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Excessive security deposit?..etc.

Posted by (San Jose) on

Hi, I was thinking about perhaps booking this particular aptmt in Paris. The agency wants me to give the owner 500 Euros up front as security (whether in cash, traveler's checks or personal check)..I told the agent I thought that was excessive but was willing to go with 200 Euros max...but they're sticking with the 500 E's..and they want
some renter's insurance...if I didn't have that..then, traveler's insurance..(which I know doesn't pertain to any
aptmt rentals). I feel uneasy about giving the owner so much money up front.

Another Parisian agency wanted to charge me a 4% reservations fee along with a check-in fee. I told them I had never heard of such charges before on any other Parisian aptmt rental website...and they of course, didn't
reply after that....sounds like a scam?

Has anyone rented an apartment whose bathroom has a tub/shower combo and there's no shower curtain, no sliding
shower doors...but a 1/2 glass partition to hopefully keep
the water from spraying all over the floor? I'm considering an aptmt that has this shower feature and I'm
not too keen on it...that's the only negative that's holding me back from renting that aptmt.

Posted by
881 posts

Those fees sound pretty excessive. Especially if they are non-refundable. Some friends just stayed at a wonderful apt there. I will get the info from them, when they wake up, and post it.

We had a shower like that in the UK, and while it was a little cumbersome, it worked just fine. - Just remember where you're aiming the shower head! :)

Posted by
711 posts

Hi Shirl.. The shower works fine... the partition is the half or the shower up by the shower head and you step in the back.. the apartments sound high.. have you tried vacationinparis.com.?

Posted by
264 posts

Agency, you don't need an agency! You can do it yourself. There are several sites available. I use VRBO.com, (Vacation Rentals by Owner). Dealing directly with owners is far easier and less expensive.

Posted by
16284 posts

Shower curtains and shower doors are not as common in Europe as they are here. Even some 4 star hotels don't have them.

Many of the "showers" are actually flexible hoses connected to the faucet. You minimize the water going everywhere by taking your shower sitting in the tub rather than standing.

Posted by
264 posts

On my first trip to Paris I wet the floor.
After that, I didn't spray toward the door!

Posted by
108 posts

Security deposits are refundable at the end of your stay if you leave the apartment in same condition as you found it. Owners usually decide on the rate depending on the amount you pay for the rent. So if it's a vacation rental, it could be any amount up to the amount equalling the rent.
As for scams, I read that very interesting article the other day on a blog at http://www.nyhabitat.com/blog/2007/12/05/tips-from-the-pros-how-to-avoid-apartment-rental-scams/

I use the type of tub/shower combo with a half glass partition at my parents' and it's fine really. Of course when in the shower you have to stay in the part of the tub where the partition is but I never managed to flood my parents' bathroom!

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