Thème : Holiday house rental (06/21/2017)

How to make a reservation?

The calendars are updated in real-time. In the rates for each listing, the green boxes are the weeks available. You can book immediately without asking for prior availability.

1. Immediate booking

• Fill in the Booking/Offer Request which can be found at the bottom of the page of each listing or by clicking on the "Booking, Offer Request" link at the top in the link bar. The system will immediately inform you of the property's availability, the rate and the payment conditions.
• Tick the Immediate booking box and Send at the bottom of the form.
  The Tenancy Agreement (contract) will download automatically to your computer.
• In the space reserved for the cancellation insurance and rental damage, add the names of non-family members who will be travelling with you.
• Print the contract. You will receive a link by email to your contract once you have confirmed your booking.
• Accept the contract at the bottom of the page. From that moment the property is held for you and no one else can book it.
• If the contract does not suit you, you can decline it and the reservation process is cancelled.
• If you interrupt the booking process before accepting the online contract, you can continue later using the email that we will send you. In this case, you run the risk of the rental property being booked in the interim by another person.
• After you have accepted the contract, the page which follows is the linen order as per the conditions indicated in the property's listing on the page "Conditions, Other Expenses ". If you do not reserve linen at this time, you will be unable to do so later and will be required to send us an email so that we can do it on your behalf.
• The next page is the payment page. It gives you the option of paying a 30% deposit on the rental (or the total amount if the booking is made 6 weeks before the start of the rental period) by bank transfer or credit card through the Blue Paid secure system, our partner authorised by the Banque de France. You have a maximum of 48 hours to make your payment and, if paying by bank transfer, to send us the proof of payment by email.
• Once your payment has been credited to our account, you will receive a booking confirmation by email with a link to your contract and the advertisement of your holiday rental property as well as the address of the house. Your booking is definitively confirmed.
• 6 weeks before your rental period begins, you will receive a reminder by email to pay the balance of your booking. Once your payment has been credited to our account, you will be sent an email with enclosed a voucher and the Tenants Guide which you will need on arrival at the property.

2. Offer request

• If you are unsure whether to book or if you require more information, you can fill in the form as indicated under point 1.
• You can submit an offer request by ticking the corresponding box and clicking on the Send button at the bottom of the form.
• Normally on the same day, but within at least 24 hours, you will receive our offer by email with answers to your questions, unless we have to contact the property's owner for the required information.
• When you receive the offer by email and you wish to book, just click on the appropriate link in the email and the Tenancy agreement (rental contract) will download on your computer. You can proceed to the booking as indicated above in the Immediate booking section.

How do I know if the property is available?

The calendar for each property is updated in real-time. At the top of the left hand column on each page is Vacation rental search function which allows you to select your specific criteria. By inserting the date and the number of weeks that you wish to rent, only those properties available will be displayed. If you are on an advertisement of a house, the link to "Price, availability" will advise you of availability. The rates in the green boxes indicate that the property is available.

Can I book by phone?

No, all bookings are made online through our booking system.

Can I make my bed linen order directly when I book?

Yes, during the booking process you can order your linen. We in fact recommend this because if you forget to do so, you will be required to notify us by email so we can add the order to your booking.

When I make the booking, how do I receive the information on the cost of the rental?

During the booking process, according to your choice, you are directed to the payment by credit card page or payment by bank transfer instruction page. You will also be sent by email payment instructions that allow you to make your transaction once the booking process has been finalized.

How do I pay for my booking?

The 30% deposit can be paid by credit card through our partner, Blue Paid secure system, or by bank transfer. The link for payment by credit card and the bank details are displayed during the booking process. You will also be sent a payment instructions email which contains all the necessary information. The balance of the booking is due by bank transfer 6 weeks prior to the beginning of your rental period. You will receive in due time a payment reminder email. (See also "Can I pay by credit card?")

Can I pay by credit card?

Yes, you can pay the deposit of 30% of the total rental cost by credit card. However, the balance must be paid by bank transfer. In Europe, international bank transfers are subject to the SEPA interbank agreement which means your bank will not charge you fees. If you want to pay the balance by credit card, we can send you an email with a secure payment link upon which we will levy a 2% commission which the credit card company charges us and which we are unable to bear.

Is payment by credit card secure?

Of course. For credit card payments, Provence Villas Selection (PVS) uses the company Blue Paid, authorized by the Banque de France. To avoid fraud and data theft, we do not keep on file any information on your card.

Can I pay by cheque?

No, we are a Swiss company and Swiss banks don’t accept anymore cheques since a long time.

Why do I have to pay for my booking by transfer to a Swiss bank if the property I am renting is in France?

We are Swiss and our company is based in Switzerland, in Sierre (canton of Valais), and we are subject to Swiss law. Where the payment is sent is independent of the location of the property you are renting.

When I have made a booking and have given payment instructions to my bank, can I be sure that the property has been reserved for me?

Your booking is registered as soon as you accept the Tenancy agreement at the bottom of the contract. From that moment, the property is held for you until receipt of your payment. In this way no one else can book the property.

Why do I have to pay the total rental in advance?

We are a seasonal rental agency and we are under contract with the properties' owners who have entrusted us with the management of their bookings. We have to pay the owners before your arrival.

How can I be sure that the property I have paid for in advance actually exists given that there are so many scams?

Our company has been registered since 1999 with the Central Valais Company register in Sion (Switzerland) under number CH-626.005-189.7. You are welcome to check this information with the registry on the internet. You can also read the hundreds of messages our clients have left as feedback over the years, proof that we are a reliable company with thousands of satisfied customers who have booked their holidays with us.

How can I know what the additional costs are which are added to the rental amount?

In each advertisement, the additional costs are clearly stated, as well as in the Tenancy agreement (rental contract) that you agree online when you make your booking. These costs are payable directly to the person who welcomes you on your arrival. It is also stated whether the costs are already included in the rental. For the most part, the cleaning at the end of your stay is compulsory and, due to a European directive, it must be included in the rate announced in the advertisement. However, in the majority of cases, it must be paid to the person who welcomes you and not as part of the rental paid to PVS. The final cleaning is deducted in the total rental amount. This is clearly stated in the voucher that you receive before your departure.

How will I be told the payment due date for the balance of my booking?

Around 6 weeks before your rental period begins, you will be sent a payment reminder email.

How will I be told how to access my holiday rental property?

Upon receiving payment for the balance of your booking, we will send you a voucher which will include all the information regarding your holiday property (address, name and details of the person who will welcome you, check-in and check-out times, travel directions, Google Maps coordinates, costs to be paid on arrival, your bed linen order, security guarantee, etc.). Do not forget to take this document with you. You will also receive a Tenants Guide which will tell you all you need to know about your arrival and departure, and remind you of the duties and obligations of each of the partners.

How do I pay the security deposit and to whom?

The security guarantee is paid directly to the person who welcomes you on arrival. On the advertisement, as well as on the voucher that you receive before your rental period begins, it is stated how the security guarantee can be paid: by cheque (only for French clients), in cash or by a credit card form that we provide owners with. In principle, and unless otherwise advised by the owner on site, the security guarantee is returned to you after the property has been checked prior to departure and there are no damages reported and all additional costs have been paid.