Booking private apartment - advise

swall15 · #1 24-05-2013, 12:19

Hello,
I'm a newcomer to site. We are planning our first trip to PP in August with 3 children and thinking of booking an appt via this site. I've never booked privately before, is there anything I should be careful of or need to look at for? The apartment is Bengarthin 9 and looks so nice. Thanks in advance for any suggestions and advise.

Sparky · #2 24-05-2013, 12:47

Hello Swall15 and welcome to the forum.
We have many members who always book privately through this website and are very satisfied with the service, the really good thing is that you deal directly with the owners so they can answer any queries you might have, good luck

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swall15 · #3 24-05-2013, 13:10

Thanks for your quick reply. I'm probably worrying for nothing but how do you pay for private rentals? How do you know if it's a genuine appt? Thanks for your help.

eleanor · #4 24-05-2013, 13:32

Ok - for every private rental which goes wrong you will find hundreds which work just fine. The glory of this site is that most advertised properties are known as are the owners. As Sparky says to book directly gives you the opportunity of building a good working relationship with the owner. You are able to discuss the property, the area and anything else you choose. The fact that the property is privately owned means it is close to the owners heart and therefore not just one more property on an agent list. Nothing wrong with rental agents of course and many know their properties inside out. As for payment - most owners have their own terms of business. Some require a transfer of money, some ask for payment on arrival. Some will alllow paypal many do not have credit card facilities. A deposit is often required.

I would recommend that you ask for details of a local based representative in case of any problems and the vast majority of private owners would be happy to provide this info.

I would suggest that you give it a go! A phone number should be available as well as email address for you to make contact. have a good time.

sws97sdg · #5 24-05-2013, 13:36

Hi and welcome to the forum swall15, we now always rent through this website and we have never had any issues. If there was any problems with the owners or the properties than we would soon hear about it, thats the bonus of doing it this way, you will be in contact with the owner and can ask questions if you have any.
The payment method is different for each one, we have sent cheques, paid by bank transfers and paid in cash to the owners when we have arrived. So its the normal 'buyer beware' advice, but you will always have a telephone number or address of the owner here or over there for peace of mind. the place we are staying at next time we have used before, the owner sends the keys through the post with a return address, how trusting is that.
So don't worry and take the plunge, you will wonder why you didn't do it before once you have!
Not stayed at this apartment but it looks great.

pollensa · #6 24-05-2013, 14:58

Hi there swall15 & welcome to the forum,

Of course you are concerned but don't worry. I regularly get contacted by potential guests for the rentals advertised here. I can always tell you how long a property has been advertised with us. We get very little negative complaints & quite often these arise out of a misunderstanding or a communication problem.

We have been running this site since 2001 and during that time I have never been told that a rental was not genuine - and I'm sure that I would have heard if that had happened!

Feel free to contact me if you have any queries.

As for payment, it really does depend on the advertiser and where they are based. If they are local then you may be asked for a bank transfer for the deposit and pay the balance in cash on arrival - that is quite common.

Rosie34 · #7 24-05-2013, 20:27

Re the 'cash on arrival' -we did this for the first time about 4 years ago (and thought it strange at the time as well) and we were a bit wary - not only because we were havig to carry a large amount of cash in our luggage. And then meeting the owner in a car park (she said to look out for the red ??? car) - we thought it was like something out of a dodgy film

We didnt actually pass the cash over till we got to the villa and then were not given a receipt - but I did ask for one and got one after a couple of days. But we have done it a couple of times since (but we now know the owners quite well - different villa) but must admit I still dont like carrying a lot of cash through the airport and the drive to the villa

eleanor · #8 24-05-2013, 21:25

I do think it is only the locals who themselves live in the area rather than have their interests represented by others who work this way with cash on arrival. (Perhaps for tax reasons.)

Personally as an owner I would not even think to go this route as who is to say the renter will turn up and/or pay up and from the renters point of view for every reason Rosie describes.

I think we have moved on from this way of working and rightly expect and should give a more professional service.

Ok it might be acceptable and obviously works well for some but leaves both sides vulnerable and who needs the stress? The locals often seem to have a very laid back attitude to many things though and it is their country so who am I to comment on their business transactions!

tangofan · #9 24-05-2013, 22:04

Of course it is always good to pay by credit card if possible, even if it is just the deposit, you will then have protection if something does go wrong and your property does not exist for example. However it does seems very unlikely if you book through the PP site but it does give a bit of reassurance. I appreciate handing over wads of notes is often the Spanish way but as Rosie says, it is a bit risky carrying large amounts of cash over on the plane etc. I would always prefer not to do that.