Guides Frequently asked questions Tips for using this site 
For those that have not used this site before or are new to renting holiday properties directly from the owners, the following guidelines will help you.
Registering
To make full use of this site we suggest that you register using the advertisers login. This is at no extra cost and will make shortlistings properties much easier. You will have use of the same control panel as advertisers, however to make to publish listings you will have to pay.
Finding a property
Search our property listings either by location, listings type, accommodation type or by number of bedrooms. Please remember that often you will find extra sleeping accommodation in the form of sofa beds, so a 1 bedroom apartment may sleep up to 4. It is also worth looking at accommodation with a larger number of bedrooms, these are not always more expensive.
Shortlisting the Properties:
Whilst browsing through the properties, you will see that there is tools section at the bottom left hand corner of the page. You can add the property to your shortlist by clicking on the add to shortlist link, but remember you can only do this if are registered on the site.
Contacting the Owner:
You will find the contact details (telephone, fax, e-mail link) of the owner at the bottom of each advertisement. If e-mailing, please give your name, e-mail address, telephone number and state the number of people plus the dates that you are interested in. If you have any particular requirements or questions to ask, there is room on the form for this. Remember that these are private owners and that they may possibly be away from their e-mail for a few days. Most will respond immediately but if you do not get a response within a couple of days, we would recommend that you telephone them.
Making a Booking:
If the property owner has activated the booking system for his property you will find on the page for the property under the summary a booking link. If you click on this link you will be taken to an availability calendar. Find an appropriate date which has not been booked and click on the underlined date. You will be taken to a booking form where you will be asked to enter your details and confirm your booking. At the confirmation stage each property owner will have their own way of processing a booking but, as a guideline, you should expect to pay a deposit to secure the booking of between 10% - 50% of the total rental. This is normally paid either by cheque, by bank transfer, or by credit card using the online system. If you have booked online using PayPal or other credit card system provided by the owner then your booking will be booked firmly and on the availability calendar this will be marked as 'Occupied/Not available'. If the owner is using other payment methods then the owner should confirm the booking and receipt of your payment by letter or by e-mail and your booking will remain provisionnally booked until the deposit is paid and will be noted as such on the availability calendar . The balance is normally paid around 8 weeks before the start of the holiday. Often a breakage deposit is required with the balance, and this is refundable at the end of the holiday less the cost of any breakages and metered charges for gas/electricity/telephone if they are not included in the rental rate. Please check the cancellation terms with the owner at the time of booking - deposits are often non-refundable and they may have a sliding scale of charges for last minute cancellations after the balance has been paid. We recommend that you ask for any terms and conditions in writing.
Arriving at the Property:
Make sure that you have the address and directions to the property. These are normally sent to you on payment of the balance. Some owners will send you a key in advance, some may live on site and be there to welcome you, whilst others may have a local representative or neighbour who will meet you (in this case please make sure that you have the telephone number of the owner or their representative so that you can call to let them know if your arrival time is delayed).
Any Problems:
All owners should leave instructions at the property for contacting either themselves or their local representative. If you find that you have a problem or an item of equipment breaks down, please call them straight away. Either they or their representative will have the local knowledge to put things right. It is essential to air any difficulties on the spot as this gives the owner the chance to ensure your holiday is not spoilt. Please do not save up complaints until after you return home.
Enjoy your Holiday!
We ourselves have enjoyed many years of wonderful holidays, renting accommodation directly from private owners, and we hope that you, too, will enjoy using our site.
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