Deposits and Paying

This is a new one on me. I've been using cl's for nearly 30 years and have never had to pay up front. I've paid a deposit and balance on arrival but never in advance.

I would use a site which had that policy

I would agree with harryb on this one and I whilst CL owners are entitled to request a deposit the full amount is a tad rich of course cancelling is sometimes unavoidable and should if at all possible give the owner as much notice as possible but it has to be said have that some visitors just don't bother, perhaps this owner has been bitten more than once though

Why should a CL owner be out of pocket if a booking fails to materialise? They may have turned other bookings away as a result. 

If all CLs were to a good standard I wouldn't have a problem but you just don't know what you're going to get.  If I'd paid for two weeks on a CL and we had to leave, I'd be out of pocket.  

Why should a CL owner be out of pocket if a booking fails to materialise? They may have turned other bookings away as a result. 

A deposit is quite appropriate for that reason but not the full fee. 

A few years ago I paid a deposit of a couple of nights up front for a CL. Then due to unforeseen circumstances I'd to cancel months before hand. The CL owner said I'd get my deposit back if she could refil the booking. Of course I'd no way of knowing one or the other whether she filled the booking or not, but I didn't get my deposit back. The lesson learned was that I now phone a few days before I want to arrive such that I'll arrive before a deposit would.

Dont mind paying a reasonable deposit but would not pay the full amount. Once asked for half the cost £98.00 which I thought a little steep, didn't  use that site.

This is a new one on me. I've been using cl's for nearly 30 years and have never had to pay up front. I've paid a deposit and balance on arrival but never in advance.

I would use a site which had that policy

Same with us. We would not use a site if they asked for the full amount, unless of course we were only staying 1 night. There is plenty of choise out there, as far as we are concerned.

Only been asked to pay the full amount twice and surprisingly refused twice. However I don't mind paying a small deposit and did actually send the full amount once to an owner when we had  to cancel at the last minute on a bank holiday weekend. Fair's fair.

I am happy to pay a deposit, but not to pay infull in advance.  Will admit though that have never been asked for more than a deposit. We are staying on two cls this holiday, neither askedfor a deposit, and i booked earlyin the year.