Book Opener

Guests are permitted to keep in their rooms valuables that they wouldordinarily have on their person, such as a watch, jewelry, and a reasonableamount of cash. Hotel keepers are not liable as insurers in thefollowing cases:lllLosses caused by a guest’s own negligenceLosses to the guest’s property due to acts of God (events such asearthquakes, floods, or cyclones) or due to acts of the public enemy(people such as terrorists or wartime enemies)Loss of property because of accidental fire in which no negligencemay be attributed to the hotel keeperHotel Keeper’s Lien and Credit Card Blocking Hotel keepershave a lien on their guests’ property. If a guest cannot pay the bill, thehotel keeper is permitted to take possession of the guest’s property assecurity for payment at some later time.Credit card blocking is a common method used by hotels to securepayment for a room. Under this system, guests are asked for a creditcard number when they register. The hotel then contacts the card companywith the estimated cost of the bill. If the card issuer approves thetransaction, the guest’s available line of credit is reduced by the estimatedamount. This procedure is known as a block (or authorization).The final actual charge for the room will replace the block within a dayor two after the guest checks out.Common CarriersA carrier is a business that transports persons, goods, or both. Acommon carrier is a carrier that is compensated for providing transportationto the general public. As with hotels, common carriers cannotturn away people who ask for their services.Common Carriers of Goods Common carriers of goods are liablefor damages to all goods they ship, regardless of whether they are negligent.However, as Figure 17.3 shows, carriers are not liable whendamages occur as a result of the following:l Acts of Godl Acts of a public enemyl Acts of public authoritiesl Acts of the shipperl The inherent nature of the goods (such as perishable goods,evaporating and fermenting liquids, and diseased animals)In addition, common carriers must accept without discrimination allgoods offered to them for shipment. Discrimination either through theselection of customers or through the use of preferential rates is illegal.376 Unit 3: Understanding Consumer Law