Cheeky or what?

[Richard51]

We just received the following:

BONJOUR

SI LE GITE EST TJS DISPONIBLE IL M INTERESSE DU 9 AU 14 AVRIL

PAR CONTRE JE NE SUIS PAS D ACCORD POUR PAYER LA TOTALITE .JE PEUX VOUS ENVOYER UN ACCOMPTE PAR PAYPAL DE 30% DU MONTANT TOTAL SOIT 165 EUROS SI VOUS M ENVOYEZ PAR MAIL UN CONTRAT DE LOCATION QUE JE VOUS RETOURNE DES RECEPTION, PUIS JE VOUS REGLE LE SOLDE EN ARRIVANT PLUS UN CHEQUE DE CAUTION DE 300 EUROS.

JE LOUE MOI MEME DES APPARTEMENTS ET LA PRATIQUE SE FAIT COMME CELA;IL EST DIIFFICILE DE DEMANDER LA TOTALITE A QQU UN QUE L ON NE CONNAIT PAS;

MERCI DE VOTRE CONFIRMATION

They emailed us a month ago for our rates and we told them - and also that, because the rental was less than eight weeks away (actually only 5 weeks away) they would have to pay the full rental amount and security deposit to secure the accommodation. So they waited nearly 4 weeks and sent the above. Basically they want to pay 30% by Paypal now and the remainder by cheque on arrival...which, if it bounced, would probably be after they left!

They are telling me they don't want to pay in full to someone they don't know and that they have this arrangement for people renting their apartments.

The answer will be a polite - thanks but no thanks.

Edit - sorry this would have been better in the 'How to handle enquiries'. Please feel free to move!

[John & Yasmine FATIHA]

seems a "normal" french way to arrange a rental house....
you should see some of the messages i receive.......
But, i would turn them down too!

[paolo]

Unless you think you will be able to rent that week, why not take the booking? It's normal for French people to want to book this way. As he rents out his own properties, perhaps he will make a considerate tenant.

[la vache!]

All my French guests pay 25% deposit with the balance on arrival. I'm on site, so it is perhaps different, but I wouldn't lose a booking over it, it is still considered normal practice for many rentals.

[Anno]

It's your decision of course, but just a thought: He doesn't actually specify he wants to pay the balance by cheque as far as I can see (unless he said so in some other contact) - if it would make any difference, have you considered asking for the balance in cash?
As the others say this is pretty standard practice in France. On the other hand you set your own conditions and HE DIDN'T HAVE TO SHOUT AT YOU DID HE?

[Richard51]

This was the second communication. The first was nearly a month ago when they were trying to negotiate the rate down. We are not on site and our changeover person doesn't handle cash or cheques so it's an impractical arrangement for us. She certainly wanted to pay the security deposit by cheque - which if it can't be banked is neither use nor ornament.

We turned the booking down. I'd rather have the place empty than have someone who thinks everything is negotiable.

[Don Ciccio]

I agree with you Richard, turning the booking down was the safest option.

Whenever we take a late booking its either bank transfer of the full amount before they arrive or balance paid in full in cash upon arrival. Cheques are a no no for late payments for the reasons people have said above.

[la vache!]

I agree with you Richard, turning the booking down was the safest option.

I've never been defrauded by payment on arrival guests.

[Ju]

Whilst I am very strict on payment 8 weeks before arrival for my UK guests, the French way is definately 25% up front and the rest on arrival. At first I was very loath to do this, but as a result didn't have many french bookings (ie none). Now we have a seperate contract for the French bookings, with balance payment on arrival we are doing very nicely from the French side.

As most of these come in shoulder season it is most welcome.

I agreee that you should be able to choose your own terms, but think about the fact that it is not just this one booking you are turning down it is the potential to have many more.

[Blanche]

My customers usually pay 10% deposit then pay the balance in cash on arrival, no matter what country they are from. For some I don't even ask a deposit. I've never had the slightest problem.

Also very occasionally I have taken a French cheque for a small amount. I was under the impression that if a cheque bounced there was a lot of bother for the account holder so it rarely happens in France.

I too would be a little concerned with the appearance of the email although appearances can be deceptive. But I'm surprised that someone who proports to run a business should send such horrible emails.

You will already have 30%. If you are at all worried then there is no reason why the rest should not be paid in cash.

[paolo]

Just to clarify a few points...
He doesn't say he is going to pay the balance by cheque, cash is the way it is done. And he is clearly not using upper case to imply shouting (I have a couple of friends here who email like this). Paying the security deposit by cheque in France is normal and I believe legally the way you should do it (with renters who can give you a French cheque). You do not then bank the cheque unless there is a deduction to be made at the end of the rental.

[Normandy Cow]

Interesting posts by LV, Ju and Paolo.

On a separate thread I mentioned my terms which include £200 deposit up front and full payment 2 months in advance.

But I may follow their advice and have a completely separate contract for French guests. Presumably by specifying the deposit as "acompte" the guests are still liable to pay even if they don't show up (or is it "arrhes" - I can never remember!).

[declanja]

This is very interesting. Can I introduce a little thread creep? I had a late booking in Febuary and payment was by bank transfer. The couple were actually 3 nights in our apartment before the payment came through. I was a little worried. From reading the responses above am I right to presume that taking a deposit and then the remainder on arrival is a perfectly safe system? Has anyone been let down by this system?
Declan

[paolo]

From reading the responses above am I right to presume that taking a deposit and then the remainder on arrival is a perfectly safe system? Has anyone been let down by this system?

It is not perfectly safe because if they have to cancel at the last minute you will not get your balance payment. This has happened to friends, a couple of times because of illness, once because a gentleman broke his leg at the train station at Paris CDG. For French owners that risk is offset by the appeal of not declaring the income.

[la vache!]

I've been let down on two occasions with cancellation at short notice, once because of a death in the family and another weekend booking cancelled because of work. I just kept the deposit and didn't ask for the balance of the payment. That's twice in 8 years. Fortunately most French people are too 'radin' to cancel their holiday on a whim and lose their deposit.