Inquiring Client Wants to Visit Before Booking

[vrooje]

I got an inquiry (en français) from a family (2 adults, 2 children) for a week in July. It was written in perfectly good French and asked specific questions about our town and our property. I responded that the house is available and gave payment details, etc. I didn't send the contract as usual, because I needed to make a few changes to the French version (which is a bit old by now, so our terms have changed slightly).

I've just heard back:

Merci pour votre réponse. Mon épouse se trouve pour l'instant à Semur où elle suit des cours de reliure aux Ateliers d'Or. Nous voulons passer une semaine à Semur en juillet parce qu'elle doit également suivre des cours pendant cette période.

Pourrait-elle visiter votre maison ce week-end ?

Ateliers d'Or is a real school in Semur, and I had to look up reliure -- it seems to be book-binding?

My first instinct is caution, because in the answer to his first e-mail, I explained that our kitchen is fully stocked because we are American and can't bring kitchen equipment with us every time we visit ourselves. Perhaps he just didn't read carefully, but perhaps he knows we won't be there and is asking for our address so his "wife" can "stop by."

His e-mail signature has an English/French confidentiality statement that makes me think he's a lawyer. And his signature also gives several telephone numbers: office, fax, home -- all based in Morocco. As far as I know that's a perfectly legitimate French-speaking country, not a scammer's haven.

We do have property managers in the area and I could arrange to have them meet her at the house, but I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

What would you do?

[la vache!]

Hi Brooke,
I don't think its a scam - if it is of any comfort it seems quite normal. I've had French guests on quite a few occasions ask to visit the property before renting, it does seem to be quite a normal thing for them to do if they are in the area. However, as I live on site it has never been a problem or inconvenience and I understand it is more difficult if you have to get your property manager involved.

[Giddy Goat]

It sounds legit to me too, but given the circs (not having anyone on site) I would be happier to talk to the person first. Has a telephone number been supplied Brooke? Have you been able to confirm that there are also courses running at Ateliers d'Or in July? Did the inquirer give you a specific date for their week, as this would be usual if his wife has booked a course - unless the course is readily available and running frequently.

[vrooje]

Yes, it's a specific week in July. I haven't been able to find a calendar available on the school site -- I think I'll have to e-mail to get it.

It makes me feel better to know that this is normal. I was taken aback by the question because the renter seemed completely legitimate to me in every other way, and the possibility that someone with less-than-honorable intentions could be so convincing at first was alarming.

This might be illogical, but if this were for an end-of-season booking I probably wouldn't do it. Our property manager does security checks regularly during the off-season, but I still wouldn't feel comfortable with it. But we're only a couple of weeks away from the start of the high season, so it's not like the house is about to be empty for 6 months.

I've sent him an e-mail explaining that we'll ask our property managers and try to arrange a showing of the house.

Of course, the other snag is that even given that everything else is legitimate, we are replacing our hot water tank, installing satellite TV, cleaning all and replacing some of the gutters, and just doing general work on the house at the moment -- so the house may not be in tip-top showing shape anyway!

[Giddy Goat]

the other snag is that even given that everything else is legitimate, we are replacing our hot water tank, installing satellite TV, cleaning all and replacing some of the gutters, and just doing general work on the house at the moment -- so the house may not be in tip-top showing shape anyway!

They'll be able to see past that I'm sure Brooke.

As for previewing, yes, if I were in the area I would too - and when I go to a hotel to book a room (an everyday occurrence - not!) I often ask to see it.

[A-two]

Brooke,
It's fairly common here for people who are within a couple of hours drive to ask to see the house before booking. Although we say we're happy to show the house if it is not occupied, it's not something we encourage as it rarely results in a booking.

Some people are just on a day out looking at houses for the fun of it. Whether your inquirers are serious or nor, I'm fairly sure they will be looking at several houses, not just yours. I would have said it is never productive except that we showed a property in January this year that has quite a bit of work to be done to get it into shape and is not opening until end of June.

I walked round the house (the outdoor furniture was piled up in the sitting room for a start), pointing at things saying that isn't going to be like this, that couch is going, there's going to be a new rug there, this room is going to be repainted etc.. It was in a complete upside down state, freezing cold and dirty. They said that provided everything was done that we said was going to be done, they were happy to book and did.

In the situation that you are asking your property manager to make a special journey to show it, personally, I don't think it's worth it. Your website gives them a very good impression of the place, that's why you have one. If they want to know the exact location before booking, which is not unreasonable, then perhaps you would be willing to give them the address so they can do a drive by and see from the outside, but only if you are sure they are who they say they are. We don't allow unaccompanied drive by, but then we are on site, so it's different.

I would also tell them that you take bookings on a first come first served basis, so please check back with you before making a special journey because most people book on the basis of the website alone and it may no longer be available by the weekend.

[Hells Bells]

GG, I think checking out your hotel room is perfectly acceptable in France, we have on occasion asked for another room. One risk of booking through Logis de France seems to be being allocated the smallest room at the back of the hotel.

[vrooje]

Your website gives them a very good impression of the place, that's why you have one.

Oh my goodness, Joanna, you've made me realize that they may not even know we have a website! The inquiry came through a listing site and they may have missed the link.

I've sent them the website address now, too, and suggested that they take a look at the photos just in case we aren't able to arrange a visit. I agree that I don't want to make my property managers go out of their way, as this will end up costing me money...

[Rocket Rab]

So, tell us, Brooke: did they visit, and did they book??

Agog, Rab

[vrooje]

Actually no on both counts -- we couldn't arrange a time that worked (they were only going to be in town on specific dates), and then I got a booking for their preferred dates and they opted not to book without looking at the property first.

Ah well -- but I'll know what to do if it happens again!

[Rocket Rab]

Aaah, I do like a happy ending!!

[John Hampton]

Unless it's with a local registered agent I never allow anyone to view in advance. It messes with peoples privacy, wastes time and never seems to convert to a rental. I don't recommend you do it, perhaps instead have a back arsenal of pictures of every detail of the property that you can send.

[Giddy Goat]

Since my last post on this thread, we've had our first and only request to date to view our property - from a French family who live a couple of hours' drive away, which tallies with A-two's findings.

They booked, having already viewed 15 other properties. Not all on the same day it's to be hoped!

They're due in a few weeks' time. I'll report how it goes ....

[Sallys Chateau]

I've had a couple of people come over for a sneak preview out of season and they have both converted into bookings, usually family gatherings for birthdays with 0's on the end.

[Mouse]

Well done Sally!

I always find it quite nerve-wracking; will they like it, will they be too polite to say they don't
I had one last saturday, in the middle of a fraught changeover. Showing him and his wife round whilst stepping over hoovers wasn't the best way...but he gave us the deposit and said he was quite happy - thank god!

Mouse
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