FAQs

HOW DOES CASASPAIN.COM PREVENT FRAUD? 

The first stage consists in the selection of adverts. The second, the assignment of confidence levels.

What is our “adverts selection” policy?

The adverts selection aims to prevent, as far as possible, the fraud through our directory. The most common fraud is that a person with a false name publishes a property that does not exist (or exists but has no bearing on it), in order to obtain advance payments from many people. Then the fraudster disappears and the person who has paid the advance discovers that the property does not exist.

Our security “anti-scam” policy is:

  1. Adverts selection: adverts are not included in bulk or for free, but by prior selection. Most directories with a large number of adverts publish all kinds of properties without any quality control: they aim to increase the number of adverts at all costs.
  2. Anonymous or adverts with limited contact information are not allowed: we check each advert to insure that the holder's personal details match the ID number provided. In addition, trial adverts are always required a traceable home telephone number (a contact mobile telephone number is not allowed).
Our aim is not to have many adverts, but few trustful ones. So we avoid the most commonly used scams.

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WHAT IS THE RATING OF “CONFIDENCE LEVELS”? 

We only upgrade to the highest level of confidence the owners and agencies advertised for several years, no complaints had been received. This is why we show the number of years advertised.

We only rank on the maximum level the properties which have been visited and the details have been verified.

Click here to have more information about the levels of confidence

However, we cannot guarantee 100% the accuracy of the information published. Even though the property has been visited and verified, we cannot guarantee that, by the time of your stay, the property will be in the same condition.

We recommend you keep reading the following suggestions, especially when no confidence level has been assigned yet, either to the advertiser or to the property.

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WHAT TIPS CAN YOU GIVE ME BEFORE RENTING? 

  1. Check the details of the announcement as far as possible. Visit the property or ask a friend to do it for you, request photographs, details of the location, etc.
  2. Ask for a contract in writing. To this end we place a vacation rental contract model in English, lease contract model in Spanish and vacation rental contract in French.
  3. In the event of a verbal agreement, do not pay the full amount of rental in advance. Under all circumstances, make sure the payment method requires acknowledgement of receipt (i.e. by transfer). Never pay in cash.
  4. Print out the advert as it has a contractual nature and the advertiser can be obliged to fulfil the content thereof.
    • Do not accept hefty advance payments. Advance payments are usually a maximum of 40% of the total price when it is for less than one month; 25% in bookings of one month; and 15% when longer periods are involved.
  6. Check the cancellation terms and what part of the deposit will be returned and under what conditions. Likewise, bear in mind that the establishments usually have a time beyond which accommodation cannot be reserved.
  8. Take-out cancellation insurance if it is likely that you may have to cancel your trip. i.e. Ej: RACC, MAPFRE,...

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WHAT GUARANTEES DOES CASASPAIN.COM OFFER? 

CasaSpain does not guarantee the veracity of the information published as it does not check the information of properties or the identity of contact persons in each advertisement, except those properties that have the confidence level at the maximum. As a consequence, CasaSpain.com does not accept liability for any disputes that arise between the advertisers and the tenants.

However, CasaSpain.com hereby undertakes to withdraw advertisements that receive repeated complaints or where there is evidence that the details published are not accurate. The owners and brokers that advertise in the directory have been thus warned.

We likewise undertake to receive your complaints or claims and to pass these onto the advertiser who must respond directly. The owner must ensure that CasaSpain.com is aware of the allegations made by this party and whether they agree or not to the claim. This enables us to prepare a criteria when it comes to deciding whether or not to remove the advertisement.

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WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS WITH REGARD TO THE LESSOR? 

  1. The right to ask for a contract in writing. To this end we place a lease contract model at your disposal in English, Spanish and French.
  2. The right to demand satisfaction of the conditions specified in the advertisement, as this has a contractual or binding effect in accordance with the General Act for the Defence of Consumers and Users and the General Advertising Act. Otherwise you may request reimbursement of amounts paid.
  3. In the event of inability to fulfil the reservation, the right to be reimbursed with the amount paid in advance in accordance with the proportion specified in the contract.
  4. The right to check the conditions of the property prior to paying the remaining amount and, if the conditions are not in accordance with what has been agreed, not to take up occupation and be reimbursed with the amount paid.
  5. The right to request an invoice for the total amount paid.

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WHERE AND HOW CAN I CLAIM? 

  1. A friendly settlement should always be attempted with the owner or the agency involved.
  2. With CasaSpain.com we undertake to receive your complaints or claims and to pass these on to the advertiser, who must respond directly. In the event that the complaint is upheld we shall remove the advertisement >> click here to download the claim form.
  3. If there is no agreement, the complaint must be shown on the complaint sheet of the establishment and one of the copies must be presented to the citizens’ advice bureau in the self-governing region of the province where you live. However, these complaints sheets are only available at establishments that are open to the public and not at private properties.
  4. With a Consumer Arbitration Board. There are Arbitration Boards at municipal, regional and State levels. Both parties must agree to submit to arbitration but, in the event that they agree to do this, the ruling is binding. The procedures are not complex and the system is quick (the ruling does not take any longer than four months). It is also free. Click here to see a list of the Boards.
  5. As a last resort, you can try to take the issue to the courts. However, we advise you to consult a lawyer or a consumer organisation beforehand to avoid professional fees and trial costs exceeding any possible amount you may obtain if your complaint is upheld by the court.

In the event of a claim it is vital to keep all documentary evidence possible (photographs, advertising, payment receipts, etc.). Damages cannot be presumed and must be fully proven in order to have the right to compensation.

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