Pearson New International Edition International pcl tp indd 1

GUEST CHARGES, PAYMENT, AND CHECK-OUT
must protect the financial interests of their hotel while attempting to accommodate the
guest. When it is clearly apparent, however, that the guest either will not or cannot pay
and also refuses to vacate the room, it is a standard hotel industry procedure to contact
local law enforcement officials to assist in the guest’s removal.
Often, the mere arrival of a law enforcement official encourages the guest to pay
the bill. Generally, however, police will not arrest a guest for nonpayment. Efforts to
collect money must be pursued according to the hotel’s policy and applicable state
and local laws. In most cases, the cost of collecting money due from these guests is
high in terms of time and money. Therefore, it is best to avoid the situation by care-
fully monitoring guest credit limits before they are exceeded. A PMS can usually pro-
duce, on demand, a list of guests who are at or near their credit limits. FOMs should
then make arrangements to monitor and act on these reports.