renting from UK owner/how do you all make payment?

[*disgal*]

Owner says we can pay by CC but that has a fee (actually, that is illegal in the U.S. according to their agreement with the merchant bank but I'm not getting into it with them), I could send a check but I don't know what is involved with mail outside the U.S........or, you make a deposit somehow to their bank here I think.

If you've rented from a UK owner and you're in the USA, how have you paid? Thanks for the help.

 

[danny25]

We have rented from an UK owner and it was very easy we have sended the money by Western Union, very easy and it took only 5 minutes and the owner have received the money without any complication, you only need his full name and the city that he lives in UK. Hope this help and have a wonderfull vacation

 

[Hasil72]

We're renting from an owner in the UK and we paid our deposit by check. Didn't seem to be an issue. I sent it international priority mail so I could track it but it actually takes longer to get there. Regular post takes about 5 days and priority took 7 business days. They also accepted PayPal or credit cards without an additional fee.

Good luck!

 

[skmommy]

We sent our deposit by check, but I waited too long to send the balance due so we did a wire transfer directly into their bank account. It was very easy, they sent all the necessary information and the woman at our bank took care of it. (The owner was in Ireland)
Hope that helps you.

 

[Brian Noble]

While a fee may be illegal, charging it is entirely common. What's more, a *discount* for paying by means other than a CC is *not* illegal, so don't spend time sweating this. It's not going to get you anywhere.

I've rented from two UK owners. One had a US bank account, and I sent the funds by check to the management company who deposited it for them. The other owner used paypal and I may (or may not) have paid the paypal fee. Unless such fees are exhorbitant, I just pay them---often, it's not worth my time to figure out how to save a few bucks once I'm getting such a good deal already.

 

[*disgal*]

While a fee may be illegal, charging it is entirely common. What's more, a *discount* for paying by means other than a CC is *not* illegal, so don't spend time sweating this. It's not going to get you anywhere.

I've rented from two UK owners. One had a US bank account, and I sent the funds by check to the management company who deposited it for them. The other owner used paypal and I may (or may not) have paid the paypal fee. Unless such fees are exhorbitant, I just pay them---often, it's not worth my time to figure out how to save a few bucks once I'm getting such a good deal already.

No, I'm not spending any time "sweating it" The way I deal with it is not to use my CC then. It just doesn't seem right that people offer it and according to their contract they are not allowed to charge but they do. I used to be a Visa Coordinator and if someone turned you in for it, you could be fined $5000. My car repair place was trying to charge me $50 for using my CC. I got him to remove it. But that's ok. I just know better.

I'll have to ask them how the bank account thing works. They gave me there number but I have no idea who to send it to.

 

[Brian Noble]

Well you stand up for what's right then!

I think you'll find that wire transfers have fees, as well. They might well be less than the fee you'd be asked to pay to use your credit card.

 

[*disgal*]

I don't think it's a wire transfer. I think I send a check to a bank account.

And I know....I need to lower my expectations.

 

[cey]

Last year, We paid our UK owner with a certified cheque from Canada in US dollars. I have a US dollar bank account. I paid the extra postage to have it shipped priority post , meaning I had a tracking number and it required a signature. This year our UK owner takes Visa. No extra fees! Much easier and just as secure!

 

[horseshowmom]

JMHO, but I won't rent without paying by credit card. I view that credit card as my insurance in case I ever have a problem. I never have had (fortunately), but I personally know others who have.

I've only had to pay the fees once, and I think it was 3%. I figured it was a small price to pay for my piece of mind.

 

[Brickwood]

We paid by check which I sent to a Kissimmee bank (Merchant's Bank I believe). We gave them a deposit several months ago and paid the balance 60 days in advance of our stay. I'm here right now so it worked out fine!

 

[sjanus]

We, personally, don't rent from anyone who charges a credit card fee--it violates the credit card policy and just should be part of the cost of doing business in today's market.

 

[jdybnsn]

Just wanted to say its fairly common in the UK for a 2-3% charge to be made for using a credit card for a business/retail transaction......even by major businesses. Though certainly not all do, as many absorb it into their overall charge.
Its much less common to do this on the UK high street and in restaurants, but certainly many charge this fee on internet transactions...sometimes for debit cards too.

I guess it is their way of passing on the charges that the credit card companies make on them for using their service. ....I don't think it is a legal issue here as far as I'm aware, and the charge is a transparent one if made, ie. not hidden in any way.

If you send a US check in $s, its worth noting that most banks here will charge us around $25- $30 for converting it into UK pounds ! I don't what you are paying him but it would seem a bit crazy (of him !) to make a charge for a credit card payment, and yet not charge for a US check (unless he has a US bank account of course) !

 

[wayneg]

As Judy above me says credit card fees here in UK are totally legal. I am in retail myself although I do not charge any fees I am well within my rights to do so as long as the fees are clearly on display instore or on website. We have to be fully upfront and in no way hide the fees.
I can't think of any travel company, tour operator or airline in UK that does not charge a fee or between 2-3% (sorry just thought of 1, great4hotels.com, using them this month, no fees, sure there are more but not many)

 

[*disgal*]

If you send a US check in $s, its worth noting that most banks here will charge us around $25- $30 for converting it into UK pounds ! I don't what you are paying him but it would seem a bit crazy (of him !) to make a charge for a credit card payment, and yet not charge for a US check (unless he has a US bank account of course) !

Thank you all for the info. I didn't realize that was ok for UK businesses to do that.

I think it's a US bank though. They gave me an account number at the bank and said I can deposit it at any of them......they have lots of locations in the US (ofcourse, none close to me but I could mail it)

So, he doesn't charge for the check but does for the credit card. Maybe the CC is with another bank and that bank is in the UK?

Anyway, I'm waiting on the rental. It's a big security deposit and I don't have all the money together right now anyway. I thought my savings had more in it. Ha! lol They were very understanding. They seem really nice and hopefully it will be open when I'm ready to rent.