Rental homes and contracts

[kksmom92]

Have you ever rented a home and had the owners never ask you to sign a contract/rental agreement?

That's what happened to us last year and we ended up getting scammed, this year we have been debating between 4 different houses and none of them were requesting us to sign anything again.

This was the email from the last house we are considering in Windwood Bay...

We do not get any contracts signed and we do not, as a rule, take any deposits. We have found that people like yourselves who are looking to hire the Villa for the family, rather than a group of party going friends, tend to be reliable in their agreements. If you decided to book our Villa we would hold the dates for you and about 4 weeks before the date ask for payment in full to our US bank account, once this has been accepted we send you all the details including directions, key access codes all instructions re the Villa, directions to local shops, garages etc and some useful hints and tips, in fact everything you would need to know. All you would need to do is turn up at the front door obtain the key from the key coded box and everything would be clean tidy and switched on ready.

It just makes me nervous as we had the issue with fineline villas last year. Click hear if you want to read about it. I hate it because I'm having a hard time thanks to Mr. Gomez to believe everything I read is real. I've looked and the owners do own the houses, but I'm still nervous.

We had thought we had found the house we were going to rent in Pinewood (click on Pinewood to read about it) but then we just got the quote from this house in Windwood Bay and the quote came back $265 cheaper! It doesn't have the privacy, spa, gas heater for the pool and cute Mickey Mouse rooms for the kids, but is it worth $265 more to have that since we will be at the parks most of the time?

HELP!! I feel like I'm just making this a lot harder than what it needs to be. What would you do if you were us?

 

[disneystacy]

We rented the Magic Palace in Windsor Hills and we had to sign a contract and put down a deposit by credit card. I would not rent without a contract. Try a Windsor Hills property.

 

[mareed]

We've rented a home/condo/townhome from individual owners many times (see my signature as most of those trips were rented from individuals) and we've always had some sort of a contract or booking agreement that we completed and signed. I wouldn't be comfortable without one

 

[Freaky]

Personally I think it is very strange not to get something completed and a deposit paid. Some owners just use a booking form which once completed will constitute the agreement and refer to their terms and conditions. A deposit secures the booking and gives the owner a firm commitment from the guest as well as giving the guest the assurance that the dates are reserved ok. If I didn't pay a deposit I would be concerned that the dates would be reserved for me

 

[lizcro326]

Run !!

I rented a house last year with a deposit and no contract. What should have cost me $400 total for 3 nights wound up costing me over $800 because the owner was dishonest by changing the terms of the verbal and terms and conditions on their website 2 hours after check in time the day I arrived. I figured my Disney Chase Visa would stand behind me and after 50 pictures and 64 pages of nasty emails from the owner, overcharges to the card, proven outright violations of their own terms, Visa let the charges stand. I have to take the owner to small claims court now. And even if I win the case, Disney Visa said charges still stand becuase they don'' get involved in litigation. I even reported them to VISA itself and requested a re-review of the case and all of my complaints have been fallen on deaf ears. So don't count on your credit card dispute to back you up, especially with no contract.

I would suggest Bonnet Creek which is ON Disney property and an outstanding Resort. We always stay there at reasonable rates.


Liz

 

[JANNYANS]

I wouldn't be happy renting without a written contract of some form as I feel it sets out what is expected from both sides.As for not taking a deposit then that would make me feel insecure in my booking for sure.From the renters angle no deposit would make me feel as if I had no reservation held and from the owners angle what if you no showed and they can't rent out again?

From the Pinewood link it looks as if the house is for sale -now that would make me really nervous!!

 

[Sunrisedream]

I would be vary careful renting without a contract, which is after all to protect both the renter and owner

 

[kilee]

I've rented several times, all from different owners. All of them had contracts and deposits required. It seems a little fishy to not require one. Why would anyone hold dates and such w/o something to cover themselves.

 

[liamsaunt]

For the house we rent we fill out a booking agreement and pay a security deposit in addition to the rental fee. All payments are receipted by the owner. I would definitely want something in writing to confirm the terms of the rental, as well as receipts for all payments. I don't see why they would not provide this to you.

 

[kksmom92]

I just thought I would let you know we skipped on both houses as we found another one with just what we were looking for and yes, they have a booking agreement this time!!

Since posting the origional post I had found out the management company for the house that said they didn't do contracts or deposits. She had wrote me back saying how the owners had just bought this house and are very, very honest. When I went back to look at it again I noticed someone else had already rented it for some of the days we needed so my email back to the management company I gave her a heads up to what the owners had said and explained that's why we were nervous to rent from them. She said she would talk to them about how they really need to do those things and thanked me for giving her a heads up.

 

[James65]

Last week, I booked a condo at Windsor Hills ~ after reading many positive posts about that resort on this site. I have a question about the booking form. I signed it, but there is no place for the owner to sign as well. Is this common? Thanks.