Leaving US in 2 Days!!
 

I've rented an apartment in Paris and based all plans upon the location of it. www.yourstayparis.com is who I rented from.
TODAY I get an email from them stating that they've "switched" where I am to another apartment (at a discounted rate) due to maintence issues.
I don't care for the new location, am I at their mercy now? I leave Sunday AM, and will try to call them tomorrow to resolve the situation.
But what recourse do I have at this late date? Do I just have to accept what they give me? I paid 200 Euro as a down payment in March and paid the balance, 130 Euro 2 weeks ago, per their agreement on a credit card. Now that's done, what can I do?

Thanks for the help.

This is one of my biggest fears about renting apartments from many of these agencies, and I get the impression this is a common practice among many of them. I'm not sure what recourse you have, but I'd be angry. This is just like the reason I don't use Priceline -- location and the exact place I'm staying IS IMPORTANT to me. I would be willing to bet that your contract even allows them to substitute an alternate.

If your payments were made on a credit card, you do have the recourse of abandoning the project and contesting the charges with your CC. Where were you staying? I've rented a place for the 3rd from a Scottish couple who seem very up and up (I've never had problems renting from real people), and their place might be free (it was when I first booked), but it's in the 14th. ($750) I did have to send a check (in US$$ YAY)

Or you could go to www.france.com and look for a hotel in the area you want. They have very complete info about their hotels, rates, comments and availability, instant booking.

Patrick,
I am angry and I will contest the charges should we not come to a mutual agreement.

Hi Your Ladyship,

I know that it's upsetting to have to change plans, but it appears to me that the "yourstay" people have done what they should do.

Having determined that the apt you reserved was not being properly maintained, they gave you another place and a discount for the inconvenience.

Would you rather spend your trip complaining about the stopped-up toilet?

I'm familiar with a lot of Parisian apt. rental agencies, having done it myself a couple times and reviewing other sources, and I've never heard of that agency or anyone who has used them. Perhaps because they are British, so maybe they are known more there. The thing that is odd is that it appears to just be an agent for apt. owners, they don't own or manage the apartments themselves, so I don't know why they would care so much about you cancelling if the one you booked wasn't available. Of course, they would be out their commission, but it still seems that if you really dislike the new location, they should be amenable to you cancelling as they are dealing with individual owners.

Usually, this is a standard clause in many vacation apartment agency rental contracts; I know I've seen it before and have heard of that happening to others (Chez Vous, for example). I would thoroughly review the contract you signed with them, and if it allows substitution because of apartment problems, I don't think you can do anything. If it does not address that issue and you really don't want the place, I would be very firm with them and try to get them to let you cancel (obviously you are getting an apt. no one wanted or it wouldn't be available, either).

This is one reason I don't recommend people rent vacation apartments as much as other people do, because I know there are a lot of risks and it's not worth it for a short stay. I have also refused to rent from one New Jersey agency because they would not give me a decent contract in writing laying out all the terms, such as this one, even though that was an agency a few others on here have rented from and liked.

Thanks for the info and advice. Unless I cancel with 14 days notice, I receive no refund unless the apt. is "re-let".
I dont have 14 days notice of course.

Perhaps someone knows about the area I've now been placed in, rue vieille du Temple near Rue des Francs Bourgeois? It's less than a mile from the orginal one.
I called the company in UK this morning they've assured me that this property is very nice, of course, and that should the maintenence issues be resolved at the orginal one they would put me back there. I will roll with the punches and make the best of it!

Rue Vieille du Temple is in the middle of the Marais. It used to be a real slum, now unrecognizable as it has been rehabed like most of the Marais. I would find the location acceptable, but of course, I do not know what the original location was.