YVR Cockroach

[QUOTE=iahphx;13252232]Is the Olympic Committee running any sort of clearinghouse for private accomodations?
[/quote

Not AFAIK. The City of Vancouver was said to ask renters in Vancouver to go through them for licences but I'm not sure if anyone is really going through them.

There's a huge supply of condos, a lot of which are bought as investments and/or 2nd/3rd homes. These will be your best bet.

They have. Other than women's curling & ice hockey, and sieg heil (victory) ceremonies, and paralympic tickets, just about everything to prime events are sold. Private resellers are offering opening and closing tickets as well as the ice hockey final on auction. The big question is if allocations outside to Canada have been taken up. You might see what your local ticket monopoly is offering.

https://vancouver.jetsetsports.net/tickets/

Ringmasters said they'll sell these seats.

If you do get a place, be aware of the parking situation (street closures, limited/restricted parking and meter parking running to 10pm 7 days a week (this is permanent and not for the circus)).

LeSabre74

Which is definitely "renter beware":

The parents of a champion U.S. Olympic bobsledder were scammed $8,000 while trying to rent a duplex in Whistler to watch their son compete.

New York resident Ben Mesler said that in addition to losing the money, he’s struggling to find another place to stay for him and nine friends and relatives...

...The Meslers were sent photos of the property via email and even chatted with the supposed landlord on the phone. However, after the final payment was transferred Hartlen became unreachable.

http://www.metronews.ca/vancouver/ca...-whistler-scam

Braindrain

Best way is to use an intermediary. And, no, I am not offering to do it.

You could contact a real estate agent in Whistler (or wherever) who might only ask for a small amount.

fti

Yes, that is a real shame. I personally know the Meslers, since I have been following bobsledding longer than their son has even been involved in the sport. I talked with them just after this happened. They were looking for a place for 8 or 10 people.

Using a credit card, even if the person asks for a fee, is one safeguard.

YVR Cockroach

The rental scam is quite common in Vancouver (and everywhere else where housing is tight, I suppose) for both short and long term rentals. There have been many past stories of prospective tenants paying deposits to supposed landlords (who some even meet at the rental suite) who just disappear with multiple deposits.

Doubt the credit card thing will work as most private landlords don't have credit card processing capability.

Not really much one can do if one isn't in town to personally meet the landlord. One is really dependent on the honesty of the landlord (or rather, persons claiming to be the landlord).

fti

It doesn't take a brain surgeon to find ways for someone to accept credit cards. Paypal is one option that immediately comes to mind.

Maybe it is just me, and I feel sorry for the Meslers, but I would rule out any lodging options that would not allow me to pay such huge sums by credit card.

gglave

Depends if it's a buyer's market or a seller's market. Whistler is a seller's market during the Olympics, therefore the seller can set the rules of the transaction (i.e. no CCs) and the buyers are left out in the cold (literally, in the case of Whistler) if they don't play ball.

Private accomodation in Vancouver is still a buyer's market, so the buyer could reply "Sign up for PayPal."

fti

True. But I can't imagine that there is no negotiation allowed and absolutely no one who would accept a credit card, especially the closer we get to Games time, and especially if I offered to increase the amount I pay by the amount of the credit card fees. And for me, I would rather walk away than pay thousands of dollars in cash sight unseen. Obviously most people don't think like me.

Actually in my case, I decided the hostel would be fine for me so I booked it when I could in Oct 2008. I took a trip to Whistler in Feb 2009 to scope out the hostel and the logistics in Whistler so I could be familiar before I came for the olympics.

If the hostel had not been an option, I would have found other options that would allow payment by credit card or if I had to, stay in Vancouver the entire time (as it is, I am still spending 5 nights in Vancouver but only taking 2 trips to Whistler during that time). But that is me. If someone wants to do something so bad, there is that risk of fraud.

Braindrain

And.... Paypal scams are well documented. It just gives people a false sense of security.

fti

True there are paypal scams. But if I use a credit card through paypal, I am pretty sure my credit card company will stand behind me if the goods are not provided.

Maybe it is a false sense of security, but rarely (only once in fact, in dozens of years) have I had a credit card company not side with me for acharge on my credit card for something that I did not receive and for which I provided adequate documentation.

Funny how all the Vancouverites are coming out of the woodwork on this one . Fact is that there are ways to take precautions to reduce the chance of being scammed. And using your credit card, whether direct or through paypal or however, is not just a false sense of security, it is one more layer of possible protection in the grand scheme of things. And if someone balks at the suggestion of me using a credit card for such a large transaction, even if I bump up the amount I am willing to pay so that it covers their transaction fees, that is a HUGE red flag for me and you can bet your bottom dollar that I would walk away from that transaction in a heartbeat (even if it had nothing to do with olympic housing).

YVR Cockroach

Are you sure a credit card company will back up payment to Paypal? It just transferring money, or putting in funds, not buying a good or service directly from a vendor. Seems ripe for all sort of scams to rip off credit card companies.

I really doubt a credit card company will back up something that goes wrong with a Paypal fraud. All too easy for you to transfer money to an associate who "disappears" with the funds, and for you to stiff the credit card/Paypal. I doubt Paypal would agree to protect you unless you purchased the goods or services through eBay.


Mind you, I wouldn't send money to someone sight unseen either, which would mean I probably wouldn't secure private accommodation.

Braindrain

Another urban myth.

I sometimes deal/trade in watches. The pros/dealers want bank transfer, nothing else. (There are even reports of fraud for that!) Hardly a red flag as they've been around the block. Actually, if you offer over their asking, that's a red flag to them!

Actually, we've been here forever. I think you're just visiting for the 1st time.

betty123

Using Paypal is a good option. I actually prefer to use it because it is more secure. I cringe everytime I have to submit my mastercard online.

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YVR Cockroach

So it seems the cruise chip accommodation idea might sink after all.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-col...-problems.html

gglave

Wrong.

I bought something online in the fall, and it never arrived. After trading emails back and forth with the vendor. I eventually gave up and tried to lodge a dispute with PayPal. PayPal rejected me as the transaction was more than 45 days ago.

So now I have to do a chargeback with the credit card company.

If I could have, I'd've left PayPal out of it completely.