VICTORIA – The Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Vancouver Island has issued a warning to Island visitors to use extreme caution when booking an “owner operated” vacation rental property. The BBB was recently contacted by a consumer from Calgary that had been ripped off after booking a condo in Victoria for a vacation. The consumer found the rental via a popular website for vacation rental properties. The consumer paid a deposit and portion of the total rental cost in order to secure the booking.
A little over 24 hours before planning to travel to Victoria, the owner of the vacation rental cancelled the booking, failed to refund the pre-paid deposit and stopped responding to the customer’s emails and phone calls. The consumer took the matter to small claims court in Alberta and has been awarded a complete refund, plus additional court costs. However, the vacation rental owner has not made payment and a collection company is now attempting to track down the owner, who is believed to have moved to another country.
“Travelers who are thinking of renting a house or condo instead of staying in a hotel or resort need to consider whether it is a genuine and legal opportunity,” said Rosalind Scott, President and CEO of BBB serving Vancouver Island.
“Rental scams often start with fake online rental listings, intended to trick would-be vacationers into making deposits on rental properties that don’t exist or that aren’t owned by the person listing the property. Victims may have their vacation plans thrown into chaos when they arrive at their destination and discover their rental property doesn’t exist or is not available to them.”
In addition to cancelled bookings and fake rental listings, consumers need to watch out for rental properties that are found in disrepair upon arrival, as well as misleading listings that claim a property has more amenities than it actually features. To avoid vacation nightmares, consumers should do some online research and work with a reliable company to find their vacation rental.
To learn more about foiling scam artists the BBB have offered some useful tips.
