Renting an apartment in France - am I being Paranoid?
 

Now that we've found the apartment and are negotiating a contract, I'm getting a little nervous. The landlord wants 30% delivered via paypal for booking and then the remaining 70% 15 days before arrival. My sensors are going off saying, WAIT A SECOND! That means you have all my money before I even show up!

So I asked if we could pay the remaining balance upon arrival. She said that if we did it that way, it would be 50% due via paypal for booking and the other 50% upon arrival. Does that all sound on the up and up?

She's got plenty of reviews, a valid formal contract, and seems pretty legit. It just strikes me as weird, why would I give you all my money before you gave me keys?

Am I being paranoid?

That sounds way more than up and up. Look at it from the landlord's point of view. Why would she tie up her apartment w/o having the money up front?

Some do let you pay the balance on arrival--but MANY more require full payment 6-8 weeks in advance.

Most of the rentals we've used required full payment usually 30 days prior to arrival.

I did have to pay mine up on SOME places. It weirded me out too. I did almost get scammed by one guy that was rushing me into the contract and after researching it turned out he was a total scammer.

Where were the reviews from? Tripadvisor or were they ones they sent you themselves?

I think I've paid the final amount 6 weeks before arrival. What the owner is asking you to do is not unusual at all.

That's what trip insurance can cover in the event you have to cancel.

Often you're asked to pay in advance (i.e. when you book) for good internet hotel deals. Paying in advance is standard for many apartments. As long as you are confident about the apartment and owner, I see no problem.

I don't know if I'd trust the Tripadvisor reviews for self-catering rentals quite yet. Tripadvisor only recently expanded to vacation rentals, and it seems to have imported the exclusively positive reviews also. Try googling.

I never, ever rented my French house without a security deposit of $500 upon booking and the full balance at least 45 days before the beginning of the rental. Why should I have? Well, what if you don't show up or want to cancel or change your dates, and it messes up all my other bookings? What if you're a deadbeat and just fooling with me? What if you show up and don't have the money? It's a lot of work renting out a house/apartment by the week or month or whatever - a LOT! This is not at all unusual and absolutely nothing to get your sensors up about.

Please check & double check the references; are you sure they are legit & actual references? Do you know any of these references personally? We just lost more than $1500 on a fake rental in Greece. I know there are legit rentals out there & the landlord has to protect his interest as well, but just please check it out every way possible; sometimes your gut feeling is your best indicator.

Just google them. I googled my guy's name and apartment rental. He had an address of the property which I found on google maps. He gave me referrals, which turned out to be bogus...even the one I emailed directly. My red flag is that he was really rushing me into it. I did pay 50% of my balance for my apartment in Paris up front, and the remaining balance upon check in. I wouldn't worry about a hotel asking you to do this or one run thru a reputable company. It did scare me, but looking back, the apartment was way too good to be true in regards to the price and location.

Will they take a credit card?

to clarify, the one we actually rented that was NOT bogus, i paid 50/50. But a week earlier I almost got scammed by the one with a legit address (not his, obviously) referrals and emails.

Although I was a little hesitant at first, ultimately I felt comfortable with the guy we DID end up renting from. He gave me all his contact info, email, phone, addresses and I found him on a website online with hundreds of apartments for rent. It wasn't just a random apartment I found on craigslist or something.

I've rented more than 60 apartments, flats and condos over the years -- and never once contacted any references (nor asked for any really). Back to before there was much internet presence/booking - and looooong before there were on-line reviews. Just do your due diligence. Renting isn't brain surgery- and if you are alert to the common pitfalls/red flags you'll be fine. Having to pay in advance is not any sort of red flag BTW.

Maybe give us a link to the property and we can look it over for you to see if anything looks weird.

It doesn't send up a red flag for me. For all the places we've rented they have required complete payment BEFORE we arrive. The apartment we rented in Paris this past trip secured the balance due upon our arrival but already had our credit card info to do so.

StCirq brings up very good points to consider.

From someone else who rents out properties, and always asks for full payment 8 weeks before: this is very common, and reflects the difference between renting a hotel room and renting a house. If someone doesn't show for one night, it's not such a big issue, and most hotels have the possibility of a last minute replacement. Not so for house rentals. If you decide not to come a week or two before, I'm out a significant amount, with no likelihood of a replacement.

I am always willing to give names of people who have stayed with us, and am surprised that so few people actually ask for this. Any responsible owner/manager will do this.

You should also have a contract stating clearly what the cancellation policy is.

The apartment we are renting was found on this website and has reviews spanning multiple years.

http://www.homelidays.co.uk/clermont...-254676en1.htm

Additionally, the landlady sent us this website on the property

http://paris02.beauregard.free.fr/?lang=en

She seems to have everything together and isn't rushing us into anything. It would be a lot of work to fabricate both the reviews and the website if it were a scam. But she is fluent in french, and speaks little english, and I speak littel french but am fluent in english. When we received the contract, in full french, we got a little concerned.

I've used google translator to get the best idea of what it says, but I don't think it's getting all the legal terms correct. And then when I got the pay pal request, that's in french too! I just want to make sure I'm not buying a bridge or something!

Well, then, copy the contract here and we francophones can tell you what it says.

<b>...am I being Paranoid?</b>

Yes.

As others have already pointed out, the terms you describe are typical if not more slanted toward the renter. For rental apartments throughout Europe I've often paid 50% to reserve and the other 50% eight weeks before arrival.

The more desirable and popular the apartment, the more the owner will try to ensure it stays rented - see Carlux's comment above.

Be thankful they have Paypal - some places require a bank transfer or money order.

In our first experience at renting an apartment last December we paid 30% at the time of the reservation, then the balance at the end of the month before the rental. We dealt only with an agency and paid everything with a credit That was in Nice, which may be different from renting in Paris.

*note that the dates, addresses and tenant names have been changed to protect my privacy so they may not make sense with previous posts regarding when I'm going.*

<<Les arrhes de 50 % (600 Euros) DEVRONT été versées par le preneur dans les plus brefs délais afin de fixer la réservation.>>

600 euros are due without delay after making the reservation

<<Le solde de 600 Euros devra être versé LE 2 AVRIL 2011 à la remise des clés.>>

600 euros are due April 2 when you get the keys.

<<Le dépôt de garantie de 200 EUROS devra être versé le jour de la remise des clés. Le dernier jour nous demandons également 30 Euros pour les frais de ménage.>>

The 200 euro security deposit is due the day you pick up the keys. The last day of the rental you will owe 30 euros for cleaning fees.

I don't see anywhere where it says you have to pay the balance in advance.

snuggles11,
I don't see a problem with what the apartment owners are asking of you, but I would be paranoid about posting personal details on the internet, "changed" or not. I would recommend contacting the editors and asking them to remove the identifying details from the contract you posted.

Good luck with your rental, and wishing you a great time in Paris!

It's her apartment - so she is the one with far more at risk. If for some reson you don;t turn up ( bad weather, family problem etc) she has no way of recouping her loss. It's not like renting rooms in a hotel. I think she's being perfectly reasonable.

Would you be able to rent an apartment her in the US without a month's deposit and a month's rent in advance?

The Paris apartment that I rent requires 100% of the apartment rent paid, up to 30 days before arrival time. So, I just mail a check to the owner, in New York. I'm in L.A. She also takes credit cards now. And before that I think PayPal.

I first rented the apartment when there were no reviews on it before I had received the contract and made the first payment or two. But, it all turned out great. Now, there are something like fourteen, 5-star reviews and one, 4-star review on the place. I even wrote one of the 5-star reviews. So, I usually go by my gut feeling which has paid off quite well over the decades. Smiles. Happy Travels!

Here's the contract, anyone help with translation...if anything sticks out.

La présente location est faite aux conditions ordinaires et de droit en pareille matière et notamment à celles ci-après que le preneur s’oblige à exécuter, sous peine de tous dommages et intérêts et même de résiliations des présentes, si bon semble au mandataire et sans pouvoir réclamer la diminution du loyer.

a) Les heures d’arrivée sont normalement prévues EN FIN D APRES MDI 17H………………………..
Les heures de départ sont normalement prévues EN FIN DE MATINEE AVANT 12 H

b) Il est convenu qu'en cas de désistement : - du locataire :
- à plus d'un mois avant la prise d'effet du bail, le locataire perd les arrhes versées,
- à moins d'un mois d'un mois avant la prise d'effet du bail, le locataire versera en outre la différence entre les arrhes et l'équivalent du loyer total, à titre de clause pénale.

c) Si un retard de plus de quatre jours par rapport à la date d’arrivée prévue n’a pas été signalé par le preneur, le bailleur pourra de bon droit, essayer de relouer le logement tout en conservant la faculté de se retourner contre le preneur.

c) Obligation d’occuper les lieux personnellement, de les habiter “ en bon père de famille ” et de les entretenir. Toutes les installations sont en état de marche et toute réclamation les concernant survenant plus de 24 h après l’entrée en jouissance des lieux, ne pourra être admise. Les réparations rendues nécessaires par la négligence ou le mauvais entretien en cours de location, seront à la charge du preneur. Obligation de veiller à ce que la tranquillité du voisinage ne soit pas troublée par le fait du preneur ou de sa famille.

d) Les locaux sont loués meublés avec matériel de cuisine, vaisselle, verrerie, couvertures et oreillers, tels qu’ils sont dans l’état descriptif ci-joint. S’il y a lieu, le propriétaire ou son représentant seront en droit de réclamer au preneur à son départ, la valeur totale au prix de remplacement des objets, mobiliers ou matériels cassés, fêlés, ébréchés ou détériorés et ceux dont l’usure dépasserait la normale pour la durée de la location, le prix de nettoyage des couvertures rendues sales, une indemnité pour les détériorations de toute nature concernant les rideaux, papiers peints, plafonds, tapis, moquette, vitres, literie, etc. ...

e) Le preneur s'engage à s'assurer contre les risques locatifs (incendie, dégât des eaux). Le défaut d'assurance, en cas de sinistre, donnera lieu à des dommages et intérêts.
Le bailleur s'engage à assurer le logement contre les risques locatifs pour le compte du locataire, ce dernier ayant l'obligation de lui signaler, dans les 24 h, tout sinistre survenu dans le logement, ses dépendances ou accessoires.

f) Le dépôt de garantie devra être payé COMPTANT. Il sera restitué le JOUR DU départ du locataire sauf en cas de retenue.

g) Le preneur ne pourra s’opposer à la visite des locaux, lorsque le propriétaire ou son représentant en feront la demande.

It's normal to pay 25/50% on booking and the rest 4 weeks before.

All normal-The flats I've rented in Europe asked for a security deposit upfront with the rest paid a month before arrival. I was leery as well, but from the rentor's perspective if you cancel between that time-they still have money even if they can rent the flat.

Go with your gut.

Over the last couple of decades I have rented several apartments. Each has asked for 50% at booking and the remainding balance 15 to 30 days before arrival. I have never experienced a problem. I usually make payments by bank transfer or Pay Pal.
Rental pictures and reviews are helpful but it is important you do your homework and due dilegence when inquirying about a property....do not hesitate to ask questions and feel comfortable with the answers you receive.
I hope your apartment quest is success and that you have a great expereince.