Find me a holiday home

Why book a holiday property direct?

Booking direct can give you an extremely good deal. You can stay in a fully equipped home with your own private living space. Most properties have access to private gardens and many have swimming pools. You can decide when you want to eat, what and whether you want to cook for yourself or go out. Don't forget to ask the owner to recommend the best local places to eat and shop. In short, you can please yourself which gives you the freedom to enjoy your well earned holiday as you want it and not around the more formal regimes of hotels and guesthouses.

What amenities are available at the property?

Please check direct with the owner by e-mail, phone or view their website.

How do I use your site to search for my holiday home?

1) Via our ‘Property Search’ panel (on the homepage) - this allows you access to a simple search where you can specify basic requirements i.e. region, accommodation etc. Its a quick way to search if your holiday dates are flexible and returns the maximum results.

2) Via our 'Advanced Property Search' hyperlink (in the search panel or via the sidebar) - gives to you access to our 'Advanced Search' facility. Here you can extend the the simple search parameters to narrow down your search by specifying additional essential requirements. This may be as simple as a property availability date, but may include other considerations such as specific facilities e.g. Wi-Fi or wheelchair access. Be aware our search engine is very specific and the more you specify the shorter your returned list will be. To increase the number of properties returned go back to the search form and uncheck any unessential requirements and search again.

3) Create a shortlist either by browsing the directory or from your search criteria. To create your shortlist start by clicking on 'Add Property to Shortlist'. You will be prompted to enter a few details to create it, this enables us to identify you and your list when you return later. We will retain your list for up to 180 days. You will now be able to edit, share your shortlist with friends and family and contact one or more property owners from it. On returning to our site during this period you will see a button 'view my shortlist' on the homepage.

4) Property Reference Search - Once you have a selected a property, you can navigate direct to it by entering its property reference number into the ‘Property No.’ search box on the homepage property search box.

How do I make a booking?

Arranging your own holidays is not as difficult as you may think. Follow a few simple steps, decide on where you want to go, make sure your accommodation is available, check the cost and availability of flights or ferries and any other contingent elements such as car hire etc. Book your accommodation then your transport.

Select your preferred holiday property remembering to check its availability chart and change over day to ensure your accommodation is available. This can be accessed via the advertisers own website. If the dates you require are marked with an ‘A’ and in green then the property may still be available. Call or email the owner to confirm your dates.

Use the ‘contact owner’ button to enquire. Click ‘Contact Owner’, complete a simple form then wait for the owner to reply or contact you, alternatively if they have listed their telephone number, you can call them direct.

We suggest you follow these steps:

1. Research: Check your accommodation availability and ask the owner if they are prepared to put a temporary hold on it, while you book your flights - most owners are prepared to do this for a short period, normally 24 hours.
   
2. Flights / Ferry: Book your flights or ferry crossing - both can be booked via links our site.
   
3. Reserve your accommodation: Confirm your accommodation booking with the owner and set in motion the formalities of contract and payment.
   If you have decided not to proceed with your booking please return their courtesy by letting them know as soon as possible. A telephone call or a short e-mail will suffice.
   
4. Travel Insurance: We recommend you book your travel insurance at the same time as you make your travel arrangements. This is because most policies activate as soon as you purchase them, therefore you are covered against cancellations subject to the terms of your insurance policy.
5. Transfer to your holiday home: If you are flying to your holiday destination, think about how you are going to transfer to your holiday home. If you do not want to hire a car you will need to consider the cost of taxi or coach transfer. It may well be a good idea to ask the property owner the appropriate mode of transport, as they will have made the journey many times. Car hire can be booked via this site for the whole of your holiday or just for a few days.
6. Transfer to UK airports: To ensure your holiday starts off smoothly always allow plenty of time to get to the airport. Most airports have restaurants, bars and TV lounges to help pass the time before your flight. We can also help as Holiday Extras can help you make significant savings on airport parking and airport hotels. Taking your own car: In addition to your travel insurance you may wish to consider breakdown cover.

How do I pay for my holiday accommodation?

Each owner has their own preferred currency and method of accepting payment. The currency is often indicated in their advertisement or on their site. Please ask them for their preferred payment method when you make your enquiry.

french-owners-direct does not accept payment on behalf of owners.

What if I have a problem whilst I am at the property?

Most owners will provide you with full details of the property location local information along with local emergency contact information. If the owners do not live close by they will often have a managing agent on hand should a problem occur. We suggest that you ask for this information at the time you make your reservation.

All enquiries about properties advertised on the french-owners-direct website must be made to the individual owner.

I tried accessing the site, but I got an error message.

The site is best viewed with browser versions 4 and above. Our site works best if JavaScript and session cookies are enabled on your browser - this is the default setting for all common browsers.

Like all sites our infrastructure and network requires occasional maintenance so there can be very brief periods when changes are being applied (normally during the night). Connectivity problems can occur anywhere on the internet between your PC and our network – we have no control over this.

Can you check the availability of a property for me?

We do not carry out personal searches on your behalf. We do provide either a client contact form for you to liaise direct by e-mail or the advertiser’s telephone number. For those who have chosen a website option we provide the opportunity for them to display an availability chart. It is however, their responsibility to keep it up to date. We suggest you e-mail, fax or phone the advertiser to confirm your dates are definitely available. Most of our advertisers are diligent ensuring their availability is maintained as current and accurate. There remains however, always the possibility that popular dates are being negotiated by others.

Can I book a short break?

Many property owners will consider a proposition; some will advertise their willingness to offer this facility. Our advice is to contact the owner of your chosen property and ask.

 

General advice

Pregnancy. When we last checked the following operators currently have no restrictions on the carriage of pregnant women; however a certificate of fitness to travel will be required from your Doctor. We recommend you check with the operator prior to booking that their conditions of carriage have not changed.

DFDS, EUROTUNNEL, IRISH FERRIES, NORFOLKLINE, NORSE IRISH RED FUNNEL, STEAM PACKET, STENA LINE, SWANSEA CORK.

Failure to produce a certificate may lead to the operator refusing your carriage at port, please ensure you obtain the necessary certificate from your Doctor prior to departure and take it with you when you travel. The following operators each have their own restrictions on the carriage of pregnant women; if you are planning to travel with one of these operators you should contact them direct to establish their current rules and or restrictions. BRITTANY FERRIES, CONDOR FERRIES, HOVERSPEED, IRISH FERRIES P&O FERRIES, SEA FRANCE. Other transport providers such as airlines or rail companies may also have similar restrictions on carrying women who are pregnant. If you are pregnant we strongly advise that you contact the transport provider concerned prior to making your booking or as soon as you discover you are pregnant if this occurs after you have made your booking. We recommend that you also consult with your doctor about your transport plans.

Passports

Travelling in Europe  You will still need a passport if you are travelling to EU countries. Even where some countries have abandoned routine passport checks at their land frontiers, they continue to expect visitors to be able to provide proof of identity and nationality. Airlines routinely require passports as identification for flights. Do not forget to familiarise yourself with the current rules for luggage weight, charges and permitted content for hand luggage.

UK Children Since 5 October 1998 children under 16 have been required to hold their own passport and there is no longer any facility to add a child to a passport. Children already included in parents' passports are not affected by this change and can continue to travel on these passports until they reach the age of 16 or the passport expires. You should, however, check that this is acceptable to the authorities of the country you are intending to visit, and that they do not require children to hold separate passports of their own.

If you are 16 or over and haven't yet got a passport, our recommendation is that you should apply for one as soon as possible and at least six weeks before your holiday. From October 2006 the UK Passport Service has to confirm your identity before issuing your first passport and is likely to ask you to attend an interview in order to do this.

If you have an existing passport you should check the validity as all countries require it to be in date for the duration of your intended stay. Depending on your country of residence some require visas and for you to have three or more months validity remaining after your return date. You can check the current regulations with your passport office or consulate.

Healthcare  Every year, people living within the European Economic Community take millions of trips to other EEC countries and around the world. Most of them have safe trips, but some get ill or have an accident and need medical treatment while they are away. The availability and quality of treatment varies from country to country. You should always ensure you have adequate private health insurance.

When travelling within the EEC you should make sure you have an European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) as well as private health insurance. The card entitles you to reduced cost, sometimes free, medical treatment in most European countries. UK travellers can get detailed information on where and what it covers at www.dh.gov.uk/travellers . The quickest way to apply is online but you can also apply by telephone 0845 606 2030 or by picking up an application form at the Post Office. The EHIC replaces the E111 please ensure you have the correct one.

Advertisers

Create your own website.

How much does it cost to create a website with french-owners-direct.com?

With us it costs surprisingly little to put your holiday home on the Internet. For less than the cost of one small traditional printed advert per annum you get a multi-functional website with a whole host of dynamic features available online 24/365. You receive all of the features in the package plus all future upgrades for your annual fee. See tariff for current prices and options available.

What are the benefits of having my own domain named website and personalised e-mail addresses?

The Internet is the fastest growing advertising media in the world today it allows you to expand your target market place at the lowest cost. Your own website allows you to establish a presence in the world of e-commerce, personalised exactly the way you wish to portray yourself. Photographs say more than a thousand words - print based advertisements and brochure costs are expensive, on your website they are minimal.

The power of photographs is undeniable but second is the speed at which you can communicate your proposition and secure the business. For your client - no time delays waiting for the brochure to arrive reduce the chance of your competitor securing the business before you. Continue to advertise where you like, but getting potential clients onto your own interactive site helps you to funnel them away from the competition.

Interactive rates and availability removes the confusion that increases your workload and clouds the client's decision - give them the tools to decide now. Automated enquiry forms, maps, route planner, currency converter, climate and weather information aid your client and adds to your professional image. The flexibility to update text, photos, rates and availability anytime with no attendant costs allows you to respond to changing market conditions instantly. Your own website and personalised e-mail addresses say you are serious about your business and reflect your professionalism. Internet service providers are offering more competitive packages; maintain your option to change at any time. We will move your personalised e-mail addresses to your new ISP meaning you'll never have to leave valuable addresses behind again. No more wasted money on redundant stationery when you change. Use your website and e-mail addresses on all forms of advertising and stationery, confident clients can only see and communicate direct to you 24/365.

How can I create my own website?

It’s easy, as all you need to do is complete the simple registration form to create your no obligation profile and then choose the offer you want. Thereafter it’s a case of completing forms with text and photos.

How do I pay for my website?

The easiest way is to use our secure online systems to pay for your link, website or requested service. Our preferred card is a debit card (e.g. Switch.) You can also pay by credit card i.e. Master Card or Visa. If you prefer not to make an online transaction please contact us for alternative arrangements.

How do I update the availability chart for my property?

Sign in, go to property profile, select the property you wish to update and click ‘Edit’ on the ‘Property Summary’ page select the availability tab and follow the on screen instructions.

How do I update my rental rates?

Sign in, go to property profile, select the property you wish to update and click ‘Edit’ on the ‘Property Summary’ page select the ‘Rental Rates’ tab and follow the on screen instructions.

How will I receive enquiries?

Your enquiries can be received by either telephone, facsimile or email. This depends upon how the client prefers to contact you. The french-owners-direct.com ‘contact owner’ form is designed to provide you with all the necessary information so that you can help your potential clients without subjecting them to a full barrage of questions. It is important that you respond quickly to enquiries as experience tells us that the faster your response the more likely you are to be successful. You can ensure that your response is fast, even when you are away from your computer, by registering for our free SMS alerts.

What is a Domain name?

A domain name is the principal name of your website.

A domain name is composed of two parts, a top level domain name (TLD) such as com, net or eu (some country’s TLD's are further sub-divided - for example .co.uk) and your personal choice of name. The combination of TLD and name must be unique in order to function.

In this example (www.mysite.com) ‘com’ is the TLD and ‘mysite’ is the personalised part of the domain name.

Do I need one? Yes, in order to get the maximum benefit from your site and email forwarding you need a unique domain name.

It can sometimes be difficult to find a perfect name that hasn’t already been taken so some thought and flexibility is required. We suggest you search here. Common choices are house names or themes.

As with all things TLD’s vary in cost dramatically and therefore we normally only accept standard TLDs (com, net, ws, info & co.uk). In the unlikely event you have difficulty in choosing one and subsequently propose a high value TLD we will consider adopting it at a revised annual fee. Naturally we will advise you of such issues should they arise prior to completing the transaction.

How do I choose our personalised e-mail addresses?

It’s very straightforward, having chosen your domain name (i.e. Mysite.com) now you choose a prefix name for each of the potential four e-mail addresses you want to activate. You can use anything, the most popular are: names, pseudonyms, anonymous titles e.g. janet@mysite.com or info@mysite.net or bookings@mysite.biz etc.

Where can I find a gif for my logo?

A Graphics Interface Format (gif) file is specified because these image files are smaller, quicker to load and are easier to handle than other file types.

You will find a large selection from which you can make a choice on http://www.google.com/ You will be able to restrict the file type to ‘gif’s, searching using keywords. Your keywords should include the description of the type of image you are looking for. For example you want a picture of things to do with wine, search with words like: wine royalty free… (please include 'royalty free' with the keywords).

One point to remember, we will automatically resize the ‘gif’ – as a result this will destroy any animation so its pointless choosing one.

If you do load an image as a logo and subsequently decide you no longer wish to use it, uncheck the ‘use logo’ box save & publish.

Why can't I use the greater and lesser than symbols on the site?

You cannot because the symbols are used in programming 'html' and if used indiscriminately you could unknowingly cause considerable damage to the site. We have excluded their use and insert a 'space' wherever an attempt to use them occurs.

How do I enhance the search engine position of my website or advertisement?

You can gain many more visitors to your site by appearing near to the top of results in search engines like Google, MSN etc. You can raise your property's search engine position by using key words in your text - Surprisingly its simple and free – here’s how to go about it:

1. Shorter texts seldom attract as many hits (or referrals to your site) as the longer. Time taken to prepare your words will pay dividends.

2. Think of four or five key words that a client may use when searching for holiday accommodation. The most effective key words describe property features - the most common searches are for: property type (i.e. gite, cottage, apartment etc.), location (i.e. Dordogne, Paris, and Gascogne etc.), additional features (i.e. pool, garden, and pets) and theme (i.e. Holistic, Painting, Ski or Gourmet).

3. Repeat your key words at least 3 times though out your site (note they are given higher prominence in the title or summary description).

4. Ensuring you provide ample details of your location, the surrounding area and local events - tourist attractions, events or local features are often used as key words (i.e. Disney, festivals, sporting facility or event). Maximise these opportunities go edit your site now.

For more advice see Google’s Webmaster guidelines

Link my website to french-owners-direct.com

How much does it cost to link my site?

Less than you might think, less than many of our competitors and considerably less than a news or brochure advertisement. Our clear cut pricing policy means there are no hidden extras. You receive all of the features in the package you select plus all future upgrades for your annual fee. See tariff to be surprised how little it is.

How can I create my advertisement and link my website?

It’s easy, as all you need to do is complete the simple registration form to create your no obligation profile and then choose the offer you want. Thereafter it’s a case of completing forms with text and photos and finally pasting a little code into your site.

How do I pay for my link?

The easiest way is to use our secure online systems to pay for your link, website or requested service. Our preferred card is a debit card (e.g. Switch.) You can also pay by credit card ie. MasterCard or Visa.

How do I add availability, rates and mapping to my own website?

See our links page for instructions

How do I link back to French owners direct (reciprocal link)

See our links page for instructions

General Information common to all offers

How do I update the availability chart for my property?

Sign in, go to property profile, select the property you wish to update and click ‘Edit’ on the ‘Property Summary’ page select the availability tab and follow the on screen instructions.

How do I update my rental rates?

Sign in, go to property profile, select the property you wish to update and click ‘Edit’ on the ‘Property Summary’ page select the ‘Rental Rates’ tab and follow the on screen instructions.

How will I receive enquiries?

Your enquiries can be received by either telephone, facsimile or email. This depends upon how the client prefers to contact you. The www.french-owners-direct.com ‘contact owner’ form is designed to provide you with all the necessary information so that you can help your potential clients without subjecting them to a full barrage of questions. It is important that you respond quickly to enquiries as experience tells us that the faster your response the more likely you are to be successful. You can ensure that your response is fast, even when you are away from your computer, by registering for our free SMS alerts.

Can I advertise more than one property?

You may only describe one property per advertisement. However, you may create additional advertisements for property with different addresses. You may also opt for a grouped property advertisement (with or without website functionality) or grouped website link where there is multiple properties at the same address with various letting options. We create a directory property for each of you individual units and a grouped property directory entry. In this way all properties are searchable individually and collectively. See tariff for pricing options 

How can I create my advertisement

It’s easy, as all you need to do is complete the simple registration form to create your no obligation profile and then choose the offer you want. Thereafter it’s a case of completing a form with text and photos.

Do you take a commission on my bookings?

We do not take any commissions on bookings as we gain our income from our advertising fees and website maintenance.

Are my personal details safe?

We need only your contact details to allow us to communicate to you your enquiries and make contact with you regarding your arrangement with us. We do not share your information with any 3rd parties. We are registered with the UK Information Commissioner and we operate within the Data Protection Act 1998.

What checks are done on the copy?

The accuracy of the information, suitability of photographs and text placed by you on our site is your responsibility. We advise you to spell check all text and ensure photographs fairly represent what you are offering. We sample new copy and check the sense and consistency as much as we can. We try to be vigilant to make sure that we filter out any unsuitable language or material insisting that everyone complies with Internet Content Rating Association guidelines (see terms and conditions). We reserve the right to ask you to amend or remove anything that we consider inaccurate or anyone might reasonably find offensive. As a last resort we will remove an entry and offer no compensation. We insist on maintaining high quality and complete entries on our site. We regularly review the site and reserve the right to edit or un-publish any entry which in our opinion does not meet that criteria.

What we do not do.

We will not write your advert or site description for you. No one knows your property better than you. We do not offer to do online booking. Yours is that ‘personal touch’ that our visitors are looking for and we believe you want to retain the right to decide on who uses your property.

How do I register?

On our home page click on the hyperlink ‘register to advertise’ (top of the right hand column) complete the form, read and accept the terms and conditions now click ‘next’.

You are now on ‘Your Profile’ please follow the instructions on screen to verify your email address.

Why have I not received my e-mail with my activation code?

This is probably because you have typed in the wrong email address. As soon as you register we send you an email with your activation key and you should receive it almost immediately. If you do not receive it, it is almost certainly because the email address you entered is incorrect or perhaps been classed as 'spam' folder. If it is not in your 'spam' folder then re-register please taking care over your e-mail address.

My e-mail is definitely correct – What should I do now?

Try logging out and then back in. When you log back in, if your account is not verified hit ‘resend confirmation link’ we will send you another email with your activation code. If you still do not receive this email - check your email address again. If you are sure there are no errors, contact us.

I have verified my e-mail address, now what do I do?

Go to my profile and then scroll down to view the process and follow the instructions. Select your offer and start inputting your property information.

I have registered but when I sign in, I can’t proceed.

On the sign in screen you will see the message ‘not verified’ next to your e-mail address. There is an explanation below this, please follow the instructions.

I have verified my e-mail address but I still cannot make progress.

This could be due to your browser settings. Before contacting us, try enabling Cookies (On Internet Explorer you should find this under TOOLS, INTERNET OPTIONS and the PRIVACY TAB). Alternatively try setting your browser security settings lower. Failing that contact our technical department at contact us.

I can't ‘Sign in’ to my profile - what's wrong?

To use our secure advertiser's pages you need to be using version 4 or above of either Microsoft Internet Explorer or Netscape. You can upgrade your browser free of charge via the internet from either Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) or Firefox (www.mozilla-europe.org/en/) or from your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

I have forgotten my password – What should I do?

Go to the ‘Sign In’ screen, you will find a ‘lost password’ hyperlink – click it. Complete your e-mail address (be sure to use the one you registered with us) and send. You will receive a password reminder in your inbox within a couple minutes. If this does not happen or you continue to experience difficulty contact us.

I am sure my password is correct, but I still cannot sign in – What’s wrong?

One of the most common reasons are perhaps you have incorrectly typed or changed your email address. Remember that if you change your email address - your password will need to be changed or linked to it. Sign in using your old e-mail address and password; now go to ‘Change personal details’ you will be able to effect the necessary changes here. If you continue to experience difficulty contact us.

I need to change my contact address, e-mail or password

Sign in using your existing e-mail address and password go to ‘Change personal details’, make the necessary changes and save. If you continue to experience difficulty contact us.

I have sold my property and wish to transfer my advert / link / website to the new owner can I do it?

Yes we will transfer any paid balance (if any) with the property detail to the new owner. The procedure is straightforward, if you only have one property registered with us, sign in and change your name to theirs, the password and (only if appropriate) their postal and e-email address. You will also have to edit the property contact details and publish them to ensure they are visible on your ad/site. Be sure to tell them the changes you have made so they can sign in to make any additional changes they wish. All future enquiries will go to them.

I have several properties with you and only wish to move one to a new owner

The new owner needs to register with us and then you need to send us an e-mail, giving us your instruction, telling us which property to move, both your respective e-mail addresses and sign in passwords, we will make the necessary changes and notify you both when they are complete.

Can I enter different contact details for different advertisements?

Yes, you can either enter the same or different contact details for different advertisements.

How do I complete my property details on-line?

It's very straight forward, just click ‘Register to Advertise’ and follow the instructions on screen. If you have already registered then ‘Sign in’ and follow the instructions on the screen.

Should I enter the details on-line?

Yes we recommend you to enter your details online as you will be able to follow the process in a logical order and preview your progress and check the detail as you proceed. We do suggest however, that you print the property update screen before you start filling in the details. This will help you to be prepared with the information required. You may consider it appropriate to draft the larger descriptive text areas in your own word processing package and then copy or cut and paste them into the form.

Will I have to complete all of the text areas and check all the tick-boxes?

We only display the information you input, therefore we recommend you complete the form as fully as possible. As we expand our search criteria, if you do not include any feature you offer, it will not appear in our search results and may result in a missed opportunity.

When entering my property details, why do I keep losing information?

In common with many websites after sustained periods of inactivity we close your ‘session’ to preserve access for all of our clients. This ‘inactivity period’ means since you last ‘saved’ or moved to another page. The period is quite long and should not cause you a problem provided you save regularly.

Saving and Previewing

We encourage you to save your work often by clicking the numerous "Save" buttons distributed throughout the form – this will prevent the frustration of losing your work as this action will save your work to our online database. You should adopt the habit of saving regularly before you leave one screen and go on to another, answer the door or make a cup of tea. If not you risk losing the changes you have made.

Adding your photos

Your photos must be saved as a JPG (jpeg) before uploading (See your photo program to do this).

How do I load my photographs?

You load your photos direct from your computer into your advertisement we do not accept any other method. (If you are experiencing severe difficulty with this contact us). We recommend the photos be well composed and high quality. For the best results set your digital camera to maximum resolution and minimum compression / or best quality. Load if you can high resolution, unaltered photos that have been outputted direct from your digital camera in JPG / JPEG format.

As further preparation, we recommend you go to your picture manager, locate and if appropriate group together your chosen photos, putting them into a separate folder for future reference is also a good idea. That done, go back to ‘load picture’ and click ‘browse’, this will take you to your picture file. Select the sub file where you stored your chosen images, highlight your choice, click open, this will return you to the load photo screen, you will now see the file name entered in the browse box, now click upload photo. You will receive a message that you have successfully uploaded your photo, hit return to view your photo in your ad. If you do not see any change, this is something to do with your browser settings, please refresh the page. Repeat the process for all other photographs.

Changing the "Mini Photo" that appears on our site.

The search result displays a thumbnail version of the photo you load in position one. To display a different photo load one of your choice in this position.

Copyright responsibility - It is your responsibility to ensure that you own or have the necessary permission to use the photos you load on our site.

What about the rates.

We will display your rates for up to two years in advance if you input them. If you do not have any current or future rates, we display nothing. All expired rental rates drop off your rate chart. If you have no valid rates entered then none will appear. A good reason for making sure your rental rates are up to date!

How do you display rental rates?

We ask you to input your rental rates in your chosen currency. We indicate to your client your fees are to be paid in your chosen currency. The exact rates will be shown in that currency. If you are happy to be paid in other currencies, you should add this to the notes to the rental rates. We display your rates in GBP, Euros & USD. We also provide a currency converter for other currencies. We do this to aid our visitors to easily assess affordability. The conversions are done automatically from mid market exchange rates that are updated daily they are not guaranteed and are provided only as a guide.

How do I place an order on line?

Once you have entered the details of your property you can preview your entry and confirm you wish to complete your order by clicking the publish button. Please follow the on screen instructions. Your order is calculated and summarised. If you are happy click ‘continue’ and you are taken to our encrypted secure online payment screen. Choose your preferred method of payment and complete the request payment form. Your payment will be confirmed and your property made live on our website immediately. For those who have requested the creation of a website we require an additional 24 – 72 hrs while we activate your domain address and set up your e-mail with your ISP. Your website will in the interim be temporarily badged but fully displayed on the french-owners-direct website subject to being released.

Can I make changes to my advert or website?

Absolutely YES we actively encourage you to make as many changes to your advertisement as often as you want and at any time. Make it a habit to refresh your entry.

How soon will the changes appear?

Immediately after you publish, depending on your browser (and its setting's) you may have to refresh your screen to see them.

Can I enter special offers for my property in my advertisement?

Yes you can. Logon and edit the property you wish to enter the offer for, go to the rental rates tab at the top of the page. On the drop down menu you will see special offers. Click special offers and follow the instructions on the page. You should note if you choose to reduce your price for any given period and you want it to be searchable, you should also update to rental rate table to reflect the dates and rate exactly and describe the reduction as being included in the rates displayed. Special offers are promoted in the main directory and are searchable as list option from the side bar menu. They are a payable option and the rate is described per week displayed on the special offer page.

Can I put a different property in my advertisement?

No. Each advertisement has a specific property number and is linked to a specific property. Changing the property for a given property number would lead to confusion and possibly misrepresentation. We would rather delete one and create another. We will happily transfer outstanding balances across to the new property contact us.

How long does it take to get my advert or website live?

New lineage ads and website links will appear on the french-owners-direct.com site immediately after receiving your payment and a minimum of one photograph. A new website will appear on our website immediately, but it can take up to 7 working days in particularly busy periods, (e.g. just before Christmas) to get your website published on the internet using it's domain name.

Avoid delays

Advertisements and websites cannot go live on the site unless we receive full payment and your photos, and the following information has been entered online for the property:

1. An appropriate amount of text describing the property (dependant on offer taken)

2. Location and contact details completed

3. Facilities described by checking the appropriate tick boxes

4. Rental rates listed for at least six months in advance  (where appropriate)

5. Availability marked up as booked or available for at least 6 months in advance (where appropriate)

6. Website domain name chosen and available (where appropriate)

7. E-mail address name prefixes (i.e. john@mysite.com) (where appropriate)

How do I delete myself from your site?

All your personal and property details are managed within your profile.

First you must sign in and delete your properties (see how to below). Then return to my

My profile and click ’Personal details’ enter your password and click the ‘Delete this profile’ button at the bottom of the page.

How do I delete a property?

Step1. Sign in and go to property profile. Go to each property in turn and select edit, you will arrive on the ‘update property details’ page.

Step2. If your property has NOT been published. (If published go to step 3) You will see ‘delete’ on the navigation bar at the top of the page. Hit delete and a preview of your advertisement will appear, if it is the right one, check the delete button and submit.

Step3. If the property IS published you will see ‘un-publish’ on the navigation bar at the top of the page. Hit ‘un-publish’ and a preview of your add will appear, if it is the right one, check the ‘un-publish’ button and submit. No go back to property profile select ‘Edit’ and follow step 2.

How do I temporarily remove my property from your listing?

Sign in, go to property profile. Select the property you wish to be unpublished and click ‘Edit’, you will arrive on the ‘update property details’ page. You will see ‘un-publish’ on the navigation bar at the top of the page. Hit ‘un-publish’ and a preview of your add will appear, if it is the right one, check the ‘un-publish’ button and submit.

If you have the ‘free’ or the ‘link your website’ offer this removes your linage advertisement from French-owners-direct.com and therefore your link and the functionality from your site if you have them. In the event you have a website hosted by french-owners-direct.com it removes the linage ad plus your site from the internet thus allowing you to hide the site.

Reminder: Should you want only to update the site, you can use the library copy of the site without un-publishing your live copy, amend and click publish to update the public view.

How do I receive booking enquiries?

Visitors to our and your site (created by us) who are interested in booking your property can contact you by telephone by fax or by email via the ‘contact owner’ button. You will receive telephone and faxes direct via your normal arrangements. The e-mails will go to your ‘inbox’ but you can also view them online by signing in and going to ‘My events’ where you will see current and historic activity. If you have opted to do so, you will also receive SMS text alerts on your mobile phone when you get an e-mail enquiry.

How do I know I am receiving all my e-mail booking enquiries?

You cannot, but there are some things you can do to increase your chances of receiving most. Some Internet Service Providers (ISP's) and internet based email account handlers block emails they think might be spam without you or us knowing about it. We have some suggestions to help you make sure you aren't missing any email booking enquiries.

1. We have provided the one guaranteed solution with our online ‘my events’ page. View all your ‘contact owner’ booking enquiries online. Sign in and go to ‘My Events’

2. Sign up for our free SMS service (website subscribers only). We send out an alert every time you or we receive and enquiry on your property to bring to your attention you should have received an e-mail. On the property summary page go to the contact booking information at the bottom of the page and insert your mobile number (including the international dialling code) and check the SMS alert box.

3. Put us in your e-mail address book. Make sure that french-owners-direct.com e-mail address is in your address book and french-owners-direct.com is listed on your trusted sites list.

What happens to my enquiries when I’m away from work or home?

If you have text alerts (website subscribers only) you will know when you get an enquiry. We recommend you sign in and go to ‘My Events’ regularly to view your enquiries direct on French-owners-direct.com website. You can access french-owners-direct.com from any Internet terminal (e.g. an Internet cafe) anywhere in the world.

What if the person making the enquiry puts in the wrong details?

We can only relay the information they have provided - there is nothing we can do to check it. We do however, suggest the client resends the email or contacts you direct by telephone if they do not receive a reply from you within 48 hours.

How can I tell if the enquiry is genuine?

When the deposit cheque arrives. The majority of users of our site are genuine people looking for a holiday home. They prefer using us because they can get in touch with the owners direct and ask questions to re-assure themselves that you are genuine and the property is what it claims to be. By the same measure you can vet them.

How do I avoid becoming a victim of potential fraud?

If it sounds out of the ordinary or too good to be true it probably is. The obvious solution to any fraud attempt is never to pay out any money to anyone until you are ABSOLUTELY sure you have control over secure cleared the funds.