Deposit for a holiday

n3il_2

Spoke to a guy that owns caravans on a holiday camp in Blackpool, enquired about renting 2 in October and he said that we need to send £100 deposit for each caravan, pay him the £200 for each caravan when we get there and then at the end of the holiday we get the £200 deposit back. I've don't know this guy and I've never met him before so I was wondering if it's advisable to send him money in the post by cheque.

greenface

£200 for a week in a caravan in Blackpool in October (if thats half term thats not bad) Paying a deposit is right by cheque is normally fine too. If your worried your going to get ripped off then dont book with them .Phone the site ask them if they know and if he is decent.We ask for a £50 deposit to secure their date and the balance paid 6 weeks before ,so our guests are paying alot of money on trust and we are trusting our guests with not totally trashing our gaff/

n3il_2

Cheers for reply, I was just suspicious of sending someone £200 as I've never met him, what's stopping him cashing the cheque and saying that we've not sent him it or saying it was nothing to do with the caravan and ripping us off? Do I record it in anyway?

adviceforall

We ask for a 20% deposit upon booking, then balance payable 8 weeks before holiday.
Your worried about being ripped off by taking a chance but the owner is also taking a chance of taking the risk of you not turning up and paying the balance when you arrive, ( i know he would have your £200 but would lose out on the balances being paid)
thats why we ask for it 8 weeks before so you know you receive full payment, if not you have 7/8 weeks to find another guest.

greenface

Firstly you have a name and a postal address (if its PO Box - Nigeria think twice) There are rip offs that work the holiday scam but are very rare .As posted check with the site. See if they know him .There was a story i can remember on here a few pages long about a bloke in the east coast doing the non exsisting caravans then going bust thing. Firstly does the caravan park exist ? does it sublet ? Are there other homeowners . Have you checked on ebay etc> How do you normally pay for a holiday ?