Villa Suenos - Servera Properties

[pluto]

Dear lovely Pollensa forum regulars,

You have kindly helped me over the years in booking holidays and providing invaluable advice.

Aftern not finding what we are looking for on this website we are booking this year at a lovely Villa in Gotmar through 'Servera Properties & Rentals', Juan XXlll number 47. The villa was advertised on the Owners Direct Website.

Its a bit unnerving transfering a large deposit into a bank account of the unknown.... the bank is Colonya Caixa Pollença

Does anyone know of this agency in the port. Can anyone who has previously rented through them vouch for them?

Many Thanks

 

[majprop]

I do not know the property you mention but the Serveras have been around for a long time in the Port and have just recently moved into the Calle Juan XX111. They are a reputable family agency.

 

[pluto]

thanks Majprop, my dealings with them have suggested nothing otherwise, they have been very professional and helpful. Roll on the summer

 

[Fay]

Servera properties

Found this thread and forum when also trying to find out more about servera properties so was quite pleased to see the reply. I booked and transferred a deposit at the end of last year. Got slightly worried when no info was provided and have sent several emails asking for arrangements to access the property. There have been no replies and no contract. At the moment we will be getting on a plane in July and have no idea what the arrangements are which is unnerving as this is a family holiday with young children. There has also been much recent publicity about online holiday rental scams where the deposit is transferred and the money lost - with people travelling to the destination to find they have no accommodation. We have hopefully booked villa Pinaret in Pinaret which seems to be a new property with no reviews. Any reassurance appreciated.

 

[eleanor]

Hi Fay I think you will find that this villa is advertised with holidaylettings website ref 167089 direct with the owner. There is also a phone number for the owner so you could check out directly with her if you wish.

The agent you have used is known to other members of this site but to not receive communication is not very helpful or professional. Have you tried to phone them?

I too have seen the report on breakfast tv this morning and of course there are always scams in many areas of our lives. We just have to be especially careful and pay by paypal or credit card. Many private owners take this method of payment nowadays. I know some will respond that they do not like paypal or they may not use credit cards but it could be argued that this is a much better way of concluding a transaction than paying in cash.

In my opinion if you look at how many thousands of properties are rented in any one year you would have to be very unlucky to hit on the one which happens to be a scam. They are very few and far between. Therefore this is not a good reason not to book via an agent or better still direct with the owner via this site or holidaylettings. Both of these sites either varify their owners and/or know them which makes it a much safer way to arrange a holiday. On this site and the other mentioned the opportunity is there to speak with the owner direct and build a relationship prior to your holiday.

I don't think you have anything to worry about as long as the company are still trading but as I say do check out the owner on holidayrentals if you are still concerned. Good luck and have a great holiday.

 

[Alistairmcvicar]

Dear all, the property on the attached is my property, I am happy to discuss directly any concerns and I will be happy to meet, over the phone or by email. It's our family property and we are very proud of it and would not like anyone to be concerned or worried before they went. I will take up your points with the agent about communication etc.

 

[Fay]

Thank you Eleanor and Alistair for your replies which are both reassuring. Had done a few checks on the holiday lettings and other sites. Found that the property company has a portfolio of properties none of which showed any reviews and the host company doesn't really offer any support. Hence this approach on the Pollensa Forum. I'll try the phone number as suggested.
Appreciate your replies

 

[eleanor]

A typical example of a good reason to go direct! If you phone the owner on the number I found Fay I'm sure all will be fine.
The problem seems to be with the agent and not the owner!
Good luck!

 

[pluto]

I hope you find the reassurances you are looking for Fay, we are unable to find the property we have booked advertised anywhere else showing contact details of the owner. And like you said no reviews are to be found on Owners Direct or Holiday lettings of propertied let by Servera properties rentals portfolio, I wonder if they previously were known under another name as a fellow forum user has said they are known in the Port. We have spoke to the contact at Servera Properties briefly on the phone but have had no booking confirmation paperwork, just an email to say they have had our deposit and will require the balance paid by bank transfer to another account... is this usual practise, should we be do anything else to ascertain the authenticity of booking? They said they were unable to receive credit card payments. We have always booked direct with owners before but just couldn't find what we were looking for this time.

 

[eleanor]

It seems very unfair that looking forward to a holiday is overshadowed by the fear that there might be a problem. I don't know this company but as you say they are known to some. If they have changed name or been taken over then that is not a good reason for lack of communication. Infact it is a very good reason for them to make contact to re-assure. My concern would be the fact that no cards are accepted and payment into a different bank account. Most private owners at least deal through paypal or offer some facility as a choice so it should be expected that a company would do the same.

Some property owners rent their properties themselves and others use agents or a combination of both. As a property owner I think I would be very concerned if I were using this company. For two reasons, the first that their lack of professionalism reflects on me and my property and perhaps future bookings and secondly many might remember around 8 years ago the problems with sun quest (can be googled) where the owners didn't receive their money many loosing whole years rental money.
I'm not suggesting this us the case here at all with this company or any other. There are some very good companies and agents so would recommend renting directly from an owner or a good rental company advertising on this site who will be known.

Good luck and I'm sure all should be ok. Remember if this is a Mallorcan run company then sometimes the sense of urgency can differ from ours! I often wish I could have a laid back attitude and not live on my nerves!

 

[Fay]

Pluto, Your info on payment is also helpful. We paid the deposit by bank transfer and were slightly nervous at that point because it took several days to confirm the money had arrived and we had a confirmed booking. We sent several emails and scanned copies of the bank documentation to show the money had left our account. For the balance payment we have been asked to bring cash which I think is when I started to wonder and asked for a bit more info about the booking arrangements. Apart from the cash request our 2 experiences are identical. We too have previously rented properties direct with owners on many occasions. There has always been a reassuring exchange of info about the rental arrangements which just hasn't happened this time. We'll try the telephone number and go from there.

 

[Fay]

Ailstair, thanks for making this contact. further contact would be appreciated but Im not sure how as Im new to this forum. I wasn't sure whether your property is Villa Suenos or villa Pinaret? If it is the latter which I have booked a bit more info would be appreciated as outlined in the previous posts.
Many thanks
Fay

 

[pollensa]

Ailstair, thanks for making this contact. further contact would be appreciated but Im not sure how as Im new to this forum. I wasn't sure whether your property is Villa Suenos or villa Pinaret? If it is the latter which I have booked a bit more info would be appreciated as outlined in the previous posts.
Many thanks
Fay

As this property is not actually advertised with us directly & neither do Servera properties, please can you make contact off line. Members can communicate privately via Private Message once they have posted 2 approved posts. See http://www.forum.puertopollensa.com/using-pollensa-forum/9932-sending-messages.html Thanks.

 

[pluto]

Alistair, you will need to make a further post please in order for us to send you a private message. x

 

[Mark]

no reviews are to be found on Owners Direct or Holiday lettings of propertied let by Servera properties rentals portfolio,

Does anyone else find it strange that a website that markets it self as 'Owners Direct' is actually mainly property agents that do the deal on behalf of the owner, maybe it should be renamed to 'Agents Direct'

It's a very misleading website these days....

 

[eleanor]

I agree Mark, It does give the wrong impression doesn't it!
It seems that neither owners or agents are verified either!

 

[Alistairmcvicar]

Contact

Hi pluto

My property is villa suenos.
Fay I can check with my agent if he knows your villa or agent if it helps.

 

[Sparky]

As Pollensa has already said, neither the agent nor the owner of these properties advertise on this website, therefore we cannot allow any direct contact ie; email addresses or telephone numbers to be posted on the forum as this is not fair to those who do pay for advertising.
Please respect the T&Cs of your membership.

 

[Mark]

Hi Fay I think you will find that this villa is advertised with holidaylettings website ref 167089 direct with the owner. There is also a phone number for the owner so you could check out directly with her if you wish.

Once you have that phone number if you do a google search for it there are many results on rental properties, some lovely looking properties and that's an easy way to check if it's an agent or an owner, if you see what I mean.

 

[Mark]

Alistair, you will need to make a further post please in order for us to send you a private message. x

Dont forget that you dont know that Alistair really is the owner.

You asked on the internet for a solution to a problem about sending a large bank transfer and someone you dont know popped up and has offered you a solution to reassure you.

Everything is probably 100% OK of course but always be extra careful online when sending money.

Credit cards or paypal are safer for the customer.

The property in question does look very nice and have a good holiday.