7 tips to make sure your vacation rental is not a scam

The summer vacation kicks off has already been given. For those who have reserved their summer rental or who are preparing to do so, David Rodrigues, lawyer within the National Association of Consumer and Users (CLCV) lists some recommendations in order to avoid scams.

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Who has never come across a false vacation rental ad? THE scams multiply at the expense of tourists who think they have found a good deal. 48% of French people have already been victims (or know someone who is the case) of a scam for renting vacationfor average losses of 2,700 euros according to a study carried out by OpinionWay for Airbnb published in 2024.

If the democratization of artificial intelligence and the increase in false announcements or even false sites complicate the life of the French when reserving the holidays, the latter do not always show the greatest caution. According to the study commissioned by Airbnb, a third of those questioned say they are ready to reserve outside a trusted platform if it allows them to save. 48% of them say they do not see any drawbacks to pay a reservation by bank transfer and almost a quarter of them use social networks to find a vacation rental.

Choose a recognized platform and authenticate the ad

However, some reflexes make it possible to minimize the risks of being fooled. Starting to be wary of too good rental ads or too good deals. In this case, David Rodrigues, lawyer within the National Association of Consumer and Users (CLCV) recommends making a “”Reverse image search»» Photos of the ad to ensure their authenticity.

Likewise, the lawyer advises “Geolocalizing” the address of the vacation rental in order to “Ensure that the description corresponds well to reality, if the building or the house actually exists” or if the rental is really “Close to the sea as indicated by the announcement”For example.

It is also recommended to use a platform “Recognized and secure” and to be interested “To the small lines that we never look at”, namely THE “General conditions”. This allows you to know “What are the guarantees offered by the site” In the event of a scam. Likewise, the expert advocates not to use social networks to find his vacation rental as well as to be wary of the speech of the owner or the lessor in case of doubt. “Some crooks have a very tied, reassuring and benevolent speech” Who can easily convince, he specifies.

It is interesting to consult the note and opinions of the accommodation who may or may not confirm an opinion on vacation housing. But “Since we cannot ensure the veracity of a comment, it is better to take all the precautions for use”specifies David Rodrigues.

Secure the financial transaction

If the owner or lessor of the accommodation proposes to overcome the secure site on which the ad is and to communicate by email or by WhatsApp, you must be wary. In this case, the lawyer advises to “refuse” to exchange elsewhere than on the platform at risk “To no longer be covered by site insurance” selected.

Finally, it may seem obvious, but it should not be not send “Backight” Before having signed or committed to rent actually accommodation. If the owner or the lessor requests it, this may be a sign that we must worry.

In addition, the lawyer explains that in the vast majority of scams for vacation rental, the accommodation exists but does not correspond exactly to the description of the ad. Thus, David Rodrigues advises “document” via “Photos, housing videos and screen screenshots” to then prove the owner or lessor’s fault. The lawyer recommends doing so each time to avoid later that vacationers do not find all of their deposit because he underlines, “Rare are the inventory at the entrance to a vacation rental”.