Tips for Renters

1. There is no such thing as being too informed

If you only had one tip to follow, this would be it: have as much information as possible! The more you know before you leave, the lower your risk of being disappointed once you arrive at your destination.

Most of the other tips stem from this fundamental principle. They will explain how to apply it during each of the different steps of your vacation rental search.

2. Give priority to detailed ads

To be sure you're making the right choice, you have to be able to imagine the rental, its fixtures, and the environment.

You can do it if the owner has filled out a maximum of fields. Besides its geographic location, he can indicate the type of rental, the surface area, the rental price according to season, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, the appliances furnished, the activities you can do in the neighborhood, whether there's cell phone coverage in the area...

3. Check the information provided

Has one or several ads caught your attention? Congratulations! You are well on your way to enjoying your dream stay.

However, beware of absent-minded or incompetent owners: a mistake can slip into the description of a rental or they could have forgotten to report a change.

Webside Holidays puts a free internal messaging system at your disposal to let you communicate directly with the owner. This way you can ask all of these useful questions before reserving your stay.

Use it to confirm the main features of the vacation rental before proceeding further.

4. Two photos are better than one

Each vacation rental ad posted on Webside Holidays must contain at least one photo. However, you will notice that this is strictly a minimum requirement and that the vast majority of ads contain lots of photos.

Verify that they match the description in the ad. If you notice a discrepancy, don't hesitate to ask the owner for an explanation or to inform our team of moderators (control-abuse@wsh.com).

You can ask the owner via the Webside Holidays internal messaging system to add additional photos or to e-mail them to you in order to get a better idea of the rental and the surrounding area. This can be an excellent way of verifying the validity of all of the information provided.

5. Don't trust deals that seem too good to be true

The price of the vacation rental should reflect its size, location, and level of prestige. Be vigilant if it's particularly attractive: with the exception of last minute deals, “bargain prices” rarely go hand in hand with quality.

Find out about the climate of the country concerned during that season, its political situation, the reputation of the neighborhood,... all of the factors that can explain why the rental has been marked down. If in doubt, ask the owner for an explanation.

6. Ask for additional information

Each traveler is unique and has specific expectations concerning his vacation rental. It is therefore highly likely that some information that would be useful to you might not be mentioned in the ad:

How far away is the nearest supermarket? And the beach? Are linens provided? Would I be able to plug my computer into the electrical outlets? What type of floor covering is there? Is there a crib with safety features?...

Don't hesitate to use the Webside Holidays internal messaging system to ask the owner all of these useful questions.

7. Call the owner before your departure

Use the telephone number that the owner will be sure to provide you with in order to to tell him, for example, that you're going to send him your reservation or your arrival time at the vacation rental.

Telephone contact is more “vivid” than simple e-mail conversations. It will help reassure the owner and yourself at the same time. This way, you will have confirmed a telephone number that might be useful to you once you're on site, and the owner will be reassured that you are serious about renting.

8. Make sure you've taken care of all the practical arrangements

Are you sure you know how to get the keys when you arrive? Who do you return them to when you leave? Who do you contact if you have any questions or if a problem comes up while you're there? When do you have to make the different payments? When do you get back your security deposit? Would it be cashed by the owner?

If you don't know the answer to at least one of these questions a few days before your departure, contact the owner for clarification.

9. Financial considerations: contract and down payments

Do you have to pay the entire rental price at the time of booking?

No payment is due as long as the rental contract hasn't been approved and signed by the two parties. It must specify the identities and addresses of the two parties, a description of the property, payment terms, departure and arrival times, and the amount of the security deposit.

When you return this contract, the usual practice is pay a deposit that's typically 25% of the rental price. We recommend that you don't pay the entire rental amount when you sign.

The balance must be paid during the walk-through at the latest. However, when the time interval between booking the vacation rental and the arrival of the renter is very short, the owner sometimes asks for the entire rent. This way he makes sure that the renter won't cancel at the last moment and by the same token it is also a guarantee for the renter that the property will be accessible to him during the agreed-upon dates.

Today e-mails and faxes often replace traditional correspondence via letter. They have the advantage of being practical and above all much faster, which is especially useful for last minute bookings.

Please note: Webside Holidays works hard to protect renters

The quality filter

Each rental ad posting on Webside Holidays requires entering detailed information. It is mandatory for the owner to provide his complete contact information: last name, first name, mailing address, and e-mail.

In addition, he must post at least one photo of the rental property concerned.

The owner's commitment

The owner must have read and validated the Code of Conduct and the Terms and Conditions of Use in order to enter his ad. It's a set of rules that renters and owners pledge to follow throughout their use of the Webside Holidays platform.

Digital identification

To strengthen security, Webside Holidays also collects the IP address of the owner's computer. This is a unique ID number assigned to each computer connected to the internet.

Evaluation by the Webside Holidays community

Any traveler who has stayed in a vacation rental offered on Webside Holidays is invited to complete a satisfaction questionnaire upon his return. He shares his opinion about the quality of the rental and confirms whether the the description in the ad matches the actual condition of the property. All opinions collected this way are visible online to help future renters make their choice.

To wrap up...

There, now you have all the keys in your hands! Now it's up to you to dive into the search for your next vacation rental. We hope our tips will be useful to you and that they will help you leave home with your mind at ease. Naturally, we are available if you have any additional questions. Don't hesitate to consult the FAQ or to e-mail us or on the customer service homepage. Finally, let's remember that the vast majority of rental transactions proceed without a hitch, thanks to the mutual dedication of owners and renters to the ideas of commitment, respect, and the rights and responsibilities of each. The trust-based relationship that is established this way even develops into real friendships in many cases.

Have a great vacation, everyone!

The Customer Service Department