VillaRenters website (Rentalsystems bookings)

[newhorizon]

Does anyone have any opinion on the Villarenters.com website?

Get many bookings? how is the admin. i.e transfer of funds to client?

One point that wasn't so appealing from an Owners point of view is the site does not appear to pass on payments received from renters until after the date of stay has gone. So say, someone booked today for Sept.2009 you wouldn't receive the payment till Sept 2009. With costs of Cleaning etc to pay for this may not be best method.

They did however say one could request early payment after 28 days subject to a 1.5% fee. Plus they also take a £15 fee from each booking. is it true they take a £50 set-up fee? That's what an advisor in Chat told me -but cannot see it written anywhere on the website.

Are there any others charges?

I know there are quite a few free websites about but not sure if they generate any bookings or just get the hits with no follow up..

Just wondered how this compared with Holiday lettings, Owners Direct etc and the free websites apartments.co.uk or something similar where are these ranked in terms of placement on search engines to get unique hits...

 

[newhorizon]

Take it no one has used this site then...?

 

[Martyn]

No by the looks of it or they will have posted :biggrin: Less that 2 hours isn't really enough time on a bank holiday weekend. I'd give it a few more days.

Just realised I rented last years and this years apartment off this site. I knew the area I wanted and googled for the particular site and got Villa Renters. They don't ask for the balance until I think 6 weeks before you go although I left a deposit some months earlier.

 

[scattea]

I suppose I best reply to amuse you... Ive had my place up on this site for several years, Ive had plenty of viewings plus several bookings, not enough to shout about but several is better than none.
I believe the idea of not paying you until after the renters have been is to ensure you actually have a home to rent out.
Anyone can put any pictures or information on the site but it does not mean it's actually their property and they could take the money & run!!!

 

[Smiler]

I use Villa renters, I have had no problems with them. Yes they do take 1.5% if you want payment before your guests have arrived and they charge you for administering the breakages deposit but I have had many bookings through them which I would not have otherwise had, plus the fact that you don't pay anything unless a booking is generated through them and it means you can accept credit card bookings, breakages deposit etc, on your own generated bookings at a lower percentage.

All in all, I think they're pretty good.

 

[newhorizon]

No by the looks of it or they will have posted :biggrin: Less that 2 hours isn't really enough time on a bank holiday weekend. I'd give it a few more days.

yes of course, thats me being impatient. Thanks.

 

[Martyn]

yes of course, thats me being impatient. Thanks.

Updated my post as i rent from them.

 

[newhorizon]

Thanks Smiler & Scattea.

I was just unsure about the £50 set -up fee, which is paid upfront without any bookings.

It seems very good for renters especially like the credit card option and also more protection for them as Owners do not get paid till after the stay.

I will look into it more.

 

[Smiler]

I understand that the one off £50 set up fee has only just been introduced.

On average I've had 4 or 5 bookings a year with them.

 

[christinedavid]

I have been using Rentalsystems for several years now. I have had a few bookings from them, but that's not why I use them! They charge 10% plus VAT for bookings they generate, but only 2% plus VAT for bookings generated by yourself and put through Rentalsystems. It's a cheap way of accepting credit cards and people can pay from abroad in Sterling, which makes life much easier when taking payments from abroad. They charge clients a booking fee which gives them a piece of mind guarantee that, should anything go wrong, they get their money back. You can choose how you want to organise your damages deposit. If the client pays a waiver (£25) you are not charged. I find most of my clients prefer this method.You can set it up to accept instant bookings which are confirmed straight away. Great for when you can't get to a computer to deal with it yourself eg when you're away. I just love it and put all my bookings through it. Take a look for yourself:
Villa owners holiday property bookings management system