When renting a house, should they be sending us paperwork before we give them a deposit or any money?

Question

We're renting a house from greatrentals.com and we talked to the person who rents the house. She told us we can have the days requested and asked us to send the deposit and/or the total amount in check or money order only. She said she would send the paperwork after we give her a deposit. We're not sure if this is usual or if we should or can ask for the paperwork first. Please help, we don't know what we're doing, but we don't want to get ripped off.

She wrote back and said "We don't do the paperwork/mailing until the reservation is confirmed. It is confirmed when we receive the security deposit. So many times in the past, the paperwork has been sent and no monies received. Then our office does not know who is reserved or not. You just need to send the deposit in. Then we send you the paperwork saying we received it along with the contract. You mail the contract back with your rent." We really like this place, but we're getting nowhere with the paperwork.

So, I messaged her back saying we'd need to see the rental agreement stating the deposit is paid before any paperwork OR we could come in person and take care of all of it at once.

Answer 1

NEVER EVER give someone a deposit until you have something IN WRITING that states the reason for the deposit, and the conditions under which the deposit will be returned. Otherwise, you may be making a non-refundable deposit. You should also get a street address for the agency taking the deposit, in case you have to sue to get the deposit back.

Answer 2

Ask for the Rent Agreement .....look at all the clause which are mentioned there.If you find the terms and conditions as written in the agreement document are acceptable to you , then pay the advance (if that's a clause in the agreement specifying the amount ....and when and how will the same be refunded after any deductions or not ....if so , the repayment of the advance after deduction should be mentioned clearly along with the mode of repayment and rime frame in this regard).
Never pay advance to anyone without an Agreement document which has to be signed by both the parties....the owner and the tenant.This is signed after the parties are satisfied with the all the terms/conditions written in the paper are acceptable to the tenants.

Answer 3

I assume this is some sort of short term rental. I have never gone through greatrentals.com, but I have rented short term properties for vacation before, even in foriegn countries. And I have never heard of anyone asking for the $$ before sending you any paperwork. At the very least, they need to e-mail you a contract of the rental agreement. (That's what they did when I rented in Paris.) The fact that they are asking for $$ before you get an agreement in writing sounds very suspicious to me. For all you know, it's some kid trying to 'rent' out his parents basement for the week! Or worse yet, a con artist renting you some swampland!! GET AN AGREEMENT!! INSIST ON IT!! Any legitimate rental agent/owner would already know this is proper procedure and would never question your request. If they don't agree, then move on and find something else. When an arrangement starts out on bad terms from the beginning, it is only bound to get worse.

Good luck, hope this helps!!

Answer 4

I wouldn't be renting a place over the internet without doing some double checking to make sure the place is legitimate, and who you are talking to really works for the company.

Yes, you SHOULD get paperwork first, but you need to do some checking.

What she is asking is NOT normal. Trust your instincts.

Answer 5

I would insist on a copy of the lease, signed by both parties BEFORE you hand over any money. And I would insist on talking to the person or company you are renting from FACE TO FACE. Explain that you are worried about scams and being ripped off, and politely request that you are given information that proves that the company is legit.

Answer 6

Greatrentals.com is a rental sight. You are reserving it for a vacation. I would ask that the deposit be on a credit card.
You have more protection that way.
If they are asking for a check or money order i would be real reluctant too.

Answer 7

Papers first, for sure. If things go sour for some reason you won't have a leg to stand on unless you have proof of your agreement, deposit included.

Answer 8

this is not a scam till you fall for it. in spite of the indisputable fact that, the ad advantageous has many of the earmarks of a scam. The out of usa proprietor, no one domestically accessible to address it (including a realtor) and it has what i anticipate is an surprising month-to-month lease ($800/month for 2700 squaretoes?)(plus fixtures). In my middle type community that homestead might want to bypass for kind of $2,000. it type of appears like very a lot! the only difficulty it lacks is a call for that you deliver funds to someone (no longer unavoidably the meant proprietor). It reeks. in case you want to have some interesting, deliver contained in the "software" and see how lengthy it takes for the "proprietor" to the contact you and locate out only what he needs from you the safeguard the apartment. you should also stress by employing and, if there's a real property sales signal revealed, call the realtor and inquire about it. final analysis--i might want to anticipate that it truly is a scam till shown in the different case.

Answer 9

yeah ask to see the rental agreement first, that is very reasonable

Answer 10

Call into one of your own local real estates and ask them what is the correct procedure.