Renting from Private Owner

[Serene]

I've been in an email correspondence with a delightful person who owns a townhome in Windsor Hills that we're thinking of renting in October. It occured to my husband and I that we're writing a personal check to this person for over a thousand dollars, yet we have no real way of knowing if they're legitimate in so many ways. We'll be doing all the signing of documents, but will only have their word to go on that there really IS a house there to rent. What a scam that could be!

My gut tells me this is a really nice person, but a much smaller voice is telling me we could easily lose our money if this person is misrepresenting themselves.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to how we should protect ourselves when renting from a private owner? Am I just being paranoid?

 

[spiceycat]

where do you get this person name and email.

if from www.vrbo.com - I think they do a check.

if ebay - they need to show proof of ownership.

I know what you mean. I would ask for proof of ownership - a copy of the deed, a certified letter from Windsor Hills that this person does indeed own the house you are renting, etc.

if in orange county you can look at their records yourself


but most of the time the crooks are not into this - besides they would be telling you that it was IN disney....not close to it.

 

[umaangel00]

I have rented from Windsor Palms once and will be renting from Windsor Hills this next time. You shouldn't have to worry. Everyone there is legit.

 

[spiceycat]

here is the one for orange county.
http://www.occompt.com/2002/records.html

 

[martina857]

Get the full name of the owner and the address of the property and go to the Osceola tax collectors site and see if they are paying taxes ) Its easy then you feel comfotable )
M

 

[myboymic]

we rented from private owner in july this is how we did it and it went well : the owner gave me his cell ,home phone and home address then he sent me a rental agreement that he signed then i signed it i made a copy then sent it back to him with a money order from post office which can be cashed anywhere ( that way nobody can get your accont information ) the person was from ill and i was from pa and the rental was in va

mark

 

[JANNYANS]

The osceola website will confirm the vacation home details and the residence home details

http://www.property-appraiser.org/?CFID=142717&CFTOKEN=11032459

you should be able to confirm details here .You can ask for details of their management company and ask questions of them

any good owner willnotmind answering any questions to put your mind at rest although there is an element of trust needed on both sides