Disclaimer
Disclaimer Information for Renters
NOTICE TO ALL RENTERS - You are responsible for conducting your own investigation regarding any and all claims made by prospective vacation property owners or agents. You assume all liability for use of any information you find in any Island Ratings publication. The operators of Island Ratings assume no responsibility and in no way warrant the accuracy of the information contained in any of the pages published here. Not all Island Ratings ads are created directly by the property owners, some Island Ratings advertisers are acting as agents or managers for the owners. The star ratings are representative of the condominium complex at the time of rating; note there is variation in the quality of units within a complex and the complex rating does not imply the rating of the individual units.
Renters are aware that each property sets its own Refund/Cancellation Policies Island Ratings recommends that renters ask for and receive a written notice of the Refund/Cancellation policy from the advertiser and for added protection, we recommend the purchase of Trip Cancellation Insurance at your own expense. Island Ratings is not responsible for the refund of rental fees for any reason.
None of the information contained in any Island Ratings web page is confirmed or warranted by any party. Confirmation of information published herein is the sole responsibility of the renting party. Qualification of all renters is the sole responsibility of the property owner or agent.
ISLAND RATINGS SHALL NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES BE LIABLE FOR ANY CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, PUNITVE OR SIMILAR DAMAGES FOR CLAIMS OF DAMAGE MADE BY RENTERS OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER, REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF ACTION, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR TORT, INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE EVEN IF IT HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Protecting yourself while renting "by-owner"
Island Ratings is supplying the following information to help you determine if renting direct from the owner is an option you wish to pursue.
It is very unusual that an owner will reserve a property for you without a deposit and typically they will expect full payment BEFORE YOU ARRIVE. Remember that the owner is turning over to you property that is typically worth hundreds of times the weekly rental rate. Since they normally only have one or maybe a few properties to rent, when they reserve it for your use, they will most likely have to turn away other renters who want to rent the same time period. The owner needs to insure that you do intend to occupy the property during the time interval that you are reserving. This is the reason they ask for your deposit.
We recommend that you satisfy yourself with the legitimacy of the ownership claims PRIOR TO SUBMITTING YOUR DEPOSIT.
- 1. The star ratings are representative of the condominium complex at the time of rating; note there is variation in the quality of units within a complex and the complex rating does not imply the rating of the individual units.
- 2. Be aware of hidden costs. Some resorts charge extra for resort amenities for units that rented by owner.
- 3. Ask the owners for referrals from previous renters.
- 4. Ask for the name of the condominium or homeowners association or the company who does the maintenance or cleaning and contact them for verification. You might also wish to inquire regarding the condition of the property.
- 5. Make sure you clearly understand how you access the property, pick up keys and who to call if you have an issue during your stay.
- 6. Prior to sending any money to an owner or providing a credit card number, ALWAYS request and receive a completed rental agreement or contract. Be sure that it specifies the dates you will be staying in the property, the cost of the rental, any deposits, taxes, cleaning fees, and the cancellation and refund policies. Without a signed rental agreement DO NOT consider the rental to be yours. If you do and something unforeseen happens, you may have little recourse in getting your funds returned.
- 7. Your best protection can come by working with property owners that accept credit cards. First, there are certain protections that the banks put in place and not everyone qualifies to accept credit cards. Secondly, using your credit card does provide you with certain remedies that are unavailable via other forms of payment. Note, paying via PayPal may not provide you the same level of protection that paying directly via credit card provides. Avoid listings that demand quick payment via a wire service like Western Union or bank transfer.
By protecting yourself, you can be confident that you and your family will indeed enjoy a truly unique and affordable vacation experience.
