To be slightly anxious about back transfer

[brotherhoodofspam]

We've been very disorganised about our Summer holiday this year and have been trying to make a last minute holiday cottage booking. Have finally found somewhere on a small website (basically just run by the owner of the cottage). He's asked for a cash transfer or to pay by cheque directly into his account. AIBU to be a bit anxious about this, I know it's very last minute. I've emailed back asking if we can pay by credit card, pay pal or cash on arrival just to have some protection. No reply yet but only just sent it. Not sure if this is just the way it's done - there really aren't a lot of other options out there now do don't want to turn this down if I'm just over-reacting. Any words of wisdom would be appreciated.

I wouldn't. Have you looked on Trip Advisor for reviews? Also, I can't imagine ONE holiday cottage owner who would not have their property available on one of the many sites designed for such a thing.

Have you googled his name? The address etc?

If you PM me the address then I will do some sleuthing for you.

I would definitely not do it if he does not want your other options.

Thank you for the advice, I've PMed you with the website but not sure if it's worked as haven't PMed anyone before! He hasn't replied yet but fair enough it is quite late. The cottage is on a larger website but it's not one you can pay through, it just links to the other web site. I might try phoning the larger website in the morning though if I don't hear back.

I work for a bank, payments by bank transfer if they turn out to be fraudulent, well lets say you will never get your money back. i wouldnt risk it, i understand they would probably want a deposit of some sort so i would try to come to another arrangement.

Do not pay by transfer under any circumstances.

Maybe pay a small deposit by transfer but the rest by card/PayPal/cash on arrival

I thought it was common to pay for holiday homes by bank transfer. I am usually a very cautious person but I would do this.
I would check the website is genuine- use Norton Website checker and I would do a WhoIs registry search. This will give details to when and who set up the website.
I would then look up the address of the house and check it on google (and have a nosy on google street view. Finally, I would google the name of the guy you are paying the 'cash' to. Check 192.Com.

You might be able to find enough info to feel comfortable making a bank transfer.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply, mostly confirming my own anxieties. He's replied saying he doesn't have any other payment method. I'll try the larger website in case I can pay through them but I think he would have suggested that. If not, back to the drawing board.....

One of my friends just lost 3 grand about a week ago when he discovered that the villa he had booked in Spain did not actually belong to the person he had paid to rent it it. It was done through a site called "homeaway" and he paid the "owner" direct by bank transfer. The property may well exist (check on Google Streetmap) but what proof do you have that the guy is the owner? I suppose you could check via the Land Registry. Costs about £4 to get property owner's details from website.

I had someone request this from a holiday home too. I felt very uncomfortable, he said it was normal but we agreed I could pay cash on arrival.

It was all legit, and a lovely place.

That's awful Posh. Was there no come-back from Home away?

I wrote my post assuming the cottage was in the UK? Is it?

There has been a lot in the press about fake websites or hijacked websites representing owners of overseas rental properties. HERE is an article from the Telegraph

I have done this with various places I've stayed (both UK and abroad)...

Never had any problem...

But these were always with establishments that had plenty of reviews (not just on their website) and I had faith would not cause a problem.

If you think there is any chance it may be a shell website then don't do it. If you think that this is a real business then go ahead.

I've looked at the website and to be honest I'm still suspicious. Mainly because there are no reviews...anyone with a little tech savvy can set up such a site using pics culled from elsewhere.

A friend of mine recently bought some boots from a fake website. IN your position I would ask if he is on social media...all businesses worth their salt have a FB page these days....he doesn't seem to be anywhere else online.

Thanks for looking Mrs Winnibago. I think you're right about the lack of reviews (most recent one I could find trawling the internet was 2012). He's emailed back saying he can't understand what my issue is so I've replied explaining the worst case scenario and that I'd have no means of getting my money back if we arrive and it turns out it's not his property. Feel like I'm being paranoid but I think we'll just have to let this one go and try to find something else.

I would definitely let it go...ime when your instincts flutter, they're generally correct.

quiet exactly....if he's savvy enough to organise a website or pay someone else to do it, then the subject of methods of payment and social media MUST have come up!

Even a layman knows about FB and different payment methods.

Quiet, is Owners Direct a safer route then? The other property I'm looking at is through them but it looked like I would be paying the owner directly as well and I'm a bit hesitant to contact them in case it's the same story again.

i think yabu to expect a guy renting out his holiday home to take credit card payments and for him to accept a booking without any payment- you could not turn up and he loses out.

if you don't like the idea of paying beforehand then you will have to use one of the large providers where you can pay by credit card.

yanbu to be cautious, so if you don't like it, don't do it.

I heard about these scams and would be much more cautious in the future - but we've often done exactly this, full payment by BACS in advance, sometimes to really quite random places (just their own website, not on trip advisor, or owners direct or anything).

Have you spoken to the owner directly?