This section may help you find answers to a great number of questions when you are thinking of renting an holiday home.

Remember that you are dealing directly with either an owner or an agent of the owner and the experience may be a little different than when booking say an hotel.

The advertiser of a property may have little experience of dealing with potential customers or have years of experience so the responses you get from your contact may vary.

The advantage of dealing directly with an owner is great for ironing out any details regarding your potential holiday home and they probably have a vast local knowledge to give you advice on any areas you may want to visit or sample.

Use the search facility on the site to narrow down your choices to the ones that fit your ideal, then contact the owner directly, either through the contact form provided or from the email address supplied.

Booking deposit: It is standard practice for an owner to ask for a deposit to secure the dates asked for and they should explain the terms of the return of the deposit and if a deduction may occur for reasons such as damage to the property etc. Make sure you are happy with these terms and do not be frightened to ask because most owners are happy that you fully understand the terms of the rental and makes for a better experience.

When paying the deposit we recommend using facilities such as PayPal or credit cards, we DO NOT recommend the use of wire transfer facilities such as Western Union.

If a property is left in the same state as on your arrival then a full 100% should be refunded.

Rental Agreement: This is a very important document and will outline items such as arrival/departure times, tolerance of animals/pets and if they have a cancellation/refund policy. The deposit and the terms on which it is accepted should be clearly stated in this agreement.

In most cases the property owner/agent will require full payment before the holiday commences and may offer staged payments leading up to your departure, but make sure that the terms of the full payment are made on time to avoid losing your deposit. Make sure you have receipts for all payments and the same caution applies as to how you pay.

Before departure make sure you are aware of the following

• The times of the handover, normally 14.00  for entry but 12.00 for departure.
• The address of the property and/or local landmarks that make it easily found.
• Contact details of anyone locally in case of problems that may arrise. (Telephone and address if possible).
• How you are to receive the keys and where do you leave them on departure.

Have a paper and pen to hand if talking to an owner or any 3rd party and record what has been said.

Always keep a copy of any agreement and we would suggest taking a copy with you on your departure.