• Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
New posts

skippertoo

Beach Fanatic
Sep 8, 2005
660
16
Atlanta (Midtown)
To the private owners that rent their own units.... We have decided to rent at a new place this year and contacted an owner through VRBO and sent a deposit. Yesterday I got a confirmation letter in the mail and they ask for full payment 60 days ahead of the rental. I have rented many times and years but have never been asked to part with the money so far in advance.
What do you think ??

Skip
 

Jdarg

SoWal Expert
Feb 15, 2005
18,068
1,973
About 2 years ago Rivard started doing the same thing- it is 30 days prior. I know it speeds up checkin and avoids payment problems, but I hate not having MY money in MY bank account until I get the key! I would have a problem with 60 days.
 

InletBchDweller

SoWal Insider
Feb 14, 2006
6,804
263
55
Prairieville, La
The units we have through vrbo we ask for 1/2 half when you reserve and we get the other half when you arrive. Many people offer to pay all in advance. If it is a rental where they reserve close to their arrival time then we ask for the full amount. I do not think I would ever ask for all of it so far in advance. The only thing I can think of is that this renter has been burned a few times.
 

TooFarTampa

SoWal Insider
Ours is 50 percent up front also and the rest two weeks before arrival. Even if you are "burned" you get to keep the deposit, right, and still have a couple of weeks to try to rent the unit. I dunno. 30 days would be my personal max.
 

Wastin Away

Beach Lover
Sep 20, 2005
189
14
59
We do 1/2 rental 10 days after contact and the remainder, sales tax and security deposit 10 days before arrival.
 

ameness

Beach Comber
Mar 15, 2005
25
0
home
If you want the place you are at their mercy. It is a gamble. Last yr. we gambled and lost. Dennis interrupted our Dune Allen Beach plans so we took a gulf front townhouse in Panama City. The townhouse and location were great, but for 3 of our 7 day stay we had a diesel tank, machinery, and a port-a-potty outside our balcony. No view, lights and noise 24 x 7, a strong diesel smell, and no direct beach access. The rental agent was totally unreasonable and refused to discount our stay even to a pool side rate for those three days. I believe it was because they had a cashier's check in advance. They didn't care if we stayed or left at that point. Thank goodness we are back in Dune Allen this year and with a rental agency I trust.
 

dbuck

Beach Fanatic
Jun 2, 2005
3,966
12
KY
This is terrible. Were they doing the beach renourishment (blowing sand back upon the beach)? Just curious, was this complex Largo Mar, or was it some place on the west end of Panama City? That balcony looks vaguely familiar. I love staying in townhouse rentals. That is what I usually look for.
 

Smiling JOe

SoWal Expert
Nov 18, 2004
31,648
1,773
ameness said:
If you want the place you are at their mercy. It is a gamble. Last yr. we gambled and lost. Dennis interrupted our Dune Allen Beach plans so we took a gulf front townhouse in Panama City. The townhouse and location were great, but for 3 of our 7 day stay we had a diesel tank, machinery, and a port-a-potty outside our balcony. No view, lights and noise 24 x 7, a strong diesel smell, and no direct beach access. The rental agent was totally unreasonable and refused to discount our stay even to a pool side rate for those three days. I believe it was because they had a cashier's check in advance. They didn't care if we stayed or left at that point. Thank goodness we are back in Dune Allen this year and with a rental agency I trust.
That sucks big time. I bet you will be glad to be back in Dune Allen.
 
New posts


Sign Up for SoWal Newsletter