julies

I'm curious how normal it is for a request for full payment for a self-catering unit way before arrival. We've rented houses and apartments, primarily directly from owners, in lots of different countries. What has typically been the pattern is that we make a deposit (and we've handled these many different ways), and then upon arrival make a payment in full. This must be the most common scenario because I know I've read several threads here on how to get the euros immediately upon arrival to pay for a place.

However, every place I'm interested in in Ireland wants a full payment at least a month prior to arrival. I'm not very comfortable with this because why should I be expected to pay the total non-refundable fee when I have never even seen a place. Maybe this is the way all of Ireland operates; I don't know because this will be our first trip there. (I guess I should add in that these are all rentals of 4 or 5 days, not several weeks, but by the time I make a full payment to all of them, it will be the equivalent of paying for 2 weeks up front. This is the standard policy for these places also for people who will be doing a rental of a week or two.)

Have you been in rental situations where you've been asked to pay for the entire rental way ahead of time? Are you okay with the idea of paying in full upfront? What is your take on this? Maybe there are some of you who are owners out there who can justify the logic in this, but as someone who has always been an honorable renter, I find this a difficult policy to swallow because it stacks the deck so heavily in favor of the owner. Thanks.

pookymimi

A couple of places in Italy asked me for 30% up front deposit and then full payment before arriving. Needless to say I passed them. I would not pay full price before getting my foot in the property. Just my 2 cents.

StCirq

I'm an owner (not renting out any more but did for many years). I asked for a flat fee deposit upon booking and the full amount of the rental at least a month before the rental started, the reason being it makes people commit. Owners don't want to have to go scrambling around trying to fill a week or two in the middle of high season, when most people have already made their plans and substitute renters would be hard to locate. Obviously, if someone fell ill or had extenuating circumstances, I would have refunded the money, but that never happened. I also kept the security deposit until I had the phone bill for the period the renter had been there, which sometimes meant the renters had to wait a few weeks to get it back. I'm sure you're an honorable renter, but trust me there are some who are not. And I'm not sure why stacking the deck in favor of the owner is such a bad thing. After all, the owner went to the trouble of buying the property, keeping it up, making sure it's well stocked and tidy, providing tips for renters, etc. It's a fairly big investment of money and time and energy.

JoeCal

I guess it is all perspective. Would you be comfortable taking your rental off the market based on a (small) deposit from someone you don't know that is unwilling to fully commit to a rental in advence? (Its not like they can turn around and then rent the place out - that week is lost unless you cancel probably 4 months or more in advance). Most people commit to a rental 6 - 12 months in advance, not in say...2 weeks or so.

I have not rented in Ireland - but I have rented quite a few places in France and they all required full payment in advance. Some are easier to deal with than others - take a credit card, pay pal and so on. Others want a bank transfer 6 weeks in advance, euros only or no checks, etc. It is somewhat of a gamble in both directions. Yes, I could have gotten burned. But I never did. (In turn, I never broke items, abandoned a deposit because I changed my mind at the last minute or anything like that either).

I admit I am always nervous about what I would do if... But whether I deal with American based companies that arrange rentals or with internet based places or gites de france, they have all wanted payment in full weeks in advance of the show up date. (And I haven't been burned yet).

It is nice if you can get references from others or use a credit card (most won't), but in the end it is an arrangement of trust in both directions. Good luck - i'll be interested to see what others think.

HappyTrvlr

We have always rented through reliable agencies recommnded by friends who had used them, and had to pay in full before arrival. Luckily our places have almost always exceeded our expectations and none ever disappointed us. We did rent directly from a VBRO owner in Europe one time and they also wanted full payment before arrival.

annhig

hi julies,

different countries have different "industry standards"; when it comes to accommdation these differences are particularly acute.

for example, in italy it is customary to pay a 30% [or so] deposit and to be expected to turn up with the rest in cash [something to do with tax, i suspect]. Linen and towels are normally included. in France, I have come across both payment at the time and payment in advance, but you normaly have to pay extra for linen, towels and cleaning.

however, in Britain and Ireland, linen, towels and cleaning are free [or in reality absorbed into the overall price] but all self-catering establishments will expect all the money in advance -as St. Cirq says, what are they to do if you don't show? it's not the same as a hotel where people may turn up at short notice or even without any booking at all. in our case, the beds are made, flowers arranged, tea things laid out. we have [hopefully] turned away other people because you have booked. we'd soon go out of business if people just didn't turn up.

the bottom line is that if you want to self-cater in Ireland, you'll have to pay up front.

LoveItaly

That certainly makes sense to me annhig.

If the worry is that something would come up such as a serious illness or death and consequently the trip would be cancelled I would take out a trip insurance policy that would cover the rental money paid out in advance. In that I do not have a trip planned I have not checked to see if any trip insurance company will cover future trips if the loss is due to the "volacano problem" but that would be something to investigate.

I can understand a traveller being worried about liking a rental but if I owned a vacation rental I would be worried at times as to what condition my rental would be left in and I say that as someone who has owned rentals and managed rental properties, non vacation rentals. Most renters are honorable but when you get those that are not..well enough said.

annhig

but if I owned a vacation rental I would be worried at times as to what condition my rental would be left in >>

loveitaly - we've been very lucky as almost always it's in apple-pie order. [touch wood] very rarely have we had a problem with the place being left dirty, though of course we clean it anyway, no matter how clean it looks.

julies

Our rentals have always turned out fine although we did have one that was so filthy that if we had had any other options we would have exercised them. And, one time we ended deciding against a place because we had a bad feeling about it (primarily due to the owner), and when we drove by months later during our trip we found it was on a main road which the owner had neglected to reveal despite my probing questions. So, perhaps what I am referring to is that just as most renters are honorable, most owners are honorable. But, there may be a few who aren't on the owner side too. I think that is why I mentioned seeming to have things stacked in the owner's favor. Nonetheless, I can definitely understand the owner's perspective on the situation.

I guess I didn't realize that different countries have different standards. We've primarily rented in France, Spain and Italy in that order. Thanks for your thoughts.

janisj

"<i>how normal it is for a request for full payment for a self-catering unit way before arrival. </i>"

Everyone has explained it -- but just to emphasize that it totally normal. Almost every place I've ever rented in the UK and Ireland (probably 25-30+) has required full payment before arrival. Sometimes as much as 6-8 weeks ahead. Often a deposit is due at time of booking and the balance one or two months out. If the booking was made w/i that one/two month period -- then full payment was due right then.

The only times that hasn't been necessary was when I booked through a firm from whom I'd rented many times. They started waiving advance payment and just let me pay on arrival since I had along track record w/ them.

Kilroy

We've rented beach houses in Balboa, CA for many, many years - primarily though an agency, but also directly from the owner. They have always wanted the full rental and deposit "in advance". We'll be renting three properties in Ireland this summer. Dream Ireland wanted a small deposit with the balance 60 days in advance for lodges at Shannon Oaks. A small property in Kenmare wanted 30% deposit with remainder on arrival (we plan to pay in advance so we don't have to stop for euros). Even St. Augustine's short let apartments in Dublin wanted the rental a few days in advance. I'm not particularly worried about it because we're dealing with reliable properties (or I'm naturally optimistic). The really scary thing would be to have our accommodations fall through at the last minute as there are 18 traveling. If the units aren't perfect we'll deal with it and file a complaint. If they were given to another tenant because we were late or whatever we'd be up the creek. Don't know if this helped.

Cowboy1968

If you rent through an agency, you hardly have any other option than doing as the terms say it needs to be done.
If you rent directly from owner, you can give him/her a call or send an e-mail, and inquire about alternative modes of payment, like 30% deposit and rest upon arrival.
As others have said, it is very usual to ask for all the money in advance. So common, that maybe no Irish owner can imagine that it will keep some potential renters from doing business with him.
And I doubt that this summer will be a season that many property owners in Ireland will not try hard to accomodate any reasonable request from potential renters. Demand is in short supply, so to speak

julies

All--

Now that I understand that this is the mormal mode of operation in Ireland, I somewhat can accept this. I have to admit though that part of what triggered this extra apprehension was a rant by someone over on Tripadvisor who was out 2000E on a fully paid booking when s/he wasn't able to get there because of the volcano issue.

Cowboy--

You also give good advice, so perhaps I can do a bit of discussing about what would make good sense for both parties. It is interesting in that some places (more unique and/or more reasonable) seem quite booked. Others seem to have no bookings at all.

janisj

Actually, because of the economy fewer Irish and British folks are traveling overseas (sort of 'staycations') -- many places will be booked up because folks are cutting back on foreign travel.

"<i>a rant by someone over on Tripadvisor who was out 2000E on a fully paid booking when s/he wasn't able to get there </i>"

IMO - a person can't really rant if they didn't bother to get travel insurance covering natural disaters.

Cowboy1968

I doubt if that is always true. Friends of friends run a very decent B&B/small hotel in a prime seafront location in West Cork which had lots of repeat customers. They cut stuff by half because their clientele seems to prefer to spend a week in Majorca rather than paying the same for a bank holiday weekend in their own country.

Christina

I guess the rant was the renter thinking the owner should suffer due to that rather than them living up to the agreement and buying travel insurance. I can't imagine prepaying 2000 euro and not buying travel insurance, seems very dumb to me. No wonder a lot of owners don't do that. I have only rented in France and think it is also common there to require payment in full before arrival. I know I've done it twice and since I view a lot of apt rental websites, I've seen those terms a lot.

aussiedreamer

Good reading. We've just rented apartments in Paris & London, both through homerentals.co.uk. Paris wanted a bank cheque in Euro for the deposit now and the rent 30 days before. London was too easy (gulp) the lovely lady rang me in Brisbane and we decided to use c/card (works for me as it has automatic insurance) for the full amount as she offered disc. Sometimes I get a bit nervous about it, but we've always been fine. But thats what insurance is for.
Good luck.

daveesl

Italy I always pay a deposit in advance, rest on arrival. Germany, UK and Ireland, full amount in advance. Now, I do a pretty thorough check on a variety of sites before I do this. If the place doesn't have a fair number of reviews and the vast majority positive, then I go somewhere else. I don't expect 100% positive, as there is always someone or maybe a few, that want to grumble about things due to not understanding a culture.

dave