Villa Rental Direct from Owner

I am looking to holiday in Florida for the 1st time this August, & am trying to get exactly what we want for our holiday without paying over the top. To this end, I've been looking to rent a villa, directly from the owners rather than through an agent. I've been offered a 4-bed, 3.5 bath villa in Sandy Ridge for £400pw, which seems great value.

What worries me, is how do I know I am dealing with a genuine owner? The paperwork came in the post the other day, & it's just been done on a home PC. The owners only take cheques for payment - no visa, which would have made me feel more secure. The full amount (£800) has to be paid 8 weeks before my holiday, so giving possible scammers plenty of time to disappear with our money.

I can't imagine anything worse than paying our money, then turning up on our dream holiday to an address that doesn't exist, or has someone else living there. What proof/paperwork should I expect? What sort of contract should I have? Can I insure against any problems? Is any possible saving worth the possible risk?

Any help/info greatly appreciated.

Have you booked the villa through this site? If not I would give this site a try.

All villas on this site have to be verified every 6 months. This means the owners have to prove to th epeople running the site that they do infact own the villa.

You could always ask the owner for the phone number of their Management Company to check them out as well. Most owners would also be happy to provide you with referrances if you were unsure.

Most owners will ask for full payment between 8 - 10 weeks before your holiday so this is not unusual. You will also have an address for the owner and they should also give you a telephone contact as well as email.

I would comment however that £400 per week at peak time is a bit on the cheap side, so do find out all you can about the villa before commiting. As mentioned earlier if you are unsure take a look at the 3 links on this site.

You don't say if you found this owner through any of the OV sites at the top of each forum page but, if you did, then all the homes have to be verified every six months that the owner advertising actually owns the property.

Most private home owners would ask for payment something like 6 - 10 weeks before your check-in date so that's not unusual in itself.

However, £400 a week in August for a 4 bedroom home is awfully inexpensive as that's peak season so I think you're right to ask questions. Why not ask the owner if they can verify their home to you so that you can satisfy yourself that they own it?

Hello Lind
If you have used the three sites linked at the top of the forum then the villa owners have all been checked out, making sure that they do own their villas. This happens every 6 months by Roger and John who run this site and they verify each owner. Most of us do use our pc to forward details of our villa guest; I do this myself all the time. Personally I always phone my guest before they book to reassure them that I do own the villa and to answer any quires they may have I also give them my Management Company’s telephone number. I ask that a £200 non refundable depoit to be paid to secure the dates that guest require and ask for the final balance 10 weeks prior to departure along with the final balance is a security deposit of £200(refundable after the guest have left if there is not any damadge to the property)

Hi Lind

If the villa you have chosen is through this site you can be assured that the villa owner has been verified and is genuine. You could ask for the name of their Management Co and contact them to make sure they look after the home for Mr or Mrs XXXX. Most owners that do accept Credit Cards do this through their Management Co., but theirs might not offer this facility.

I am sure it will all be ok for you.

Best of luck

Don't forget that if you booked through a travel agent, you would have to pay before you go also.

Have a great holiday!

Thanks for all your answers :)

I only discovered this site today, & jumped right in [:I]

The villa is one I found originally adertised on E-Bay, (home of the bargain, & the scammers)which led me to the owners website. The website is well done with lots of info & pictures. The price on the website for August is £600pw, which is more in line with others I've seen - & out of our budget.

The villa is a new build, & the owners say the price is an E-Bay special. They have no feedback relating to the villa, as E-Bay is just being used advertise, rather than auctioning weeks off.

There is a brief mention of a management company on the website, but nothing on the booking forms. Access to the villa is via key code, so I don't have a Manager's details for key collection even.

It all looks lovely, & I don't wish to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I'm such a cynic I can't help but worry.

Hi Lind,

I am not a villa owner but I have rented many villas, I would suggest you go with a villa from this site as advised above then you have peace of mind[msnwink]

Been twice
Rented from here
everything fantasic

Need I say more

To be honest £400 per week would barely cover the utility bills and management fees never mind a mortgage, taxes, and keeping the villa up to standard.