Should I book accommodation direct to save money? Is there a way to protect myself? (Bank transfer?)

adeeks

Hi,

I have found an Airbnb property I would like to book for 14 people. Its expensive 5k so want to try and save money on the price (I'm paying).

I have found the owners contact details and am thinking of contacting them directly to propose booking directly (with the aim of saving us both money).

Is there a way I can do this to protect both parties? 

E.g. I imagine if I paid by bank transfer they could just run off with my money... possibly PayPal as a business payment?

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks
Adam

bagand96

For a start you would want some sort of rudimentary contract. Doesn't have to be anything too complex, but some terms on an email stating £5000 payed for the hire of accommodation (address) on the following dates. Then with some cancellation terms. 

Bank transfer is the worst way to pay for anything as there is very little come back. The bank can't reverse it so they could do as you described and run off into the sunset!

Think about cancellation terms. What are the cancellation terms on the Airbnb listing? Hopefully the worst of the pandemic and changing travel restrictions are over, but I would still be looking for some flexibility right now. 

adeeks

I should have mentioned this airbnb is also in Portugal (they only have a 48 hour cancellation policy for full refund, but airbnb have been pretty good in pandemic regarding refunds. But I'll need to check if I'm going to book).

Maybe its just worth paying through airbnb to get the protection. As it maybe difficult trying to enforce a contract I have drafted should it all go south.

Was hoping there would be something I was missing like a paypal service etc that would offer some protection

Sandtree

Depending on what you are proposing the host may not be much better off... the service fee is pure AirB&B money but the host only pays circa 3% on all the other elements whereas PayPal charges 2.9% + 30p. So unless you agree to pay all the price other than service fee and then part of the service fee you are making little difference to the host.

There are always other options, like escrow, but these are going to cost more than what the AirB&B service fees are.

MalMonroe

If you're going on holiday, why penny pinch? I'd always go the 'official' route because trying to save a few quid here and there has very often cost people dear. You only have to look on this very site to see that. £5k isn't cheap but if there are fourteen people then I guess it works out not too bad. 

I'd never ever use a bank transfer - again, on this site alone, SO many people have fallen foul of unscrupulous people by using that method of payment. 

You may be better off with PayPal business or using a credit card so you could claim via Section 75 if things go wrong.

It'd be wise to look into all-inclusive insurance too. But I wouldn't try to do anything yourself. That way danger lies, as I keep saying, you only have to have a good look around this site to see that. 

J_B

We own a holiday home in Cyprus. I sometimes take direct bookings direct to bank.

We have a 1 page T&C's document (not sure it's worth anything legally) and all our bookings are made on trust - is that allowed now?

I did give one lady her money back last year , but still hold a deposit for two others from 2020 who haven't felt comfortable in attending yet.

We have (mainly) 5 star Trip Advisor reviews going back to 2010 and hope that gives folks some confidence in us.

Worried_fool

My first concern is that the person you have identified might not actually be the owner of the property. A bank transfer to an unknown is something that could go very badly wrong!

Anyway, the simplest solution would be to pay by credit card: you could encourage the owner to open a merchant account and agree some basic T and Cs. Do remember that the owner's saving by you booking directly rather than with Air BnB is around £150: enough to motivate someone to do a few things, but not to go to a great deal of trouble.

531063

Maybe pay a % deposit and the rest in cash when you get to the property.

adeeks

Thanks all. I weighed it up and in the end I decided I would do it officially thru airbnb.

However in the end I found the property on Vrbo which had free cancellation so didn't need to worry.

MATTR5

Adeeks

When you do pay for the accom nearer the time pay by Debit Card or Credit Card - Please dont pay by Bank Transfer - you'll have no come back or protection