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How To
> Rent a Property
Arranging a short-term rental of an apartment, house or
cottage in a residential neighbourhood is one of my favourite
ways to “feel like a local.” But the prospect can be a bit
intimidating. Unlike booking a room at an international chain
hotel through its Web site or by phone, renting a place may
involve dealing with a small company by e-mail, fax or even
snail mail. You might find yourself mailing a deposit cheque
to a stranger. Undeniably, renting a place is a slightly
riskier proposition than staying in a hotel. But if you keep
the following basic tips in mind, you can decrease your
risks…and increase your Vida Local quotient!
- Think ahead,
particularly if you want to rent in a popular locale in high season. Good
properties attract loyal fans who rent year after year, and they sell out
fast.
- Do your homework, or
you’ll spend hours searching through listings. In a city, pinpoint a couple of
neighbourhoods—based on criteria such as safety, liveliness and proximity to
attractions. For a resort area, pick several towns or beaches that are family
friendly, party hearty—whatever you’re looking for.
- Ask friends and
acquaintances for recommendations.
- Make
a list of the amenities you can’t live without—a washing machine, air
conditioning and so on. Try to keep these to a minimum to increase your
chances of finding a spot, but be realistic. If your want to spend your
holiday sitting
next to the water with a book, a spot that’s a half-hour walk from the nearest
beach will probably make you miserable.
-
Compare prices. Search within one site or across multiple sites to compare the
prices of similar properties. If the place you’re keen on costs much more or
much less than the competition, try to figure out why. In general, places
marketed by a rental agency are usually slightly more expensive than
comparable spots you rent directly from the owner, but they often offer more
services and amenities, too.
- Ask
about early-bird or last-minute discounts.
-
Decide how much and what kind of support you want. Some companies simply
connect property owners and travellers, then step back to let the two parties
work out a deal. Others serve as rental agents, providing services such as
local concierges and English-speaking emergency contacts. Support usually
comes at a price but can offer valuable peace of mind.
- Ask
the rental company if you can contact a previous customer for a testimonial
about the company or a particular property.
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The
following questions should be at the top of your personal rental FAQ.
-
When can I cancel?
Unlike hotels, many rental properties require substantial advance notice of
cancellations if you hope to get a refund—often at least a week, and
frequently as long as a month or more. How and when will a refund be provided?
Make sure you understand the rules before putting down a deposit.
-
What’s included?
Don’t assume that standard items in hotel rooms are de rigueur in a rental.
Anything from bed linens to dish soap may be your responsibility, and
utilities such as central heating, air conditioning and local telephone calls
may come at an extra cost. Don’t be afraid to ask, and get any promises in
writing.
-
Is there a local contact person?
Ideally, there will be someone nearby—the landlord, the rental agent—whom you can
call if you have questions or problems. If the local contact doesn’t speak
your language, find out if there’s a secondary contact who does.
-
How do I get there and get around?
A flat on the edge of the city will probably be cheaper than one downtown,
but if you have to rent a car, the savings may not be as great as you think.
Other things to consider: proximity of mass transit and walking times to local
attractions.
-
Are there services nearby?
A grocery store is one of the basics you’ll
probably want close at hand.
If the property lacks a washing machine or Internet access, ask about nearby
coin laundries or Internet cafés.
-
Is the property appropriate for children, pets, smokers or travellers with
disabilities?
Ask about things such as baby cribs, fenced yards and steep stairs, as well as
any restrictions imposed by the property owner. And check whether these
considerations could lead to extra fees. For instance, some properties may
permit pets but charge an extra cleaning fee for vacuuming up Rover’s hair.
-
How is the property insured?
In other words, if something goes wrong, who is liable for what?
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All
right, this section will sound a little scary. Let me preface it by saying that
I’ve rented properties on three continents and never run into a scammer. That
being said, there are less-than-reputable people in this business (as in
any other), so it makes sense to protect yourself as much as possible when
arranging deposits and payment.
In a
nutshell, avoid giving individuals access to any credit card or bank account
with a sizable credit limit, balance or overdraft.
You’ll
need to be more cautious when dealing directly with individual property owners.
Large, well-established rental agencies pose much less of a risk.
If in doubt, ask for testimonials or check with the Better Business Bureau.
The
information in the list below applies mainly to dealings with individuals and
small firms (although it never hurts to be cautious in any international
transaction).
- Do
not send payment via wire services, such as Western Union. They are popular
with fraud artists, since payments arrive quickly and are tricky for
international police to track.
- Give
out as little financial information as possible. Be very cautious about giving
out your credit card number or sending personal cheques.
- If
you do pay by credit card, use a card with a low credit limit. Either ask your
bank to lower the limit on an existing card you seldom use, or apply for a new
one you can use for such transactions. (Beware the latter strategy if you
already have several credit cards, however. Carrying multiple cards—even if
you rarely use them—can hurt your credit rating.)
- If
you’re paying by credit card online, make sure the site is secure. The address
should begin with “https” rather than just “http.” In addition, most Web
browsers have an icon that shows that information transmitted via a particular
site is encrypted—in Internet Explorer, it’s a small padlock that appears on
the taskbar.
- If
you do pay by cheque, write it on an account with a small balance. Make sure
the account doesn’t have a high overdraft limit.
- Ask
the vendor if you can pay via PayPal, which allows you to transfer funds from
your bank account or a credit card without providing account numbers to the
vendor. Be forewarned that basic PayPal accounts may only accept payments tied
to a bank account. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it just means the
vendor hasn’t paid an extra fee to be allowed to accept credit card payments.
- Try
to negotiate a low deposit, with plans to settle the balance in person. That
way, you’ll be able to see the property first before paying most of the money.
(Many renters are reluctant to do this, for obvious reasons. Go with your gut
feeling.)
-
Never give a rental agency your social insurance number, social security
number or equivalent.
-
Don’t necessarily be suspicious if the rental agency wants you to make your
final payment in cash. In countries with volatile currencies, asking for cash
payment in U.S. dollars is quite common. Just be extremely careful when
bringing cash abroad—split the total among the travellers in your party, for
instance, and make sure it is well concealed. If you plan to pay in local
currency with money you withdraw abroad, check with your bank to make sure
your daily withdrawal limit will allow you to get sufficient funds. Then make
sure there’s an ATM near your rental property that will accept your ATM card,
so you don’t have to carry a pile of cash all over town. Follow the links to
find a Visa/Plus ATM or
a MasterCard/Maestro/Cirrus machine.
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Countless companies and individuals rent properties to travellers all over the
globe. Each destination profile on this website has links to a few companies
operating in that market. If there's no destination profile here (yet!) for your
chosen holiday spot, check out the companies below, all of which have properties
in multiple countries. Prices run the gamut from budget to luxury, so be
patient—it may take a little while to find something your snack bracket.
The Apartment Service
This U.K.-based site is
aimed primarily at business travellers. It has information on serviced
apartments worldwide, with a focus on Europe.
At Home
Abroad, Inc.
Based in New York City, this firm
offers mainly large, luxury properties in the
U.K., France, Italy, Portugal, Morocco, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Best perk: the
villa in Marrakesh comes with its own camel.
Coach
House Rentals
CHR offers mainly upscale apartments and homes
in three cities: London, Paris and New York.
Endless Vacation Rentals
Affiliated with Wyndham Worldwide, this New Jersey-based site represents 60,000
properties. North American properties are often condos in vacation resorts;
European properties are more likely to be individual villas.
Home Away
This Texas-based
company has been actively acquiring pre-existing rental sites
since opening in 2005. It is currently the portal for 11 sites, which
collectively list more than 115,000 properties in more than 90
countries. Home Away connects renters directly with property owners.
Interhome
This Swiss-based
company focuses mainly on European rentals. The site aimed at
Canadians has a few bugs; if you
run into difficulty, try the U.S.
site (note that prices there are in U.S. dollars). Middle-class
European families on driving holidays are a big part of Interhome's market,
so prices are competitive.
Luxury
Villas International
This Atlanta firm is a particularly strong presence
in the Caribbean, Mexico and other tropical locales. Urban properties
are rare. Concierge services are available.
McLaughlin Anderson Luxury
Villas
The Virgin Islands
are this upscale company's specialty, but the firm also represents properties on
several other Caribbean islands. Need staff? The company can find you a maid,
masseuse or manicurist.
Only Apartments
This Barcelona-based site
focuses on European apartment rentals, although there are some properties
available in South America and elsewhere.
Rentalo
One of the largest
worldwide rental portals, Florida-based Rentalo lists more than 200,000 properties.
It matches renters with property owners but does not handle the
transaction. As well
as rental houses and apartments, it also lists B&Bs, timeshares,
motels and other types of accommodation. You can subscribe to a free
newsletter, and receive notifications of special offers and new
properties in your favourite destinations.
Unusual Villa and Island Rentals
Just like the name says, this Virginia-based
company can put you into some unique spots. If you have $42,000 a
night to spare, for instance, you can rent fashion magnate Peter Nygård's 10-bedroom
estate on a private Bahamian island. Pony up an extra $5,000 a night
and they'll throw in an 82-foot yacht with captain. A steal, dahling,
a steal.
Wimco
Wimco is a luxury brand,
catering to folks who like perks such as infinity pools, butlers or chefs with
their Caribbean, European or Moroccan villa. It's headquartered in Newport,
Rhode Island.
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