As part of posting the vacation rental reviews, I read a lot of vacation rental websites. When reading bad reviews, it made me wonder if there were any warning signs I could glean from the website that may have tipped off the reviewer thus avoiding a bad experience - whether it be a bad apartment or just setting expectations appropriately.

In this thread, loves2read raises some interesting questions, which reminded me that I wanted to write a piece for the website on Vacation Rental Website Warning Signs to compliment this piece that Pauline wrote, Questions to Ask About Rentals.

So I was wondering, if you don't mind helping, is there anything that "tips you off" from looking at a website that this may not be all that appears or it may not be a good rental? If you would, post your tips here, and I'll compile them into an article for others to use as a reference.

Thanks!

If there is enough information of name or precise location , I like to put the rental into a search engine - what sometimes transpires is that the agency is just one of many that has that place listed, with all of the copy reading exactly the same i.e it's not the primary agent. Not always obvious.

(Even when they are different languages, you can tell because the layout has been cut and pasted ) There is therefore not going to be anybody at the website with actual knowledge of the place, and all questions will have to passed on to the owner or main agency.

I try to hunt down the website of the owner if possible to get better information - even if I do then book through an agency (can be easier sometimes, if the agency takes credit cards and the direct owner won't,)

quote:

...any warning signs I could glean from the website that may have tipped off the reviewer thus avoiding a bad experience - whether it be a bad apartment or just setting expectations appropriately.

Kim,
Having had a bad rental experience last year, I'll think on this a bit and take another look at the rental sites to see if there were clues I should have noticed.
Great idea for an article.

Terrific thread, Kim. I think perhaps the first warning sign to me are close-up photos that focus on things like a sofa in the living room or a bed in the bedroom or a detail in the kitchen but don't show most or all of the room. I think it's usually a tip-off that the room is small -- very small -- and the owner doesn't dare provide photos which will give a prospective tenant a realistic perspective. The absence of reading lights in the living room and bedroom can also be a tip-off as to the expectations one might have about an apartment.

Kim, Great idea.

With agencies that I am not familiar with, I find that calling them and talking to them over the phone gives me a much better feel about how reliable they are, than just email correspondence.

A recent experience - when I called the agency in Rome - revealed that
- the agent did not have more info about the rentals than I did reading the ads;
- he proposed rentals that did not have the amenities that I had expressly required,
- he even offered a rental that I found out from other agencies was not available.
3 strikes he's out.

But I would not have easily detected all those wrong notes in emailing.

In conclusion, in addition to the excellent tips that have already been suggested, I would recommend calling the agency to get a feel.
I also recommend that fellow STs do a maximum homework - including noting exact number of rooms and total surface of rental (2 sofas in the living room of a one bdrm rental are promoted as an apartment for 6, even though the surface can be 400 square feet), any information discrepancy regarding location (does it say it is in a posher location than its exact street addrses), so that when you call, you will know right away if you are given a runaround or are encountering evasive or spin answers.

quote:

Originally posted by Ann:
I think perhaps the first warning sign to me are close-up photos that focus on things like a sofa in the living room or a bed in the bedroom or a detail in the kitchen but don't show most or all of the room.

Oh yeah. I learned this one the hard way a few years ago, encountering a bed in Paris with a three-foot drop right next to the bed. Check out the photo on the owner's ad--scroll down. We loved the apartment otherwise, except for risking life and limb in the dark.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Amy,

things that make me uncomfortable when looking at websites for a place to stay:
1) slow response to my questions
2) subject of money/deposits coming up too quickly
3) requesting that you wire money to personal bank accounts
4) uncooperative attitude does come across in emails although I like to speak to the owner or agent directly at some point (always before sending money). An example of uncooperative attitude is when you make a request for a change in check-in (time or day of the week) and an attitude of "no exceptions" comes back at you.
5) poorly thoughtout websites without much detail send warning signals
6) impossibly low prices; no pictures or few pictures on the website
7) too much gushing about the place
8) make sure you know exactly where the place is located
9) While I have utilized agencies in the past, I have found dealing directly with owners a more pleasant and rewarding endeavor.
10) an important point is to understand what your expectations are and make absolutely sure that they match up with the place that you're booking. For instance, if you prefer to stay in a hotel that gives you fresh linens and cleans your room everyday then don't book a self-catering place.
10) since I've been planning all our travels for about 25 years, there's just a gut instinct that's there now
11) Slow Travel is an excellent place to determine if you're on the right path....I think a report on this subject would be great
I hope some of this is helpful.......Keely

Here's one caveat gleaned from my experience in 2006. After a disappointing rental in Calabria, I posted a generally negative assessment of the rental on the website of the rental agency. The negative review was not posted and there were only positive reviews (mostly in stilted English) on the website. I contacted the rental agency about the absence of my review and was told that the owner of the rental property had the right to remove any reviews that he deemed to be unfavorable.

Some of the same as posted above, plus the following:
~ A gazillion photos of the exterior and none of the interior.
As in, "The view from the street is phenomenal!" Photo, photo, photo.

~No photos...well, maybe one of the front door or the dining room window.
Show me the actual apartment or I move on to another site.

~ Out-of-focus photos.

~ Too many glitzy words, gushingly and splendidly extolling the virtues of this "14' x14' quaint and rustic eccentrically-decorated penthouse studio, located only a few steps from the center of the action, in an interesting and lively neighbourhood."
Translation: "Tiny, swelteringly-hot storage closet in the attic, on the edge of town in the seediest section of the whole damn place."

~ A list of additional charges as long as my arm, above and beyond the rent.
Charge me one price that is inclusive of final cleaning, A/C, heat, light, water, sewer, a starter kit of food, toilet paper...all of it. Tell me what that will cost and you have me from the get-go.

In case we think we've been stuck with a few not-so-great rentals in our lifetime, read this complaint...exactly as written, no corrections or editing...

"Hello every one living in hell.
I lived at Empirian Luxury Towers for several months.
Day 1 the mice are coming
day two try falling down un fixed steps to the pool.
Well don't call for maintenance because there number 1 guy ------ is a drug dealer/go go after hours/bar owner.

To smoke pot is the in thing at Empirian Tower.
Try call management all you will get is lies.
Say if you need anything fixed if they can't patch it then you will wait till hell freezes over. Can I catch my beath hot as I don't know what in dirty elevators that never work.

Hallway that will kill anyone from the heat.
Roaches are normal for them.
Call the office and they will make you think the palace was running normal.
Keep in mind your UPS/Fed Ex and other things delivered you better get there on time because maybe it was opened by the person that you trust Mr or Mrs Friendly at the front desk..............Ha ha stolen!!

Keep your eyes open because you was showed only half of what you need to see.
You have just been bit maybe it's an mosquito hell no dummie you you butt is on fire why because they they did't tell you the the bed bugs was taking over.
Empirian Luxury Tower come and see if your experience is greater than mine.
Not fit for anyone of class or safety may I add Megans Law offender.

Come one come all for the ride the will end soon.
Only with the help of real people that care because they don't you just better pay your rent on time or Mr. Frienly will have you in court sooooooooooooooo fast it will make you homeless or your head will spin.

I have to go get the bed bug mattres and other items out.
Sorry if I miss spelled anything I have bed bug bits I'm scratching. LOL"
~ Oh My Apartments...Renters guide to living better, solving problems and saving money.
Brenda

I want to emphasize Keely's point about truly knowing your expectations. There are ALWAYS compromises.

To illustrate, our favorite vacation rental in Venice (sadly no longer available to us) did not provide a starter kit of food, usually not even toilet paper, and there were "extra" charges (as indicated in the rental agreement) for electricity and phone usage and final cleaning. But we loved the place for its superb location, great vibes, spacious eating area, kitchen with a real oven, and ability to absorb as many as 8 of us in a pinch so we could and did have a lot of guests.

For us, location and ease of payment are high priorities. And everything mentioned so far also weighs in there somewhere. I am wary if there is difficulty in establishing good email communication as I strongly prefer that to phoning.

Nice topic. Google maps (or similar) have been useful for the satellite photos of specific addresses that may look innocuous on a regular map. About to rent a place near the Gargano peninsula recently the photo map revealed that we'd have an attractive view of what appeared to be an industrial complex complete with oil refinery. I didn't rent so didn't review, but those photos are remarkably revealing!

Cheers,
Alecto

I'm sure everyone here is very choosy about the sleeping configuration- I can't believe some of the optimistic sleeping numbers suggested by some agencies. You count from the information given: 1 bedroom with a double, 1 with twin, ok, 2 more must be on a sofa bed but where is the 7th person/8th sleeping ? We rented a very nice 2 bed apartment in Tuscany a couple of years ago that was spacious (75sq.m) for the 4 of us - it was listed with two agencies as sleeping 4-6. Just out of curiosity, we tried to see if the sofas were fold out, but no. It didn't matter to us, but I'm still wondering where the other two guests would have gone.

I make it clear and then reconfirm that I mean two seperate bedrooms in addition to a living room.

quote:

Originally posted by Panda:
We rented a very nice 2 bed apartment in Tuscany a couple of years ago that was spacious (75sq.m) for the 4 of us - it was listed with two agencies as sleeping 4-6. Just out of curiosity, we tried to see if the sofas were fold out, but no. It didn't matter to us, but I'm still wondering where the other two guests would have gone.

Panda, obviously the beds were 3-seaters, a regional specialty
... not.

I always want to know the square footage. Our minimum requirement is 50 sq meters.

We rented a studio in London in 2001 for five days and it turned out to be the size of a small hotel room with a kitchenette where the closet used to be. It was really tight (probably no bigger than 10 feet by 12 feet) and no place for our luggage. Fortunately, the weather in London was great and we didn't have to spend too much time inside.

I also always want to know the square footage/meterage after a few surprises. Also whether the terrace is included in the sizing. Outdoor space is often important to us and sometimes balconies are described but the reality is you would need to take it in turns to stand on it. Or it faces the carpark.

I have found some places described as 1 bedroom when they are only a studio- with the bed possibly separated by a curtain/screen.

Photos are a give- away - wide angle lenses used cleverly. And as others have said, photos which are not respresentative of the rooms but focus on one aspect only.

Honesty in communications and on the website is extremely important to us. Only gushing reviews which seem to be written by the same person I have seen more than once.

On places listed on sites like vrbo you often get the impression from photos that the owner's stuff is all over the place - often supported by limited availability.

One trap we fell into last summer in Spain in July was both places were advertised as being airconditioned which was correct but what wasn't mentioned is that in one case only the living room was airconditioned and in the other only the living and bed 1 were,not bed 2. This did not detract hugely from the places which were otherwise good. But next time I will ask.

Some things you just don't think to ask - the place in Granada was advertised with a terrace with a view of the Alhambra. This was true but what wasn't said was that it was a very small terrace and the aircon outlets were up there - not a great experience in July. But who would think to ask?

If we stay centrally in large cities I now try to remember to ask about noise. And also get a sense from maps etc.

The kitchen is the most important part of the apartment for me.
If the photos and description are not very clear, I will bypass the listing.

One thing everyone needs to remember is the customs and standards will differ from city to city and country to counry.
It will be valuable to take the time to learn these customs and standards.

I'm currently researching apartments in Bucharest and finding that many are listing washing machines, but in fact they are in a common area of the apartment building. Those that have their own will say washing machine (private)

In my research for a villa in the Kotor area of Montenegro, I'm finding that many will supply linens, but that means only bed linens. If they don't say bath towels specifically, they may not be included.

I don't know if this qualifies for warning signs I could glean from the website?
I look for pictures of the bathroom and get worried if I don't see any.
I also look for pictures of the windows. it is a big plus if there is a floor plan that indicates the windows.
I look for a map location or an address that I can put into google maps. This "few steps from the Colosseum or Spanish Steps" thing worries me. Sometimes when I figure out where it is really, I think that they must be giant steps.

another location tip...if you go to http://www.viamichelin.co.uk you can get WALKING directions with fairly accurate times...so plug in the house address (or even just the streets if you have them is helpful) and the restaurant or grocery store or wherever and you can find out REALLY how long a walk it is.

These are some really excellent tips. Thanks and keep them coming.

It's not what is on the website, but what isn't there: I always do a cross reference of somewhere I don't know, by looking on the local government/commune website. Gave me previously unsuspected details of an agricultural packing plant a bit too close for comfort for one potential rental.

Also, what is the rental part of ?- is it simply a house refurbished for rental use, a division of the owner's house (desciptions can be very fuzzy about this) or did the farmer go further in his diversification of farm buildings and - hello, yes, that's actually a camping field there. May not be quite as peaceful as you may have thought, and the local pizzeria will be packed out! Just the corner of one photo made me suspicious - on further investigation ,just over the hedge,there was a a field of caravans. The rental house in question was really part of the complex , as was obvious from a photo on the campsite website, but not even hinted at in the house description. Naughty, I think.

I always do a camping search - not that I have anything against campers as we have done enjoyed family holidays that way ourselves, but it is a whole lot more people than you might otherwise expect.

We rented both our apartments from owners, but I had checked several agency sites as well.

Things that turned me off (besides what has already been mentioned by others):

- no prices. At this point, I move on...if the prices are so subjective they can't be listed, I'm not interested.

- zero bookings in the availability calendar. If nobody else wants to rent it, I wonder what's wrong with the place.

quote:

if you go to http://www.viamichelin.co.uk you can get WALKING directions with fairly accurate times

I didn't know that! That's a great tip!

Just an aside...
In defense of websites that don't show photos of bathrooms and other small spaces...I regularly take photos of homes for displaying my listings on the MLS site and on my office website.
I rarely photograph the bathrooms or the smaller bedrooms, because the photo will not amount to anything other than a great picture of a wall.

So, although I like to see photos of the bathroom, I understand why so few appear.
If there are bathroom pics displayed on the website, you can likely assume that the room is a good size!

"My kids always perceived the bathroom as a place where you wait it out until all the groceries are unloaded from the car." ~ Erma Bombeck
Brenda

Hi, great topic,

I wanted to add my points even if some will be repeating with other posts:

- Location: I like to have a detailed description of location and a map if possible, address is even better. I mean, if a location is really good, why someone would hide it? Distances to the stores or other sites to visit, or to the bus/metro station are a plus. For this point I would like to reinforce that the info should be exact: I noticed some hotels/BB or rentals will advertise 200m to a specific point, but then whan you google, it is obvious it is at least the double. Sometimes I found other ads by other agencies for the same place, but with distances much bigger. In such a case I just assume the longest found distance is the true one or at least closer to the truth.

- The pictures: Now if the description specifies sea view, but then I don't see it even on 1 picture, I find this suspicious. Again, why someone take a picture of a couch but would forget seaview?

- Number of beds specified: I like to see each bed on a picture, so I can imagine room arrangements.

- If a web page has an email address to send enquiries and questions and nobody never comes back, I stop it there.

- For the reviews provided: for me a review is a real one if there is an email address available or other that I can reach someone to get feedback independent of the company. Otherwise, I consider it as an advertisement not more than that. For example for our apartement in Sicily, I did find an email and I contacted the person, and got feedback. With the name of the person + username, I could trace her on another forum and could see that she is not selling that agency or place, but was just a satisfied client. For reviews I usually rely more on independent reviews in separate sites, blogs or forums.

- Easy payments: for me it is important to have easy options to pay: such as moneynet, paypal, CC or cash on arrival.

- I always read the penalties section, as it shows a lot. I wouldn't be renting an apartment with huge deposits, unless I can get numerous independant reviews. If any deposit is involved it should also be possible to do it in a traceable way for disputes or even as a proof of the reservation. I don't like the idea of the client to do transfers to accounts with no names, and not having any official sort of receipt.

Personally with an access to Internet I wouldn't be renting if I can't get any type of feedback. It is easier to find more info and google on an address or name to find reviews and feedback.

again...what a great topic!

wanted to add a few more things I was thinkinig about...

firstly...I gave the link to the main via michelin site...to get the walking directions, do the click on the "driving directings" and you should see a spot to click for the walking ones :-)

I would be suspicious if an owner refused to provide an address for me to look up after I asked about a property...but not not worried at ALL if the exact address was not listed on the internet listing...kind of scary as a homeowner to put out your address and an availability calendar saying when your property will be sitting there empty if ya know what I mean (!)

Bathrooms:
I agree with BGE - I think it looks kind of funny to see a photo of a toilet...esspessially on listing sites where the owner can only pick a couple of photos to display...so that wouldn't turn me off (actually..on sites that only have a few photos, I would wonder if there WAS a photo of a toilet :-) and question if there weren't other nice ones to choose from!) I added one to my own site becasue I did have someone ask once for me to email a bathroom photo (not a bad idea actually! even if there's not one on the site, I don't see why anyone would mind attatching one and sending it)

email addresses :
I, actually, do not give up and assume the owner is a jerk if I get NO response (ha! I DO give up if I get a aresponse weeks later!) I can't tell you the number of times I have had email problems (with friends actually) from email addresses from Italy and the UK - my US ISP (comcast) has some providers balcklisted for some reason (excess spam from the ISP) and it is not uncommon for emails to bouce...so I call if I get no response or try from a different email address (i.e. gmail, yahoo, etc.) I'd be concerned if the owner did not have a phone number or alternate email listed though.

Easy payments:
DITTO! I never feel right with cash only or wire payments (which is difficult sometimes becasue Italian owners tend to perfer that) PayPal is so easy and I really just feel better using a credit card and having a paper trail of some sort! this one is a deal-breaker with me. (and I have even offered to pay the credit card fees or paypal fees to make sure I'm able to pay that way!)

Deposits:
I'm really on the fence with this one...
as a renter, I hate to pay something with no assurance that it will be refunded...hence my preference for credit card payments - at least then I could go back to the cc company! but...

as an owner...I don't feel ok with not having some sort of security/damage deposit...it is my vacation home (!) and I would be sick if someone trashed it...for instance, I have a no pets rule...so..if you bring your puppy and my housekeeper shows up and finds he did his business all over the house and tore up the sofa...I need to have some way to pay and get things cleaned up/replaced before the next guests arrive :-( (I've actually never had to deduct anything...but it adds to my peace of mind and I doubt I'd rent at all without.)

I'm considering though having an option of allowing guests to put a credit card on file for up to "x" amount of intentional damage (obviously, not normal wear and tear)...like a hotel would do..becasaue I know people really don't want to pay security deposits upfront. (maybe should start a new thread though - don't know how people would feel about that)

I tend to take reviews (except Slowtrav ones, of course!) with a grain of salt.

Zero bookings on the calendar:
this annoys me (but is pretty controversial with owners)...more than likely, they just don't bother to fill it out; some owners do that intentionally so that they can get as many inquiries as possibe and then try to convince you to take a different week than you wanted or refer you to another property...ticks me off and wastes my time when I'm looking and I just move on (same with no prices! how can I tell if I like it or not...everything is relative to price!) or..of course..the other senerio I guess...that they really have no guests! (would check though and make sure it's not a brand new rental property - would then overlook the calendar)

I agree that excessive slick advertising and overboard description are not a good sign.

quote:

Originally posted by Deborah:
One thing everyone needs to remember is the customs and standards will differ from city to city and country to counry.
It will be valuable to take the time to learn these customs and standards.

Well said.
Reading all the great suggestions on this thread, I would like to remind all that we should make a distinction between telltale signs of deception and just a different way of doing things or calling things.

Example: an apartment being described as big. Big is an abstract word. Apartments described as big in Paris and Manhattan are not considered so elsewhere.

Example: the floor numbering. 4th floor in Spain is 6th floor where I come from. That's the way it is; it is not false advertising.

I also noticed a practice in Spain that is a cross between false advertising and, well, a different way of doing things.
Every apartment I have rented in Spain have turned out to be somewhat (about 15% to 20%) smaller than is advertised. I am spoiled by France that has very strict laws regarding the specification of accommodation surface. But I have come to accept this "custom" in Spain and I have learned to factor it in.

quote:

Just an aside...
In defense of websites that don't show photos of bathrooms and other small spaces...I regularly take photos of homes for displaying my listings on the MLS site and on my office website.
I rarely photograph the bathrooms or the smaller bedrooms, because the photo will not amount to anything other than a great picture of a wall.

In the US I would not expect to see a photo of the bathroom on a MLS site. US bathrooms are more standard and with MLS you could make and apointment and look at the bathroom.

In Italy, however, you will be living there for a week or 2 and can't go and see the bathroom ahead of time. Italian bathrooms are small, so if they say the bathroom is small and there is no photo, you might be in for a shock. maybe also if you are traveling with a mixed sex party that curtain they have instead of a door doesn't look too good to you.

I also don't like it if there are no prices posted. i shouldn't have to email just to find this out. Myself, I don't care about the furniture besides the bed. Other than the bed, they could have crates and cardboard boxes for the furniture if the price and location are right.

Unless you could put it on a credit card I won't rent a place with a security deposit (as distinct from promise money).

I also won't send cash (or wire it) for the promise money either. Paypal or credit card. I might consider breaking this rule if there were multiple positive Slow travel reviews for the landlord.

(Off topic)

Dragonpat,
I thank you precisely for tipping me off re an iffy agency.

For me, #1 warning sign is no picture of a bed, and if I cant sleep, for a week or more, I am miserable and that bed has to be perfect. I picked my place in Umbria because of the picture of the bed and #2 the ease of working with the agency. I will skip over a site if they dont show the bed. I am an extremely picky/light sleeper and the bed and pillows have to be just right. I hate having to bring my own pillow, which takes up half my suitcase.

hopefully you can see these pics, this one I would rent because of 4 fluffy pillows and and the bed looks really comfy.

This one I wouldnt think of because the bed looks really hard and the pillows look flat





And Brenda made a good point, for me if it says, "a lively area", to me that means noisy hence possibly interfering with sleep.

access of pictures to the surrounding area a must. I once rented a condo in Hawaii that an awesome view of the ocean, but right smack on a busy road so I learned my lesson on that one.

I always like photos that show the furniture as well as the beds. We have rented a house with very uncomfortable sofas and it spoilt the relaxation part of our holiday.
When we were considering the apartment in Paris the photos showed the street through the windows and we were able to confirm with the owner how the rooms were in relation to the street.

I agree--pictures are very important but they do not necessarily tell the story. Nor do client comments help sometimes. I am quite shy about VRBO because of this. We rented an apt. in Sicily from a Canadian woman who owned it. She was friendly and pleasant when asked questions, the pictures were great and the comments very positive. Unfortunately, the pictures were not of the part we rented, I can not conceive that the comments were for the same place. The furniture literally had holes that sunk to the floor when sat on, and more.

So, I pretty well stick with non-VRBO rentals. As others have said, the angle of pictures is important as are multiple pictures. Responsiveness of owner, etc is important. Depending on the country, the means of deposit is important.

quote:

I am quite shy about VRBO because of this....

So, I pretty well stick with non-VRBO rentals. As others have said, the angle of pictures is important as are multiple pictures.

I have wondered a lot about the VRBO listings, Jane. I feel shy about them also unless these was an independant review on that apartment somewhere. I know lots of people here at Slow Travel have used VRBO. maybe I am just paranoid.

I've done almost all non-agency rentals and with very good success. I like renting from owners, and I've found quite a few really good places through VRBO. And quite a few properties on VRBO are actually put there by an agency! VRBO is usually the first place I would look for a rental, there and www.holiday-rentals.co.uk

I think AinP is right that the focus of this thread started to be on "warning signs" (deceptions) that you might catch on website presentations of properties. Much of the discussion has focused on different standards, needs and preferences.

Our worst rental we've had was actually through an agency in Rome. The warning sign was that it was a "sublet," which means that it was someone's personal apartment. The woman went away every time she had a chance to rent her place. The agency didn't visit their properties routinely and only responded if a person complained.

In the photos I was charmed by the bookcases filled with books and the art on the walls-- I didn't realize that this was really CLUTTER... her stuff everywhere. There was a part of one closet for us and maybe two drawers. And I really wanted a two bedroom apartment so our daughter could have her own room. We would have been much better off with her on a couch in a smaller place.

Kathy

Bedrooms with messy looking bedspreads or duvets...drives me nuts!! And futons or sofas with blankets or covers thrown over them....what IS under there????

When you can't get a clear answer regarding "separate" bedrooms, in other words..you don't have to walk through one to get to the other. This is OK with family, but not terribly good with friends.

No prices!! Won't even bother checking further. Or prices that are too good to be true.

Not enough pictures.....and pictures of pictures on the walls, vases of flowers and bookcases don't serve any purpose to me. I want to see the bedrooms (both of them if there are two), kitchen, bathroom and the living/dining area from good angles to get an overview of the place. I agree that many pictures of the outside or terracebut none or only one of the inside scares me.

I find floor plans handy, even roughly drawn ones....you can get an idea of the layout.

I have learned from the last two places we stayed that sending money transfers or wire transfers are not too scary if you feel comfortable with the communications you've had with the owner. Credit cards are still the best way to me and the way I feel most comfortable with, but no guarantees either that you are going to get good accommodations.

Linda

Personally, I've had only positive experiences renting through VRBO, and I have another apartment booked with them for this summer's trip to Paris with my granddaughter.

I found this summer's apartment on VRBO, then followed the owners' link to their own website.
After several e-mails back and forth to confirm the amenities that I needed, I booked the apartment, sent the deposit to the owners' bank account through my own bank and I am quite comfortable with the complete arrangement. The owners were great to work with!

This is a brand-new rental, it has nothing booked on the availability calendar and has only a couple of reviews posted, both are positive.

My rental in Venice last fall was made directly with the owner of the apartment, no deposit or credit card was required, he just asked for my cell phone number!
Again, this rental fit my requirements and had no reviews or availability calendar to check out. The owner's website gave me lots of photos, a good description of the apartment, a clear map of the location and the owner was so fantastic to work with...he helped me with everything that I needed.
So, lucky me, I guess!
So far, so good.

I truly trust my own instinct, and I book the apartments that 'feel' right to me. I've had a couple of rentals that I explored and had bad vibes almost right away. So, I moved on to another rental.

A couple of other red flags for me are:

~ no price, as Anne says.
If the price isn't listed, I'm out the front door.
I feel like that's a way to make contact with me and then have access to my e-mail address and possibly other information, so I don't go farther.

~ no specific rental apartments listed or shown.
Last year, when planning our trip to Rome and Venice, I found a gorgeous website. There were no rentals shown, only a request to contact the agency for specific listings. No thanks!

~ incongruent descriptions.
Luxurious/magnificent living only costs 30E per night. How luxurious/magnificent can it be for that price?
Spacious and charming 320 sq. ft. studio. How spacious is that, really?
Within walking distance of only 2 miles. Who can do that trek every day? Who would want to?

“Remember what Bilbo used to say:
'It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.'” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
Brenda

I've also had positive experiences with VRBO.

I've learnt to avoid 'loft' bedrooms as all they are is a false floor with a double bed reached by a narrow or spiral staircase. Underneath this 'loft' is usually another double bed.

Not great for 2 couples wishing to share an apartment supposedly with 2 separate bedrooms, when in fact that is not the case.

Elly

I know this is a silly detail, but I avoid all places where I see no reading lights close to the beds.

My reasoning is that if they do not even bother with this basic confort, then they do not bother with the rest.

If I am not sure,I ask them.

I don't know if this is an accurate warning sign, but I am leery of websites that have problems, like: broken links; conflicting information, for instance it gives a price in one section that is different than a price on another page; and even really poor design makes me wonder if it is a legitimate business.

-Krista

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I find floor plans handy, even roughly drawn ones....you can get an idea of the layout.

I find this so helpful - it can be difficult to take meaningful photographs of some layouts, and then you end up with suspicious-looking wide angled lens shots becuse that it what they had to do.

I would like to say that, touch wood, I have arrived at every rental to date pleasantly suprised that my expectations have been met and then exceeded. The only disappointment I can think of was one in the US on the Outer Banks, near Duck, which was not arranged by me - my brother-in-law had been dazzled by the glitzy interior shots and had ignored all the other drawbacks to the place (had one of those strange bunk bed in the hallway arrangements for children,for a start, which was impractical)

Panda,

Don't you think that part of your satisfaction is open-mindedness? I am usually extremely happy in the cases where I did significant research, am comfortable with my choice before I go, and realize that it's probably smaller, less "cute", etc. I also think that upon entry I am sometimes "satisfied", but as the days progress and the experience evolves I am "ELATED" with my choice.

Laura

For me personally, the main things are security and travel insurance. But I have my own methods to prevent myself from high vacation rentals.
1- First, before booking travels, I learn if the travel agency is legal or not. For this, it is enough to look at or ring those area's travel agencies list, made by clubs or government to learn more about.
2-Write "vacation rental scams", vacation scams, or travel scams, vacation rental review or anything like these on Google to get more information about those websites and agencies. It is good tactic to write website name + scam and Google It.
3-Also it is useful to check site popularity. If it is older, it can be more reliable. Especially websites with forums and blogs can be helpful for contacting other travellers and learn from them.
I never had problems with high website rentals. Most important for is travel insurance.

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Don't you think that part of your satisfaction is open-mindedness? I am usually extremely happy in the cases where I did significant research, am comfortable with my choice before I go, and realize that it's probably smaller, less "cute", etc. I also think that upon entry I am sometimes "satisfied", but as the days progress and the experience evolves I am "ELATED" with my choice.

I'm not sure if I phrased what I meant properly - I meant that I do research a lot to get the basics of what we need and avoid horrors (like thundering main roads outside for example), but I have then on arrival not only given a mental sigh of relief that my research was accurate but that there had been unseen 'bonuses' like a wonderful newly built private loggia in Italy that hadn't been shown on the owner's website, or last year in Greece, a staggeringly beautiful view from a huge balcony (we stood there open mouthed, suitcases still in hand as my husband commented ' well, we knew about the distance to the shop and the air conditioning but you didn't say anything about the view')

You can see why websites (owner's or agencies) would not want to emphasis possible drawbacks, but some can be suprisingly reticent about the significant attractions !

There are a lot of good tips in this thread! My pet peeve, not sure if I'd call it a red flag exactly, is when apartment owners advertise one price but the real price is substantially higher. I hate reading headlines trumpeting a low nightly rate, only to discover the only way you could actually get that rate is to stay alone, in the dead of winter, and stay for a minimum of two weeks. Oh, and not use any utilities because that costs extra too. And don't forget the overpriced mandatory cleaning fee, which is often double or triple the real cost of cleaning, and thus is just another way to up the rate without just coming out and saying so.

I'm always amazed at the terrible photographs I see online. It's as though someone took pictures of the apartment with a cell phone, at night. How you're supposed to get a feel for an apartment from such images is beyond me. On the other hand, pretty pictures do not necessarily guarantee an apartment will meet your needs. Questions, questions, questions. You'd be amazed at how few questions some people actually ask when renting an apartment. I agree that a certain flexibility/open mindedness helps.

By now I think that honest pictures taken by owners are often better than glossy ones.

If one travels on a budget, as I do, it is invariably slightly disappointing to see a place in its reality when the pictures were to good to be true.

Of course some owners are so ignorant about what tourist want to know and see that they tale no care whatsoever in presenting their property.

It might be surprising to many, but here I know plenty people who have vacation rentals and hotels but they never travel themselves, they do not speak foreign languages and they cannot use internet. Nevertheless they have put a lot of personal and financial committment in the property they want to sell and offer good service.

On the other hand, in the unlikely case that I would book from an agency, I would immediately discard one with bad pictures and loud promises.

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Oh, and not use any utilities because that costs extra too. And don't forget the overpriced mandatory cleaning fee, which is often double or triple the real cost of cleaning, and thus is just another way to up the rate without just coming out and saying so.

Yeah, I hate this also. The cost of cleaning ought to be included in the rent. Afterall, the landlord is not going to let you skip it. Same with utilities. I think that the landlords do this on purpose so that the tenant in the search phase keeps the rental in the running because the rent alone looks so cheap compared to others where these costs are built in.

Same goes for air-conditioning. increase the monthly cost for the July and August rent to cover it.

This stuff wouldn't be so bad except that in Italy landlords want cash on arrival for many of the rentals. I only bring a set amount of euros with me for the first day for the apartment rent. I could get more from an ATM, but maybe these guys could sign up for Paypal and all these costs would come up BEFORE a person arrives in italy.

Hidden costs drive me crazy too and I tend not to take an accomodation if I see a long list of costs not included in the rental. Many years ago, in an Indonesian hotel, I was charged separately for toilet paper and towels! And it was not a hostel!

In Italy there is something to say about heating or airco though. Energy costs are terribly high here, as much as to determine if it is actually worth renting or not. Even though many guests are nature lovers and aware of energy conservation, many others are not.

It is not infrequent that people will leave windows open with either heating or airco on for a whole day, in addition to all lights on. I see it regularly myself.

We do not have a rental, so we our energy costs are included. But for these reasons many landlords/innkeepers have no choice that to bill energy costs separately.

I do not mind paying for energy costs and final cleaning separately as long as it is stated clearly up front. I agree with Letitia, that some people are very wasteful and I, for one, do not want to pay for that.

Our three-month rent in Paris this spring is all inclusive. I know it's nice to know exactly how much you are paying for your accomodation before hand.

On the other hand, our Venice rent for three months later this year does not include energy costs but clearly stated. I asked for an approximate weekly cost of energy if we keep the apartment at around 20C when we are around/15C when we are out or asleep and I am happy with that. I think that a lot of affordable apartments (at least at our price range) during late fall/winter do charge energy costs separately.

Anyway, we are so looking forward to Paris this spring and Venice late fall.

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It is not infrequent that people will leave windows open with either heating or airco on for a whole day, in addition to all lights on. I see it regularly myself.

Apartments with hot water heat, it is difficult to turn the heat off. The themostats often do not have understandable directions. If you turn off the hot water heat, the hot water in the bathroom is turned off also. It requires a maintenance visit to get the hot water restored. It often becomes easier to regulate the heat in the room that you are sleeping in by opening the window.
And if you close the window during the day, it is too warm when you get back in the evening.
I would like to save the landlord money by turning the heat off or down because the settings for inside winter temperatures are too warm for me even in my short sleeve tee.

I'm with Dragonpat. I like it a little cooler. When I first got my apartment, I couldn't make sense of the thermostat at all. I had a friend come over to examine it and he actually wrote up three pages of instructions (in two versions, English and Italian). I still couldn't figure it out. I eventually replaced the thermostat with one that's more user-friendly.

Dragonpat makes a good point also about shutting off the hot water heater which controls both heat and hot water. It's not something you should mess around with.

I do think there's a big difference between charging utilities for a three-month rental versus a three-day rental.

I also am somewhat leery of what rates an agency is using to calculate your final utility bill. I have heard some bad stories.

On the other hand, a friend of mine rented an apartment in Venice for a week and at the end the agent came over and read the meter. This was in April, and they didn't have the heat on much at all (really), and according to the meter the utilities would have been about 200 euros. The agent didn't think that seemed right and that perhaps the previous meter reading was wrong, so she said she would wait for the bill from the utility company and that if it showed the usage was indeed that high, she would contact them about payment. The bill arrived and was low, no extra bill for my friends. So nice to do business with a reputable, thoughtful agent.

But they're not all so reputable, so if you're going to be charged for utilities according to a meter, make sure you take a look at the original reading. Just in case.

Last summer we rented an aprtment in Peschici. The landlady gave us an estimation of maximum costs for airconditioning before arrival. Then when we arrived, she had us reading the meter and then again before we left. As the airco worked very well, we had used it only when we were actually in the house and were always confortable. In the end we spent a modest amount. These things go two ways.