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Who Will I Book My Holiday Villa With - The Owner Or A Reputable Agency? by Helen Cobb
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by: HelenCobb
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Travel specialist Helen Cobb asks what are the hidden dangers of choosing the cheaper option of booking your holiday rental accommodation through an agency or directly with the owner.
Now here comes the toughest step. Where and with whom do you select you holiday accommodation? The internet over the last 4 years has seen two key sources emerge.
The first is a holiday accommodation rental agency. A reputable agency ensures that each and every one of their properties listed has been inspected and carries an accurate description of the property and its surroundings.
The other most popular source is to find your property through one of several websites that merely list the owner's properties and you can book through the owner direct.The obvious advantage to you the customer is that you buy direct from the owner which is often cheaper than booking a through an agency.
The author's aim of this article is to make you aware of some of the potential pitfalls when booking direct with an owner and therefore to ensure you're not let down and ruining your hard earned holiday.
Here are some thoughts to bear in mind when making your choice:
Q. When an owner takes pictures of their house and uploads them onto the website will they choose the ones that put their property in its best light and that truly represent the whole of the property's interior and exterior?
A. Unfortunately experience has shown clients have turned up at a property they rented direct from an owner and in real life the property looked completely different/worse than the pictures on the internet. They often discover the owner had put for example a picture of reasonable en-suite bathroom but none of the other bathrooms were shown on the website and they were ghastly - Or the furnishings and decor were very "old and tired" and the pictures on the website had been taken a number of years ago.
Q. Do you think the owner will be completely honest and frank in his/her description of the property and state exactly what the property and its locale are like?
A. Often clients find that not only has the description been "oversold" and exaggerated by the owner key facts have been omitted such as being under the flight path of an international airport, a nearby a busy railway track or noisy neighbours .
Q. Is it fair or unreasonable to expect the owner to lay on some key basic services as part of your booking or will you face being greeted by a dark lifeless home and a lengthy instruction manual which you need to sit and read through to discover for yourself how everything works!?
Perhaps bare cupboards or empty fridge await you (or if you're lucky stocked with some cheap wine, bread and milk) requiring you to spend the first day of your vacation finding the local shops do get food and drink?
A. A reputable agency will provide a "meet and greet" service at the airport and/or at the property. A guided tour explaining how things work and contact numbers for any queries is normally provided. Also in advance of your arrival an essentials shopping list will be taken by the agency and then bought, delivered and stored for you.
Q. You're been let down by the owner in regards to the holiday home you purchased and want to get some compensation.
A. It is traditionally very difficult to get compensation directly from an owner. However an owner that is registered with a reputable agency will be more inclined to offer compensation should standards have fallen short of what he was contractually obliged to provide through his agent. A good agent will be worth many bookings and revenue to owner and it is in the owners interests not upset the agent and face being sued by an established company that he/she is contractually bound by.
Also if paying by credit card through a holiday agency (it's unlikely an owner has this facility) you may complain to your credit card issuer and claim back some or all of the monies paid due to not having received the goods/service you paid for. Agencies need positive feedback and referrals to succeed in their business as opposed to some owners who often go from year to year "duping" unsuspecting holiday makers coming to their home knowing what is being promised doesn't quite match up with the reality.
For the price daily price of a good bottle of wine a day you can reduce the risk of falling foul of these dangers and feel confident that the holiday home you booked is what you will find when you get there!
Helen Cobb is a travel specialist #1 and has been looking after her villa rental customers for over 15 years. Helen and her team at Luxurybreaks #2want to ensure that your next holiday villa rental experience is one to remember for all the RIGHT reasons.
About the Author
Before you book your next holiday vacation home, make sure you check out Helen Cobb the travel professional's excellent free article on why paying less direct with an owner could end up costing you more in the long run. Visit the Uber Article Directory to get a totally unique version of this article for reprint.
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