We are traveling to Italy next spring and renting apartments through VRBO. One of the rentals asks us to send a check for 300 eu for assurance and that he will not cash and return to us upon arrival when we pay in cash. The apartment has great reviews. Do we write check in dollars for exchange rate, or say 300 eu? While we understand that this is not an uncommon practice and we are trusting, we are not certain how to make out the check? Any guidance from anyone who has done this before? Thanks so much!!
Posted by
Napa, CA
3580 posts
Once.. I wrote the check in US Dollars, since my bank probably wouldn't know what to do with one written in Euros. The check was returned to me the day I checked out. It's a little insurance for the owners that you will leave the property in good condition and see them before leaving.
Posted by
🏝️ Hobe Sound, FL⛱️
3167 posts
Ask the owner/manager of the property. That way you'll avoid any ambiguity. If there's a problem, you could always stop payment on the check.
Posted by
Seattle, WA
16353 posts
We have done that for an apartment in Lucca and it went exactly as promised---the check was returned to us when we arrived. It seemed like a good solution to the problem of a deposit---much better than a wire transfer.
One benefit is that you will have the name and mailing address of the owner. They are trusting you with that information, so why not trust him or her to do as they say?
When we did this, the owner asked for a check in US dollars.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
7570 posts
In one respect it does not matter if the check is just an act of good faith and the check will be returned. Your bank will expect a transaction in Dollars, their bank will likely start with euros, convert and present a debit in Dollars to your bank if it was actually to be cashed, your check in Dollars may make that easier, leaving the conversion, and the expense of it, on their end when they want the money in euros. I would clarify with the owner, mention that you will write the check in Dollars, so what would they accept as an equivalent Dollar amount. Right now it would be about $354.
Posted by
Houston
3519 posts
If you attempt to write a standard check you have for your checking account and state it must be paid in Euro, your bank will return it unpaid.
If you feel there is any chance the VRBO owner might send it in for payment, you can ask your bank to give you a draft form for international payment in Euro. You fill it in just like a regular check, but it has indicators on it to let the bank know this is something that requires special handling. Unfortunately, it will only be the larger national banks who do this. A small credit union or local bank probably will have no idea how to do the.
Posted by
OP
56 posts
Thanks so much! I contacted the owner and I am sending a check in U.S. dollars. I do think this is an easy way and nice not to advance funds. The communication with the owner has been wonderful, so I have no qualms. I just wanted to check with the wise ones on this forum to see if this was common practice. Thanks again!!!
Posted by
Chicago
8074 posts
It is up to the owner.
We have often left US checks and the last rental we did in the Dordogne with an English owner, we did the check in dollars. They CAN cash it if need be but in dozens of rentals we have never lost a deposit. We have also left dollars rather than Euros as a deposit and had the cash returned at check out.
Posted by
Pa and Italy
4152 posts
Contact the owner to be sure it's okay to write a check for U.S. currency. They might not allow this as this check is a guarantee and it could cause issues if they needed to cash it to cover anything. The only way to know for certain is to ask the owner.
Donna