Need advice quickly

[lipslovelylips]

How do you pay for a privately owned holiday villa? The owner has asked for 25% deposit via bank transfer, is this the norm? I don't see how else I can pay that will offer me protection? They are on home and away and have a Facebook page with reviews etc so it appears legit but I just don't want to get scammed.

Is there anything on the home and away website about how they normally take payment?

I'd be cautious, I much prefer to pay by credit card then I'm covered for a higher value.

But I've never used that website so not sure if it's normal or not?

Found this - no idea how to do a clicky link!

help.homeaway.co.uk/articles/How-do-I-pay-securely-for-a-holiday-rental.

After reading this, I wouldn't...

It's just 300 pound cheaper not to go through home and away presumably because of fees.

I saw one of those watchdog shows where someone paid by bank transfer and it was a con. They never saw their money again and the holiday home they paid for didn't exist. I wouldn't do it.

It's not a huge amount of money, it's 180 pounds but I still don't want to lose it.

Oh and they were on a well known website. Might have been booking.com.

I do get that this would be unlikely.

I personally wouldn't. It is more expensive however you are protected much more.

It's not a huge amount of money, it's 180 pounds but I still don't want to lose it.

But you also wouldn’t want to arrive at the airport and discover the villa doesn’t actually exist and your money is long gone.

I've used HomeAway a few times. The villa itself you pay for via the website, so that's ok. Sometimes there is a security deposit to cover for breakages etc that I've paid direct to the owner. For this reason I only ever book places that have a good amount of genuine sounding reviews.

Just read post properly and realise you are trying to avoid paying via the website as it's cheaper. I can see why, it's a big saving but it is a risk...

only pay through the website. if you pay by bank transfer, you have no protection if the holiday vanishes. and all the scammers ask for a bank transfer, while legit houses are more likely to be via the site.

even if the house has good reviewers & looks legit, sometimes the scammers get control of the email address and direct you to do the bank transfer, while the real owners of the house know nothing.

I wouldn’t risk it

So how do people usually pay for holiday homes or villas advertised privately?

PayPal golds and services surely?

Goods

I have hired villas and paid when I arrived there.

Definitely do not pay 'off site' - you have zero protection when/if things go wrong and as someone has already said - you could arrive there and find not only no villa but your money long gone! Just don't do it.

I've looked online and PayPal only protect you if you pay the amount in full and I'm only paying a deposit. The rest is due 10 weeks before.

Pay by credit card through the website, otherwise there’s no protection.