From 31 May 2016 all NEW bookings made via HomeAway or Owners Direct will incur a newly introduced traveler fee on HomeAway / OwnersDirect. This is a pity as this site is the best for features and usability. We thought that it is only fair to give advance warning of this ... the booking sites do not highlight the fee until you are at the payment stage !
A "traveler service fee" of between 4% and 8% (but never more than £249) of the booking amount is added. We, like most owners, are not very happy with this, particularly when we already pay HomeAway an annual fee plus a circa 2% charge on each transaction processed.
You have the choice to book through HomeAway / OwnersDirect OR via HolidayLettings / TripAdvisor (which do not currently charge a traveler service fee). Further information re both can be found at How to Book. At this stage we do not take payments direct (eg via bank transfer) as we have always taken the view that booking through the above sites gives the traveler a degree of comfort and protection (see further on this via attachments at How to Book). However, should fees continue to rise we may consider doing this in the future.
You should be aware that on both of the above platforms we pay an Annual Fee so that the price quoted is the price of the rental (apart from the HomeAway / Owners Direct traveler fee !). In addition we pay a fee of between 2% and 3% for each booking processed. Both sites give owners the option of not paying an annual fee but instead the sites add on between 8% and 15% of the rental amount to the travelers' price !!. This is hidden from travelers but is something you should be aware of when searching vacation properties.
HomeAway / OwnersDirect pay us the money paid by you within 5-7 days whilst HolidayLettings / TripAdvisor pay us the money paid by you after your date of arrival.
A "traveler service fee" of between 4% and 8% (but never more than £249) of the booking amount is added. We, like most owners, are not very happy with this, particularly when we already pay HomeAway an annual fee plus a circa 2% charge on each transaction processed.
You have the choice to book through HomeAway / OwnersDirect OR via HolidayLettings / TripAdvisor (which do not currently charge a traveler service fee). Further information re both can be found at How to Book. At this stage we do not take payments direct (eg via bank transfer) as we have always taken the view that booking through the above sites gives the traveler a degree of comfort and protection (see further on this via attachments at How to Book). However, should fees continue to rise we may consider doing this in the future.
You should be aware that on both of the above platforms we pay an Annual Fee so that the price quoted is the price of the rental (apart from the HomeAway / Owners Direct traveler fee !). In addition we pay a fee of between 2% and 3% for each booking processed. Both sites give owners the option of not paying an annual fee but instead the sites add on between 8% and 15% of the rental amount to the travelers' price !!. This is hidden from travelers but is something you should be aware of when searching vacation properties.
HomeAway / OwnersDirect pay us the money paid by you within 5-7 days whilst HolidayLettings / TripAdvisor pay us the money paid by you after your date of arrival.