Paying for private holiday apartment

tommygirl_2

Hi,

I will be booking a privately owned holiday apartment in Turkey to stay in for Christmas and New Year. The owner has said I can put the money (£385) in her bank account- however I want to make sure that I won't be scammed! Any suggestions?

Jelliebeen

Who are you booking the apartment through? It's standard to ask for the final balance before you arrive, otherwise the owner could just as well lose out if you don't turn up.

Anyway, have you signed a booking contract? If not, ask for one. This will protect you as well as the owner. Make sure you speak to the owner on the phone and don't just rely on email - you can tell more about someone from their voice than the words they type.

If they're advertising on an established website, ring them up and ask for feedback. They should be happy to do so.

Check out the address on google maps. Ask on TripAdvisor if anyone knows about the apartment - the people on there really know their stuff.

It's almost certainly legit, but do your research before you part with any money! Better safe than sorry.

tiff

I would prefer to pay by credit card for protection.

When I booked a holiday villa in Florida I used an Orlando villa site that had a forum. The owner posted regularly and was well known on the site which gave me the confidence from her posts that she was an owner who acted professionally and wanted her guests to have a good experience.

Jelliebeen

Credit card is good, but many smaller owners might not have that facility if they just have one or two properties - I know my parents don't but they are def legit! I agree, any legit owner should go out of their way to help and will act professionally throughout the process.

tommygirl_2

Thank you Jelliebeen and tiff for your advice- it is greatly appreciated!

The website the owner has advertised on seems like a reputable one- I will definately ask for a booking contract and seek feedback.x

Jelliebeen

No problem, I'm all for private rentals so happy to help!