Beware of hidden fees
And for those who opt, in Belgium or elsewhere, for a rental, now is the time to prepare, but also to check the general reservation conditions. Because it is even more true in winter than in summer, reservations can be full of unpleasant surprises. José recently went to La Panne with his family, via a rental agency. “There were 5 of us staying in an apartment of 60-70 square meters, for three nights. We had paid a deposit of €75 before the stay, and it was said that we would have to pay for our electricity and water consumption. ‘water.”
Except that the rates are exorbitant: €0.73/KWh for a day rate and €0.41 for a night rate. The average prices for December in Belgium show a maximum of… €0.21/kWh. “In the end, I had to pay more than €80 extra, because water was billed at €15 per cubic meter! All this for 48 hours on site…“
A way to get sugar at the expense of travelers or a contract that dates from the energy crisis? In both cases, it is a lack of professionalism on the part of the rental company.
The problem is that José is not the only one. Several testimonies came back to us. “Via Booking, I rented something with a flat rate of €10 per day for cleaning,” a reader tells us. “For me, it was €100 after just one weekend. If we take the price of a service voucher, that’s 10 hours of work for a small apartment, it’s excessive!”
Tourism: want a stay in the sun at the end of the year? You’ll need luck, or a big budget… “What’s left are the rare birds”
Proof that you must always read the general rental conditions, as indicated by Test-Achats. “A booking site should always clearly inform you of the costs you will have to pay. The costs of your stay, administrative costs and sometimes cleaning costs. If these costs are clearly communicated in advance, it is obviously not a question of hidden charges and you will have to pay them If there is no clear communication, you will have to dispute these charges, and the hotel or company cannot charge you for them. Be sure to check everything carefully before pressing the “book” button. Don’t just look at the total price. your reservation, but also the reservation conditions”, we warn.
For taxes, it’s the same thing. Travelers must be notified at the time of booking. If a classic tourist tax often applies, beware of false taxes.
