How Can I Ensure My Safety and Privacy When Booking a Vacation Rental Online?
You have finally found the perfect Airbnb on the coast to spend your much-needed week off from work. The vacation of your dreams is only one click away. The price is unbeatable, and the reviews are exemplary. You have been looking at various bookings for weeks, and none of the room rates come close to what this listing offers. But does the low cost come at some other price?
Booking a vacation rental requires a keen eye, which is no simple task. If you or a loved one have recently been taken advantage of by a vacation rental venue, our South Carolina victims’ rights attorneys are here to safeguard your interests.
Use Reputable Platforms
Finding vacation rentals through random Google searches is not always a wise choice. If you are trying to scope out the best deal, you want to use reputable platforms, such as TripAdvisor, Expedia, Hotels.com, Airbnb.com, or Vrbo. While Airbnb or Vrbo typically gives you a better price than a hotel or motel, you want to make sure that the hosts have a verified listing.
Use Secure Payment Methods
Before clicking “book your reservation,” you want to make sure that you are using a secure payment method. If you are paying via credit card, you may want to use PayPal or another encrypted payment platform to ensure that your credit card number and other information remain protected. In general, any site that has a URL beginning with “https://” is considered secure. If the website looks suspect, do not proceed.
Review the Venue’s Property Details Page
Both Vrbo and Airbnb address the issue of security cameras in vacation rentals. If the property has security cameras installed in outdoor spaces and you rented through Vrbo, they have to be listed on the property details page. While surveillance cameras are permitted outside the property for security purposes, cameras and audio recorders are prohibited inside a rental. If a host violates this policy, the individual may be required to refund your stay.
What Should I Do if My Privacy Was Violated?
If you recently booked a rental and your privacy was breached, speaking with a South Carolina victims’ rights attorney may be your best option. When you book a vacation, the last thing you should be worried about is having your information stolen or your safety compromised. Unfortunately, many rental hosts are just interested in making a “quick buck,” not in thinking about your rights.
In contacting a victims’ rights attorney, they can review the totality of your circumstances and the vacation rental’s policies to determine if you were taken advantage of. If so, we can file a legal claim on your behalf to allow you to recover just compensation for the inconvenience and emotional stress caused by the incident.
Contact Our South Carolina Victims’ Rights Lawyers Today
At Ryan Beasley Law, our legal team is committed to helping vacationers obtain retribution for any indignities suffered due to a poor rental experience. If an online booking resulted in your private information being stolen or your privacy being violated, we want to hear from you. To learn more or to arrange your free consultation, feel free to contact us online or give us a call at (864) 679-7777 today.