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Original poster

Advice on booking a villa direct with owners please?

19 replies

RoobyMurray · 18/02/2011 11:58

Can anyone off some advice please?

We found a large villa in Italy on Tripadvisor (no reviews of it yet though, so must have been a new advert). I emailed through trip advisor and the guy replied with a link to the website.

The website looks professional, villa gorgeous, so I reserved our dates and booked flights. (there are 20 of us, so quite a lot of ££ spent already!)

Anyway, they didn't ask for any details or deposit or anything, which I suppose is good as if it were a scam they'd be keen to get their hands on our cash! So eventually I asked if they want a deposit and they say yes, you can pay through bank wire or paypal. Still no request for our name/address or anything, just contact by e-mail.

So, what do you think? Is it safe to pay via paypal for something like this, and should I be worried about their lax attitude to booking taking?

OP posts:
Wotznotnow · 18/02/2011 18:08

Personally I would copy some text out of the website ie a paragraph and google it to see if it has been copied from another site first, to see if it looks flaky/false. If it sleeps 20, it must be very expensive, it's a lot of money to loose if it all goes wrong.

I would get a landline and mobile number from the peson you are dealing with. I personally have spoken to people I have rented from in the past, I have ask them where the local bakers is etc, to see if they have real knowledge of the location. I have even gone as far as saying I have family locally, nearby and they would like to come to have a quick look around and ask for exact directions and see what response you get. Google earth the villa address. I am so suspicious in these matters - it's untrue!

I would do all this before making any payment.

applesandcider · 18/02/2011 23:38

There's been a lot of fraud re villa rental - plenty of news stories if you google.

I would expect that any professional self catering owner should have a booking form and terms & conditions of booking & rental that should be made available to you before you part with any cash. At least, you should be provided with an address of the owner and a landline number so that you can check the status of the owner.

Paypal is a good way to pay (if the owner doesn't accept credit card payments) as you do have recourse.

I own holiday properties and have a firm booking form, deposit and balance schedule for all guests - I'm also verified by a verification website and Holiday Rentals and I give our address and telephone number on our website.

Do tread warily - my advice would be that you should absolutely NOT part with any cash until you are sure that the rental property actually exists and that the person you are dealing with is authorised to let it.

Is the property listed with any other letting sites (apart from Trip Advisor)?. You can find this out by googling the website the guy supplied you with. I presume it is listed with Flipkey on Trip Advisor, but they do not appear to have a verification system in place and are not the best independent letting site IMHO.

Hope this helps - there are some charlatans out there, but 99.99% of us owners are absolutely genuine (if a bit vague on details sometimes!!)

Original poster
RoobyMurray · 20/02/2011 20:17

thanks for this.

There's no address on the site, so I'll contact the guy. I'm geting the impression that this is a family property, so maybe they've not been doing rentals for long...

what do you think? website here.

OP posts:
mckenzie · 20/02/2011 20:25

is this the same villa?
paradizo.com/vacation-rentals/luxury-villa-rentals/villa-cappelli

Original poster
RoobyMurray · 20/02/2011 21:00

Yes it is.

Did you google it mckenzie?

it's got the same links - I've been corresponding with a Mr Capelli and it's called Capelli villa etc.

Can anyone see any problems with it?

OP posts:
Wotznotnow · 20/02/2011 21:42

Two sites, www.villacappelli.com same style as www.vcvilla.com website. One has fancy logo, one does not. Both domains are registered to adstore, which if you read the about us page, says paul Capelli is the CEO. So nothing strange it would appear.

www.villacappelli.com/villa.html and www.vcvilla.com as two sites for the same thing, you'd think they'd have to each other, I can't find any. The email address appears to be different on the sites: [email protected] vs [email protected]. This could be for a genuine reason, I expect it is.

The villa, address is on www.villacappelli.com/satv.html at the bottom Via Appia Traiana, 11 Terlizzi (BA), 70038 Italia

It looks amazing, wish I could go. He may just be very busy with his olive oil and ad business in New York! Lucky him.

Original poster
RoobyMurray · 20/02/2011 21:45

Oh thank you woz, I appreciate your detective work as I am clueless. I thought the same thing really.

Looks nice, eh? Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
RoobyMurray · 20/02/2011 21:47

Oh thank you woz, I appreciate your detective work as I am clueless. I thought the same thing really, perhaps a new renter.

Looks nice, eh? Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
RoobyMurray · 20/02/2011 21:48

er, I'm so appreciative, it appears I posted twice... Confused

OP posts:
Wotznotnow · 20/02/2011 21:51

yes amazing - no problem

Original poster
RoobyMurray · 20/02/2011 21:53

Paul, is that you? Wink

OP posts:
hairymelons · 20/02/2011 21:53

Looks lovely, can I come?

Original poster
RoobyMurray · 20/02/2011 22:10

hairy, PM me and I'll see if you can get through the screening process Smile

OP posts:
frenchfancy · 21/02/2011 07:24

Looks real to me. Scammers don't normally go to the effort of writing a blog and staging pictures of their friends in the villa.

They should have a booking form, but on reading the blog I get the impression that the villa is their holiday home, so they are not "professionels" as such.

If in doubt get in touch and ask some more questions.

Have a great time.

Original poster
RoobyMurray · 21/02/2011 07:47

Thanks FF, I'm feeling less paranoid now! Smile

OP posts:
applesandcider · 22/02/2011 23:44

Looks OK to me. There is a blog (kind of identifying the owner I think).

However, IMO you should probably get a landline phone number from the owner and an address (check it on 123 people or something similar) before you part with the cash.

It looks like a lovely place and I'm sure it's kosher!!!

I have different email links from ads to my own holiday cottages to help identify where enquiries come from, so I wouldn't be too put off the different email addresses on different sites.

I'd love to be staying there!!!!

Tread carefully, and have a lovely time!

WowOoo · 25/02/2011 19:53

We stayed in France last year and the lady was so so very casual. No form necessary, they didn't even want our address - really worried me.Was amazed how relaxed they were about everything.

Turned out to be a lovely place and all was fine.She was simply dippy and new to the holiday let lark. Yours looks fine to me, far more professional than the ad of where we are going this year. (and have paid deposit...argh...)

Am sure it will be fine. Have fun.It looks absolutely amazing.

Original poster
RoobyMurray · 26/02/2011 14:17

Thanks for comments. I can relax and get all excited now! Grin

OP posts:
snail1973 · 27/02/2011 20:25

I have, in the past, asked for a reference when booking direct with an owner overseas. If they are genuine they won't mind

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