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Original Message:
Re: Successful Resales & Rental Feedback Wanted (by Beck):
Who paid the credit card fee? That was nice of the owner to agree to pay $75. I'd agree this gives confidence to both sides for the safety of the transaction, but $150 "insurance" is pretty expensive.
99% of all my transactions are done without 3rd party so for both renting from and renting to owners I've saved way more money by not paying that amount than any cost I'd incur for a reservation not working out.
If the owner failed to provide the unit, the $75 you just paid only gets your money back. You still wouldn't have a place to stay. So for any reservation made less than 60 days in advance you would be protected thru your credit card company "for free". Worst case, get the owner to use paypal and even if you paid the credit card fee of about 3% your rental would have to be over $2,500 before you spent $75 and over $5,000 before you both spent $150.
It also might be possible to buy travel insurance which would be more comprehensive for about $75. You'd have to read the fine print to ensure an owner's failure to provide the unit was covered.