We are the operators of a small holiday apartment business, in Perth, Western Australia, advertising only on the internet. We are constantly amazed by the things people will say to try to get a reduction in rates, or a refund.

It seems that some people think that by demanding, complaining or being plain obnoxious we will decide to give them something for nothing. Of course we could just charge extra so that we can reduce the price to those bold (or rude) enough to ask for it but why should the considerate, polite and nice customers suffer.

Of course if they have a valid complaint we always look after them, we have received numerous great reviews and references, and we have many customers who return every year. But it is just the small minority who leaves us wondering if we really want to be in the business. Example One - "But we are lawyers from SYDNEY "

This person submitted a request for a booking through the booking request form on our web site. He then phoned to say that he had seen the apartment advertised on a third party site and noticed that there was only one left for the dates he needed, which was starting from the following day. I confirmed this was true, and as I was out of the office I told him I would take it off the other site and process the booking when I returned to the office.

When I returned I checked the rate advertised on the other site and the rate on our site. I then processed the booking at the lowest rate and sent him the receipt and details on how to pick up the key.

Five minutes later the phone rang, it was the customer telling me that I had charged him for a 3 bedroom apartment but given him a 2 bedroom apartment. I explained that this was not true, and that we only had one apartment available which was the 2 bedroom apartment. No, he insisted - "you have been into the web site and changed all the rates, putting them up, then charging me more".

I explained that I would not do that, it obviously would not be a good thing to do, and that I would prefer happy, satisfied customers.

He then informed me that they were "two lawyers from Sydney" and that there would be "consequences" if I did not reduce the rate.

I was flabbergasted. Did he think that I would be intimidated by the "two lawyers from Sydney". I knew that I had not increased the rates so either he was just mistaken or he was trying some sort of a con - was the credit card stolen? Or was he just trying to get a cheaper rate? Due to the Ashes being played in Perth that week we had just about the last available accommodation. So he was not being very bright in arguing about what was a very normal rate. ( We had had a late cancellation giving us a 5 night vacancy and I did not want to risk it remaining empty for a couple of nights, and perhaps forcing me to take a 2 or 3 night booking, with the difficulty of getting the cleaner in and the linen cleaned in the short turn around period).

I asked him if he wanted to go ahead with the booking at the rate that had been processed, or did he want to cancel the booking. No, he said, he wanted the accommodation but at a reduced rate. We 'discussed' this for a while but I could not get him to agree to the rate and so told him I would give him a full refund. He then became quite abusive and started ranting about being a "lawyer from Sydney" and that I would be sorry. In the end I had to put the phone down on him, and then processed a full refund.

Unfortunately, he then phoned me every 2 minutes for a couple of hours. I gave up answering and left the mobile in the office and went out.

The next day his partner called to inform me that they had arrived in Perth and that they would be moving into the apartment. I again informed them that the booking had been cancelled, but no she said they were moving in whether I liked it or not, and what part of this did I not understand. I then had to say that I was calling the police and hang up.

I am still not sure whether this was a con to get a reduction, or if he was genuinely confused, but given the end result of the "where's the view" incident I was certainly glad that we did not let them into the apartment.