Disappointment a big risk when renting on vacation

Friday, March 25, 2005
By ED PERKINS

The biggest risk in renting an apartment, house, cottage or condo is finding that your rental fails to meet your expectations in an important way.

You almost always have to pay for a vacation rental in full, sight unseen, before you leave home - often many months before you arrive. Moreover, most vacation rental contracts make no provision for refunds after you arrive.

Disappointment is therefore a big risk - you often have a lot of money at stake, and you are also risking the enjoyment of your vacation. Clearly, it's important for you to do as much as you can to avoid the risk.

Since I've been writing about vacation rentals, readers have told me about two basic kinds of disappointment:

Misrepresentation of the property. Owners who rent properties obviously want to rent them as often as possible, and for as much money as possible. One of the ways they do that is to stretch the truth in the listing and description of the property to make it sound and look better than it really is.

A long three-block walk to the beach becomes "easy beach access" in the listing; a bus stop six blocks away on a route with hourly service becomes "excellent public transport." Run-down or shabby becomes "quaint" or "charming." Pictures (if any) taken with a wide-angle lens make even a closet look spacious. "Sleeps six" may mean four people in real beds and two in a sofabed with a bar that hits them in the back all night.

Bait-and-switch. A few dishonest rental agencies engage in what seems to be deliberate bait-and-switch. In London, for example, they'll promise an apartment in a good Kensington location with easy access to the Underground, but when you arrive, the agent tells you that the apartment you rented is "being repaired" or is otherwise unavailable and that the agency has managed to substitute an alternative - one that happens to be in an undesirable or remote location, and may be without some of the features that attracted you to the "bait."

You certainly can't guarantee against disappointment. But you can cut down on the chances. Here are some suggestions:

1. Rent through one of the small U.S.-based "boutique" agencies that list only those accommodations that their staff has seen, inspected and approved. Two that I've used are At Home in France (541) 488-9467, www.athomeinfrance.com and Vacanza Bella (415) 554-0234, www.vbella.com but there are dozens of others. Many specialize in limited areas, ranging from Maui to Tuscany.

2. If you think you can sort through the options yourself, you'll find the greatest numbers of rentals on such mega-sites as Renalto (305) 558-5577, www.rentalo.com or contact Vacation Rentals by Owner www.vrbo.com Internet only.

But if you rent through one of those agencies, don't sign a contract with wording that allows the rental agency to substitute alternative accommodations "of equal val-

ue." Your definition of "equal" may be very different from the agency's. Instead, make sure the contract gives you a full and immediate refund if the property is not exactly as represented.

For rentals in Europe, you'll find some of the best prices through European agencies. But if something goes wrong, you'll have a tough time negotiating a settlement, especially after you're back home.

3. Don't tolerate a bad rental. If you believe the property was misrepresented, take action as soon as you see the problem. Call the rental agent wherever it might be and ask for immediate correction or refund. In foreign countries, immediately explore your rights as a consumer in the local jurisdiction.

Rental agencies. Rental agencies come in all shapes and sizes. I've compiled a list of more than a hundred online agencies, which you can access by visiting the Web site, www.mybusinesstravel.com Caution: Listing does not imply approval - I've personally tested only a handful of agencies. My listing for the others is as a convenience to readers. And as with so many travel purchases, caveat emptor. Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Perkins' new book for small business and independent professionals, "Business Travel When It's Your Money," is now available through the Web sites www.mybusinesstravel.com or www.amazon.com