You work hard to save your money for the ultimate vacation each year. You spend a lot of time researching where to go and what you’ll do while taking care of everything ahead of time. With the convenience of online booking, it’s easy to pay for a vacation rental without talking to anyone directly. Unfortunately, it’s also quite easy to get scammed out of your hard-earned money through online booking agencies. Before you spend your money on that vacation rental, you’ll want to ask these important questions.

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5 Questions to Ask About Your Vacation Rental

1. Where can I read the cancellation policy?

Make sure to read the cancellation policy before booking your rental. Family emergencies and weather can cause unexpected cancellations. If you have to cancel for any reason that’s not covered, you may want to invest in trip cancellation insurance or upgrade your policy.

2. What amenities are included in the rental?

Your vacation rental may not include some of the more important things that you’ll use every day. Knowing ahead of time what your rental lacks can help you decide what to bring along from home or pick up from the store once you arrive.

3. Is the rental child- and pet-friendly?

If you plan to bring your pets along, you’ll need to inform the renter. In addition, the rental may or may not have child-safety latches on doors or covers on electrical outlets. If not, you’ll want to either bring child-safety items with you or select a rental that has exactly what you need to protect your children.

4. Are there any additional fees involved?

Don’t mistake the cost of the rental with the overall cost that you’ll pay. Some rental agreements include cleaning fees, deposits, maintenance fees and other costs. Don’t just sign the rental agreement without first checking for this information. Otherwise, you may end up paying more than you expected.

5. Where exactly is the property located?

Reading about a vacation rental that’s on the lake sounds nice until you get there and find out that the rental is farther down the road. Some rental sites exaggerate about the property’s location, so get the exact address, and view it on Google Maps. You may save yourself some disappointment by locating the property ahead of time.

Booking a vacation rental is easy when you know how to ask the right questions. Don’t just accept the terms and conditions right away without doing further research. You’ll save time and avoid aggravation in the end.