- reaching out to VRBO and urging the family's credit card company, Chase/Visa, to expedite its review of the disputed charges.
And it worked.
Now, all of the money is back in the Boyd's account.
And their big burden is now history.
“In the big picture, I’m just a little guy that they can push me off, but having Bill get involved in it was awesome because, at that point, there was a much wider audience that would see it where instead of me just posting on social media,” Boyd said.
And in the big picture, issues like this are more common than one may think.
So, before unpacking during your next vacation, here are a few tips:
- Go inside and fully inspect the premises.
- Check out all appliances, including the heat and AC.
- Check the internet and the TV.
- Check for bedbugs.
If you see anything wrong, make sure to take pictures of the issues. Also, if you think the premises are unfit for a stay and you get nowhere with VRBO or a similar company, check with your Credit Card company for guidance on what you can do next.
But at the end of the day, always know that 11Alive is here to lend a helping hand.
If you've exhausted all of your options to resolve an important issue that affects you, your family or your community, write to our 11Alive Help Desk to see if Bill can lend a hand. Email us at 11alivehelpdesk@11Alive.com.