has anyone used flipkey before?

Used flip key last year to rent an apt in Florence. Apt. was in a great location, inexpensive and comfortable, which is exactly what I wanted. Be sure to read reviews. Do your research, look at location. I personally prefer to stay close to train stations. Had no issues. Made payments on apt so all finances were taken care of before arrival. This year I used VRBO (Homeaway is their sister site) for apts in Rome & Florence and another site for Positano. I made a favorites list and then made comparisons as far as location, photos, reviews, etc. Good luck and enjoy!

Oh, btw, I rather liked the fact that I had to email owner because I could get all questions I might have answered right from the horse's mouth as it were. It was safe and secure. Had no issues at all.

oh great! Thank you very much

All of the mainstream rental sites are good but you should always contact the owner directly. The sites are just a forum for the owners. I have been scammed once renting an apartment on line. I sent the owner an email and the scammers hacked in to her email account and began communications with me. I thought the emails were from the owner but it was actually the scammers. This only happened because I did not listen to my gut instinct. You will know if it doesn't feel right. Pay attention to grammatical errors, deals that seem too good to be true, total payment cash up front, and replies that show up seconds after you hit send. You will find that many owners in Italy prefer cash payments. That's just the way they roll.