Choosing how to pay for your holiday rental

Benefits and risks of each payment method

There are a number of ways to send payment for renting a holiday home. Check with the individual owner about which payment methods they accept, making sure you read and understand the owner's policies on payment, deposit return and cancellation. If you have any questions about any aspect of payment, contact the owner directly by email or phone before you book the property.

Some payment methods offer more protection than others, so make sure to select one that you feel comfortable with. Important factors toconsider when choosing a payment method include:

Is the payment method secure?
If there proof of payment?
Can you recover payment if something goes wrong?
Is the method quick and convenient?

Common payment methods include:

IMPORTANT:
We do not recommend mailing cash or using wire transfers such as Western Union or MoneyGram as you do not receive proof of payment and will have no recourse for transaction problems. We recommend to our owners that they don't ask for payment by these methods. If an owner asks you to pay by either of these methods in a way that you feel is suspicious, please contact us online at Customer Support to let us know and our team can advice you.

Paying by Credit Card

Paying for your holiday rental home by credit card requires you to provide your credit card information directly to the owner. Not all owners are able to accept credit cards so check with them if you would like to pay using your credit card.

Advantages

Payment is traceable
Payment is immediate and convenient
Credit card providers typically provide some level of identity & purchase protection. Make sure you check the terms & conditions of your protection policy

Disadvantages

Typical to any online payments with credit card

Paying by cheque and money orders/banker draft

Personal cheques are the preferred method of payment for many owners on Holiday-Rentals.co.uk. Money orders, available from your bank or the Post Office, offer a more secure alternative to sending cash by mail. This method of payment is also good for owners because it requires that the funds be prepaid for the amount shown.

Advantages

Most holiday home owners accept payment by these methods
Payment is traceable to a particular mailing address
Proof of payment is provided
Most banks and money order services allow you to stop a payment if problems arrive before the cheque or money order is cashed

Disadvantages

Payment is slower than by credit card or via PayPal
Difficult to recover in cases of fraud once the cheque or money order is cashed

Paying by electronic bank transfer

Electronic bank transfers allow you to send payment directly from one recognized bank account to another. However, once the funds have left your account they may be difficult to recover in cases of fraud or disagreement.

Advantages

Payment is traceable
Payment is immediate and convenient
Payment is deposited directly into the owners account

Disadvantages

Payment is difficult to recover in cases of fraud once a transfer has been made

Paying by PayPal

PayPal allows you to send a secure online payment directly to an owner from your bank account or credit card. The money is then transferred to the owner via PayPal.

What is PayPal?

PayPal is a secure online payment service. It allows you to pay securely over the internet from your credit or debit card, bank accountor PayPal balance, without sharing your financial details with the person you are paying. To learn more about PayPal or set up an account visit www.paypal.co.uk.

Advantages

Payment is traceable and PayPal's payment tracking system allows you to see the status of your payment online
Your financial details are securely encrypted and are not shared with anyone other than PayPal which limits the risk of unauthorised use
Similar protection to credit cards if you transfer money from your credit card
You don't have to enter your credit card details online - you can transfer money from your bank account if you prefer
The property owner does not have access to your credit card details

Disadvantages

Limited protection against fraudulent transactions if you transfer money from your bank account
Difficult to recover in cases of fraud once the transfer is made

Tip:
To lessen the risk from fraud you can request the owner provide you with their identity and contact information. You can verify these details are consistent with the information held by their bank.

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