How to spot a genuine holiday let

A genuine holiday let in Bournemouth can be traced to a real operator, takes payment only through a secure checkout, and has reviews on independent platforms that describe the same place you see in the listing. If any one of those is missing, slow down. Fake listings copy real photos, undercut real prices and push for a quick bank transfer, and they are hardest to spot when you are in a hurry to book for a busy weekend.

These seven checks take a few minutes and work for any let, on any site. We use Flexiestays as the worked example because this site is published by Flexiestays Ltd, the company that runs it, which is also a reason to make the checks yourself rather than take our word.

1. Find the company behind it

Every genuine operator has a legal name, and most in the UK are limited companies. Look for it in the website footer, the terms, or a company details page, then search it on Companies House. The name, number and town should match. Flexiestays, for example, is run by Flexiestays Ltd, company number 15208026, registered office in Bournemouth: search Companies House for “Flexiestays Ltd” or 15208026, or open its Companies House record. See is Flexiestays legit? for what that record shows.

A listing with only a first name and a mobile number is not necessarily a scam, but it gives you nothing to check.

2. Look at how you are asked to pay

This is the check that matters most. A genuine let takes payment through a secure checkout: the operator’s own website, or the marketplace you found it on. Warning signs are:

• a request to pay by bank transfer, cash, or gift cards
• a discount offered for paying “outside the platform”
• a payment link sent from an address or number that does not match the website

Flexiestays takes every payment through a Stripe checkout on flexiestays.com and never asks for cash or an offline transfer. In rare cases support may send an alternative payment link, and it is only genuine if it comes from an official Flexiestays number or email address. When in doubt, call the number on the website, not one in the message.

3. Read the reviews on more than one platform

A single page of five-star reviews on a site the host controls proves little. Look for:

• reviews on several independent platforms, such as Google, Trustpilot, Booking.com and Airbnb
• reviews written over months or years, not all in one week
• detail: names of staff, the walk to the beach, the parking, the check-in
• some criticism, and a reply to it

Booking.com and Airbnb are useful here because they only accept reviews from guests who booked and stayed through them. The rules this site follows for showing reviews are set out in how we collect reviews.

4. Check the photos match the reviews

Scam listings often use photos lifted from a real one. Read what reviewers say about the place and see if it fits the pictures: the view, the kitchen, the size of the rooms. Guests of a genuine let will often say it looked as advertised:

“The apartment was spotless and exactly as described / shown in photos.” (Sarah, Trustpilot)

“The pictures matched the property perfectly, and everything was just as expected.” (Karthiga, Trustpilot)

A reverse image search on one or two listing photos is a quick extra check. If the same photos turn up on a different listing under a different name, walk away.

5. Watch for gaps and inconsistencies

The Flexiestays help centre’s own safety advice is to watch for incomplete descriptions, missing photos and details that do not add up. Examples: a sea view in the title but none in the photos, a two-bedroom flat that sleeps eight, an address that is vague or changes between messages. Ask the operator. A genuine one answers specific questions about its own building without hesitation.

6. Test the contact details

Call the number. Send an email. A genuine operator answers, and should be able to tell you how check-in works, where you park and what happens if something goes wrong. Flexiestays publishes a phone number, WhatsApp and email, and its team is available 24 hours a day. Reviewers describe being kept informed from the start:

“From booking, the Flexiestays team were in contact with everything we needed for check-in.” (Steve, Booking.com)

7. Know what happens on arrival

Ask before you pay how you get in. With self check-in, the operator sends your access code and arrival instructions shortly before you travel, not at the moment you pay and not in exchange for an extra fee. At Flexiestays the instructions arrive three days before check-in, or within two hours if you book later than that, and your code works from 3pm. The help centre explains how self check-in works in full.

A quick checklist

Check	What a genuine let looks like
Company	A legal name you can find on Companies House
Payment	A secure checkout on the website or marketplace, never a transfer
Reviews	Several independent platforms, over time, with detail
Photos	Match what reviewers describe
Details	Consistent address, sleeping numbers and features
Contact	A phone that is answered and specific answers
Arrival	Instructions before you travel, no extra fee for the code

If you think you have found a fake

Do not pay. If the listing uses a real operator’s name or photos, tell that operator so they can report it. If you have already paid, contact your bank straight away and report it to Action Fraud. For Flexiestays listings, the team can confirm whether an apartment and a booking are real if you call the number on flexiestays.com.

To see what guests say about arriving at a Flexiestays building, read the check-in reviews.