Possible scam?

M

moneyhoney

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This may be the wrong forum so please move if so.

I'm planning a holiday to Spain in August & found details of a house on ownersdirect.co.uk website. So I sent off an email to the owner (who lives in Dublin co-incidentally) to enquire about booking.

Onwer emailed me back to say it is available and to post a bank draft to the Dublin address & they'll send me the keys.

This seems very odd to me. Anyone got any advice??
 
Sounds a bit odd. Normally they ask for a deposit and then a few weeks before departure you send the full amount. Ask them for a bank account and send the money via the bank - sending a bank draft in the post sounds dodgy !!!
 
As previous poster says the norm would be to pay a 10% deposit up-front , balance on arrival along with a security deposit , a local agent would show you around the house , bins , cleaning all the usual stuff , leave you with keys and arrand a departure time for return of the security deposit.
 
I have rented apartments many times before, though usually it's been through an agent - so I was suspicious striaght away. They have a website but that means nothing....

I mailed ownersdirect to see if they can verify the existence of the house & also mailed the owner to say that I'd pay a deposit & the rest locally.

Will see what happens!
 
Its possible that its all legit ,and the owner is a resident here and prefers to rent it out himself. but i wouldnt take the chance!!
 
Is it only on the ownersdirect website? Have you checked any of the other websites? Any property that I have rented usually meant sending a deposit direct to the owners bank account. The balance is usually paid 6 weeks before you leave. Can you have a look at the "availability" section? Has it been rented out for the last 6 months or more or is it only a new rental?
 
You could be jumping to the wrong conclusions. I rent an apt in Spain. I always get a deposit first and then the balance a few weeks before they depart. I also give them the Keys before they leave.
 
I do not believe this is a scam. Many people in Ireland rent out their foreign holiday homes through the internet, newspapers etc. [50% of all holidays booked in the UK are done this way, but in Ireland we tend to need the safety net of a Travel Agent who will usually charge more].

August is only 5 weeks away and even if you book through a Travel Agent they would want all the money upfront at this stage.

If you are in doubt, contact the owner directly and inform him/her of your fears which are legitimate. It would also be a reason to find out more about the resort, apartment, entertainment etc.

I have booked several holidays over the years like this and each has had a happy ending. I will also say that unless I receive a holiday from a travel agent at a knock down price, I will always book with the apartment owner directly.

Best of Luck
 
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