Original Message:
Re: If you are a renter and you want an option to save 7 %, read this post. (by RedWeek Support):
1. Are you telling me that with Verify & Protect - on the renters side, Redweek takes responsibility and is liable for complete refunds of rent and travel expenses if a renter rents from an owner who uses online services and is scammed?
If the renter uses RedWeek Online Booking, the rental payment goes directly to RedWeek and the money is not disbursed to the owner until two business days after the renter has checked in to the resort. It is not possible for a scammer to make any money with the online booking process.
2. As an owner, since you qualified the renter, if I use this service, you are telling me that Redweek is liable for damages to my unit by the renter?
The Online Booking rental agreement, which is signed by both renter and owner, states: Renter agrees to maintain the Unit in the same condition as it was at the start of the Rental Period. Renter will pay for all repairs, replacement, and damages resulting from the act of neglect of Renter and guests. If requested at time of check-in, Renter will provide a credit card to the resort to secure payment for any such deposit, repairs, replacements, or damages.
3. Are you saying that verify (only) doesn't offer the safety renter need, and you had a significant enough number of renters that used verify only and were still scammed and lost money?
The verify option indicates we have verified all the key details of the rental with the resort. However, unless the posting is also Protected, the transaction goes through the owner. RedWeek has no control if a scammer hacks into the owner's account and takes the renter's payment, or if the owner/agent changes the name on the reservation. When the renter pays the owner directly, RedWeek has no control over the transaction nor do we have the ability to force an owner to return the payment to the renter.
We find some renters feel comfortable if they know RedWeek has verified the basic details of the posting with the resort, while other renters are looking only for rentals where the payment goes through RedWeek.