Could somebody from the nl. please tell me if these companies are legitimate?

[rcr]

Hi:

So I finally found a short-term rental for my trip to the Netherlands for a few months. I paid the deposit for two separate places (I am moving halfway through my stay). My employer will pay for everything via credit card before I go there, but if I wait to pay the full amount when I arrive, I must pay the money myself and get paid back by my employer.

I would love to be able to pay in advance, so that I don't have to front the money (which is a lot of $ for me, and will really be a burden until my employer pays me back), but I am afraid of getting scammed and paying them, and then not having a place to stay.

These are the companies:

http://amsterdam.citymundo.com/
http://www.apartmentpaul.com/index.html

I found a few reviews online for both of them, and they seem legit. Does anybody know for sure?

Thanks for your help!

[simonee]

You can ask them for their KvK-number, which is the umbrella business org in the NL. If they don't have this number, I wouldn't pay them. If they do, you can check them at the www.kvk.nl site (KvK = Kamer van Koophandel = Room of Trade).

Oh I just checked the site. You can search by name there too, and if you want to, request year reports and stuff. But if they're legit on that site, I would go with them.

hth

[lillian]

ask them for references. my agent gave me a US reference that i verified her agency was legit.

[rcr]

Thanks!