You can find all the things you need for a great holiday on Gumtree. If you're looking to rent a property for the holidays here are some tips to stay safe:
• Be wary of cheaper rates offered during school and public holidays. Be extra vigilant during these periods
Fraudsters often take photos from the internet to make their ads more appealing. Before you commit to a booking ask for additional photos and if you can, use Google Street View to check out the address that's advertised with the property. Sometimes if the photos have been taken from another ad and you search for the address in a search engine you'll see other ads for the same property.
Does the price seem too low for the time of year or the type of property you're looking to rent? If you're suspicious, try driving a hard bargain. A scammer will cave quickly and agree to your price if they're afraid you're going to back out.
When it comes to the possibility of losing a deposit and ruining your holiday it's worth checking out who owns the property. You can request details about current property ownership online from the local municipality. There's usually a small fee but you'll be able to see who owns the property and make sure whoever is renting it has permission if they're not the owner.
If the poster avoids providing you with details or additional photos, or they are hounding you to make a commitment and send payment that should be a warning sign. Bad spelling and grammar or an overseas phone number should be red flags too.
The owner of the property should be able to put you in touch with someone who rented the property earlier (if you're not their first renter) who can tell you about their experience.