Is This Normal..?

[sha_sha]

Hello, Just wondering if you could help me please?

I have just booked a villa for our last week, which we are spending in St Pete. The villa owner has said to pay the full amount upon our arrival. I'm guessing this is to avoid the transaction getting messy with conversions etc and to avoid any hassle. I also suppose we have nothing to lose as we would still have the money in a worst case scenario, eg: the house not being there! Which i'm sure it will be...

I'm just wondering if anyone else has done this before?

Sorry I'm quite nervous as I'm a first time DIY'er.

Thank You Muchly

 

[JohnnySharp2]

It is unusual. However, all the villa rentals we have booked have been with UK owners, pay a deposit and balance a few weeks before arrival.

Is the owner based in the US?

 

[Bonnie151]

I can't really comment on Orlando, but I'm American and we always holidayed in rental homes in Maine. We always paid a small deposit upon booking and then the balance on arrival.

 

[alibeau]

We have always paid a deposit on booking and then balance 6 weeks before departure both by CC. I think that most private villa bookings carry a 'risk' of some type but IMHO I wouldn't be happy to arrange to meet a stranger with a bundle of cash Or is that just me and my suspicious nature

Hope it all works out ok for you, could you perhaps arrange to take a bankers draft or some form of payment other than cash

Sorry don't mean to be a doom monger! just my thoughts......

Ali

PS I am of course presuming that you would be paying cash......

 

[igk]

We rented a condo at Madeira Beach last year - we paid $200 deposit then the balance at arrival. This was through an agency that managed the condos. All worked fine.
Is the rental with an individual or through an agency?

 

[sha_sha]

It's through a website calle holiday-rentals. The owner is based in America. In the email he said he usually requires a $100 deposit but on this occassion I can pay the full balance once i'm there. He also gave me a telephone unmber to call upon arrival where an agent will come and meet me to sign a contract, hand over the keys and get the cash or travellers cheque.

 

[kieras nana]

i use holiday rentals alot & have paid full amount upon arrival before,with no problems.
our townhouse is booked through them this year,but this has been a deposit & then balance 8 weeks before departure.
i am sure everything will be fine.
tracy

 

[sha_sha]

Ahh good, that makes me feel better knowing you have doen this.

Thank you

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We have used holiday-rentals before also, it is as I said earlier very unusual but I don't think it is something I would worry about, unless you would rather get it all paid off earlier.