FAQs WITH ANSWERS

With the help of principal and additional site search filters, you can select objects according to the following parameters:
• Location (walking distance to beach);
• Bedrooms number;
• Price per night, USD;
• Property type (Villa or apartments);
• Special discounts.

Use the sort button in the upper right corner to arrange offers from the smallest to the largest (or vice versa) by the bedrooms number, price, the date of addition.
If you have chosen some villa, leave an application request using the "Book" button. Please, note that not all owners regularly update prices on the site. We will get in touch with you to confirm the final price before booking.

If you do not want to look for options yourself, we will help you find the right villa. For quick communication with the VillaCarte manager, use any of the following methods:
• "Quick inquiry" function: order a call back at a time convenient for you;
• Filling in the application form (button "Book");
• Online chat consultations;
• Request a call.

If you want us quickly find the options that meet your wishes, please, describe your requirements in details, specify the dates of rest, the number of guests, the desired location and an approximate budget. Having these parameters our specialists will provide you with suitable offers.

VillaCarte always monitors the condition of the villas, and all photos on the site are up-to-date. Before each arrival of guests, the concierge - manager must conduct a full inspection of the villa in order to prepare it for the arrival. The inspections assesses:
• building conditions;
• local area - in case some construction or other changes had been occurred nearby;
• compliance with VillaCarte standards. When booking, the rental manager can also visit the villa and make a photo or video review. However, this opportunity can only be provided if other guests do not occupy the villa at the moment.

In case of a problem, when you have found your dream villa but still have not decided on the dates of arrival, it can be easily solved! Just contact the villa manager and we will add a clause about flexible dates (± 5 days from the expected date of arrival) to the preliminary agreement. Once you have decided on the exact dates, inform the manager for amending the agreement.

It is important: the data must be notified not later than 90 days before your arrival.

The following factors influence the rental cost:
• Seasonal Pricing: In high and summer season, the price may differ in more than 3 times. Property owners, focusing on demand and tourist flow; establish periodicity of price changes;
• Rental period: the longer the holiday, the lower the rental price per day is. However, this rule does not apply on the villas located in the territories of hotels;
• Dates of arrival: the probability of extra discounts on dates convenient for the villa’s owner is very high;
• Promotional actions: most of beneficial offers coincide with the summer season

You can preliminary calculate the cost of rent using a calculator on the page of the villa you are interested in. This price is approximate, as not all landlords are promptly making changes. For final calculation send a request to the villa.

We do not promise the best prices: we guarantee them. If you find a more beneficial offer for the chosen villa on the same dates, we will lower the price to that very level and we will present you some gift because of the lesson learned from you.

The villa reservation conducts in three steps:

1) We send you a rent agreement and an invoice for payment, and reserve the villa for 3 days - before collecting the payment. The prepayment amount is usually 50% of the total amount of the rent, and the rest of payment must be paid for 60 days prior to arrival or on the day of arrival. While booking during peak season, a prepayment is 100%. While booking for 2 months or more, the order of payment is negotiated individually.

2) You pay the invoice and send a confirmation of payment. This document is needed so that in case of delay of the money through the fault of the bank, we showed it to the owner and extended the preliminary reservation.

3) When we receive money, we transfer it to the owner. From this moment the villa is booked and waiting for your arrival.

Payment is possible in three ways:
1) SWIFT transfer in the bank branch;
2) By credit card on online invoice, commissions will be 4%. This payment method is possible no later than 14 days before arrival;
3) PayPal Wallet; commission will be 6%.

If you have to cancel the trip, we will try to return most of the amount paid. Villas owners, as a rule, do not return a deposit while canceling bookings on the guests initiative. But VillaCarte managers will proactively offer this object to other guests in order to retake it and return some of the payment. This also applies the ceses when the guests are forced to leave the villa ahead of time.

Cancellations and refunds policy:
• If you cancel your reservation within 30 days or more before the check-in date, 70% of the booking amount will be refunded, provided that the booked property has been retaken to another guest for similar dates.
• If you cancel your reservation within 7 days or more before the check-in date, 30% of the booking amount is refunded, provided that the booked property has been retaken to another guest for similar dates.
• For cancellations made less than 7 days before the check-in date, the total amount of the reservation will be charged.

If you do not cancel the reservation, but shift the dates of arrival and departure, the amount of the advance payment will not increase. The possibility to move the dates must be discussed in advance with the rental manager, since neighboring days can be reserved by other guests.

We understand guest’s doubts who are afraid to transfer a large amount of money for foreign villa booking, in which they have never been before.
Why booking with VillaCarte is safe?
• The transaction shall be effected by an official contract for a registered legal entity;
• VillaCarte has been operating since 2012 (previously under the Bizphuket brand), accepts an average of 750 guests per year and has confirmed its reputation as a reliable partner;
• In 2015, we connected acquiring - the possibility of direct payment by credit cards for which the audit of the European bank Ruetmu had been completed;
• VillaCarte will check out each villa before booking it and make a photo or video review on request;
• We have been cooperating with Booking.com since 2013, Airbnb since 2014, and with ten more world-booking systems.

A driver with a sign will greet you at the airport and will drive you to your new home. The manager of the villa will help you with the settlement, he will:
• take an insurance deposit;
• supply you with the original agreement;
• provide you with all important phone numbers and other necessary information, answer all questions.

You can inform the manager about your personal wishes, such as car rental, baby cot, highchair, necessary products, in advance, and he organizes everything prior to your arrival date.

With very few exceptions, the owner will require a return security deposit (security deposit) when renting his property. Thus property owners want to be ensured that rent will be paid and other responsibilities of the lease performed (e.g., paying for damage caused by the tenant). The amount of the deposit and the way of its conduction shall be agreed in advance and prescribed in the contract. The concierge-manager will help guests to accept accommodation on check-in and inspect it upon departure.

The amount of the deposit is set by the owner. It depends on the villa class and the rental period (the longer, the higher the deposit). With a short-term lease (up to 1 month), the amount of the deposit is usually varied in the range of $ 500-2000, with a long-term equivalent to the price of 1-3 months of rent.

Method of deposit. Most often, the deposit is required to be paid upon arrival in cash and is returned on the day of departure. Sometimes the deposit amount is authorized on the credit card (and returned within a week after departure) or simply take a credit card copy.

Damages are conditionally divided into two categories: natural and unintentional. The first category of damages is proprietor responsibility, and the second one is the guests’ responsibility respectively.

The natural damages include those that have happened without direct human involvement, for example, breakdown of air conditioning or other household appliances, a burnt-out light bulb or a leaking faucet. In this case, the owner of the house must eliminate these problems quickly and at his own expense.

Unintentional damages are those ones, which accidentally committed by guests. For example, broken dishes, lost towels, stains from wine on the sofa. The amount required to solve these problems is deducted from the guest's deposit.

The number of services included in the rent cost mainly depends on the housing class. In luxury villas, rent often includes cook services, a driver, a villa manager and other staff in addition to utilities and daily cleaning. In premium and standard class villas, to reduce the rent cost, light and water consumption is often paid for separately (this is the Thai established practice). 1-3 cleaning per week, internet, TV and gardening and villa pool cleaning (including water for filling the pool and watering the garden) are usually included in the price.

When choosing a villa, the rental manager will once again specify from the owner what services are already included in the price, what is paid separately, and how much it costs. These conditions he will point in the contract, and while settling in, the concierge manager will take and enter the meter readings.

Electricity in Thailand is quite expensive, and for monitoring your expenditure, we recommend using two tips:
• The electricity bill largely depends on the air conditioners use. It can vary in one three-bedroom villa from 8,000 to 30,000 baht per month. Close the doors and windows with the air conditioners turned on and while leaving the house turn them off.
• Ask the concierge-manager to take meter readings, for example, after a week of your vacation, to get your bearings on the amount.

The Lot page is of an informative nature, and the villa reservation confirmation (with property and services being included) is the Contract. What is needed to be checked in the Contract:

• availability of necessary household appliances, furniture
• list of free services
• list of additional payments
• villa location
• payments cost and order
• deposit amount
• time of arrival and departure from the villa

We kindly ask you to read the Contract Terms and Conditions as reported below. These terms of reference can be amended by you and our manager, if necessary. Please read attentively as it is very important for both you and us.

Under the laws of Thailand, the building (house, townhouse, and villa) or part of it (the apartment) can be issued in the full ownership of the foreigner.

However, only a Thai citizen or a Thai company can own the land. Therefore, foreigners have two ways of registering land rights.
• Leasehold - long-term lease;
• Freehold - property registration through Thai company opening.

Read more about these methods in the relevant sections.

Leasehold - registration of a land plot, including the plot under construction, for long-term lease with the possibility of extension, with a total term of 90 years. The first term of the lease is 30 years, and then it can be renewed twice more for the same period. After that, the land must be re-registered to another person.

The Land Committee of the island of Phuket prepares such transactions. The fees are calculated from the total rent for the whole period and are:
• 6% - taxes;
• 1% - registration fee;
• 0.1% duty.

The required document for registration is a certified passport copy. Lawyers will undertake preparation of the remaining documents.

Freehold is the land ownership registration, including plots under construction, as a Thai company. The foreigner’s share in such a company can not exceed 49%, but these restrictions are circumvented as follows:

1) The Thai company is appointed by the buyer, and the nominal partner renounces the shares in favor of the buyer.
2) The Thai shares’ portion is diluted among several nominal Thai people so that the buyer owns a majority stake.

Thus, a foreign citizen actually gets full the company and land ownership.

Expenses:
• 60-80 thousand baht for the opening of a legal entity;
• Registration fee and taxes - up to 6% of the assessed value of the land. Both are paid in a lump sum;
• Tax and accounting company records (regardless of whether the company conducts business or not) is about $ 1000 per year.

The land committee of Phuket is engaged in making deals. The required document is a certified passport copy. The other duties would be assumed by lawyers.

For villas in luxurious complexes there is often implemented a mixed scheme. The entire complex’s land is registered as a Thai company. The owners’ community creates an offshore company that owns a minority stake in this Thai company. Each owner has the share in the offshore company (the stake amount depends on the metric area) and its own offshore company, through which the share has been registered. At the same time, long-term rent for 30 + 30 + 30 between a Thai company (the owner of the land) and offshore companies owned by the owners is formalized for each land plot.

Acquisition of real estate directly from the builder can be divided into 4 main stages:

1) Depositing. Its size is set by the developer, but usually is within 100 thousand baht. The pledge confirms the seriousness of the buyer's intentions and insures the developer against damages in the event of the refusal of the first from the transaction.

2) The preparation and signing of the sales contract launches after the deposit is credited to the account of the developer company. The length of this stage depends on how much time it will take for the parties to agree on all the terms of the contract.

3) Registration of ownership of real estate in the land and architectural committees. This procedure falls on the shoulders of the builder, and its duration depends on its internal regulations. Usually it takes from 10 days to 1.5 months.

4) Completing the payment second part. When the documents confirming your property ownership have been registered, the developer issues an invoice for payment of the remaining amount. After transferring money, you get the property papers and become the new Thai property’s owner.

Stages of registration of the transaction in this case are the same as while buying property from the developer. The expenses regarding completion of transaction the parties usually divide among themselves, but these conditions can be negotiated individually between the seller and the buyer. The party, which will assume the burden of transaction registration, is also set by agreement.

If you purchase property with VillaCarte, we will recommend proven and qualified lawyers. You will have just to provide a certified copy of your passport and contribute a specified amount.

The cost of real estate registration in Thailand includes:
• Registration fee - 2% of the appraised value of the object;
• Stamp duty - 0.5% of the estimated value or contract price, namely, the one that will be higher;
• Withholding tax - 1% of the appraised value or contract price, namely from the one that will be higher.

When registering a property for a long-term lease, it will be necessary to pay:
• Registration fee (registration fee) - 1% of the appraised value of the object;
• Stamp duty - 0.1% of the estimated value or contract price, namely, the one that will be higher.

All these fees are non-recurrent.

Registration of the property in the property is carried out in the Architectural and Land Committees. The length of the procedure depends on the type of the object and the internal regulations of the seller, and on average it is:
• for a new apartment from the developer from 10 days to 1.5 months;
• for an apartment in the secondary real estate market from the owner to 2 months;
• for a villa, house or townhouse up to 3 months.

Regardless of whether the land is issued under the Leasehold or Freehold scheme, a foreigner can conduct business on it. However, we recommend for the business to still purchase the land through the Freehold system, which gives the possibility of complete individual ownership (for more details see the section "What is Freehold Owning?").

Let’s consider the most common options.

1) Purchase for reselling. Taking into account the steady land prices increase in Thailand, the benefits can be up to 30% per annum. You can conduct both transactions in less than a year.

2) СLeasing. Profitability can be 40% per annum. To lease the land, it is necessary that it be supplied with infrastructure - electricity, water, roads, Internet and television. If there is no infrastructure, then it is necessary to bring all the communications on their own. The cost of such works can reach 12-15% of the cost of the site.

3) Buildings for own business. The choice of activities allowed to foreigners is quite broad, but it will be necessary to obtain the relevant documents. On your own land, you can build a store, office, salon, warehouse, and restaurant or organize a farm or animal husbandry.

4) Development of real estate for renting or reselling. This can become a source of stable long-term income.
When building a condominium and selling apartments in it, the profitability is 50-100%, and with the proper management of marketing and funds can reach 300-400%. The investment return period is 5-8 years.
When building a villa, if you independently manage the construction process, you can save from 30 to 50%. In this case, the return on investment will be from 50 to 100% of the invested funds in the sale of the villa, from 10 to 15% per annum if passed.

Thus, investment in land in Thailand is a consistently profitable option for management of cash resources.

Understanding the subtleties of Thai law will not only save you from costly mistakes, but will also expand opportunities. Therefore, the help of a qualified and reliable lawyer is a prerequisite for real estate transactions.

VillaCarte experts on average make four transactions for the sale of real estate on a monthly basis, including land, apartments and villas. We cooperate with trusted lawyers and we know that their methods of work are legitimate and beneficial for our clients.

Yes, such lending is carried out by commercial banks on the following terms:
• maximum possible loan amount - 50% of the appraised value of the object;
• maximum credit period - up to 10 years;
• the interest rate depends on the specific object after its evaluation, on average it is 6-8%;
• The property is pledged to the bank

Procedure for obtaining a loan:
• The bank analyzes the activities of the developer and studies its contract;
• Bank experts assess the market value of the facility;
• If the draft is approved they are processing a mortgage. All you need is your passport.

The availability of real estate in Thailand does not give its owner any visa benefits. However, there are other options for a long stay in Thailand.
• Business or work visa (B visa): if you purchase a property through a legal entity in Thailand, this company can easily issue a visa. Close relatives at the same time may be in the country on an accompanying visa;
• Student visa (ED visa): a common option to stay in the country for six months. To do this, you must first arrive in the kingdom on a visa-free entry and find a suitable school. The school can be chosen both for studying the language and just for obtaining a visa. The educational institution specialists will prepare all the necessary documents with which it will be necessary to leave for a neighboring country for 1 day to obtain a visa at a Thai consulate.
The second option is to issue an ED visa at the Thai Embassy in Moscow. For this, a package of documents will be sent to you by mail.

When purchasing a property, VillaCarte provides free consulting and organizational support for obtaining a visa by its clients.

The investor visa, firstly, gives an opportunity to conduct business in the territory of the kingdom, and secondly - to obtain a residence permit. The procedure and conditions for issuing this type of visa are as follows:

1) It is necessary to invest 10 million baht in the economy of the country. To do this, you need to enter the country for a type "B" visa - ownership of the company or official employment in Thailand. Possible investment options:
• Transfer of 10 million baht to a savings account in a state bank;
• Acquisition of a new condominium from a Thai developer with a cost of at least 3 million baht;
• Government bonds purchase in the amount of 10 million baht.

2) The next step is to apply for an extension of the term of stay in the country for another year. At the same time, the applicant undertakes not to withdraw the invested money from the country within 3 years. Within 15 days, the application will be reviewed by the Immigration Department of Thailand.

3) In 12 months you can apply for an extension of the investor's visa and obtaining a residence permit.

VillaCarte provides free qualified support in preparing documentation for obtaining an investor visa for its customers.

The difference between a condominium and an apartment lies in the apartment owner’s property rights.

Buying a condominium (in the ownership or long-term lease), the owner receives the property rights, firstly, to the apartment itself (or shop, office), and secondly the rights to get share in the common property. Common property share means a part of the property right to entire property and not the right to a particular building or land plot.

In apartments, however, ownership is not assigned to individual apartments. That is, the apartments have one owner or principal tenant (depending on whether they are built on their own or leased land). You can purchase apartment only under leasehold , and the tenant will not get the rights to the common property.

Individual excursions are really a great chance to enjoy the beauty of the island and fully enjoy your time while travelling without any "mishaps" of group tours. We can:
- plan up an individual excursion program and completely arrange it;
- provide an individual transfer both by land and by water;
- hire a highly qualified Russian-speaking guide;
- recommend places for profitable shopping;
satisfy all your personal wishes, for example, a special menu, comfortable time spending or accompanying the nurse.
Having trusted us with your leisure, adrenaline and impressions, you will get the most positive emotions during individual participation in excursions. To rest with us means to receive everything from life!

It so happened that in Phuket there are no companies specializing in support personnel selection. Therefore, the only possible option is to search for employees on the friend’s or acquaintance’s’ recommendation. Although, no! It is not the only one option for our clients, because you have us! Moreover, we have our own qualified database of staff in various spheres of service. A cook, a nanny, a house cleaner, a gardener, a foreign language tutor is not an exhaustive list of what we can offer you. At the same time, we will take into account all your individual wishes and we will not go beyond the budget. Trust us, you are in expert’s hands and at the same time, you will be provided with everything.

The concierge service is absolutely free in our company and is presented by default to all customers who have rented a property with us. It includes everything you can dream about when you are on vacation abroad:
One free two-way transfer to and from the airport. We will meet and spend you regardless of the time of day and delays in the flight schedule. You won’t have to wait and search for vehicles yourself. You will just sit in a comfortable car that will take you to your desired destination. Free Phuket sightseeing tour. We will arrange an acquaintance with the island for you, show you the best places that will definitely impress you and tell you where and what is better to buy without overpayment and risk to face fraud or fake. Personal concierge manager assistance 24/7 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week). This means that you will get qualified help from a specialist who knows everything about Phuket immediately when need, and therefore will be able to take into account and satisfy all your wishes in everyday matters and leisure activities during your stay at the villa. Relax and just have fun - we will take care of everything that you may need during your stay on the island.

The concierge manager is your personal assistant, consultant and just a devoted friend who will make your vacation in Phuket an unforgettable experience in the good sense of the word. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, he will stay in touch, so that on the first call to provide you with qualified assistance on all issues. Call him, even if you just want to chat, something to clarify, or need some kind of advice. We are glad to any communication with our customers and opportunities to brighten up your holiday.
You can share your wishes in advance. Then we will prepare everything before you arrive. For example, we will choose and prepare a car for rent, make a bright entertainment program, find a reliable and proven nanny for your child, a good cook for the whole family or company. This framework of our cooperation is not limited! The search for medicines, the organization of sea fishing and any other excursions, the purchase of quality cosmetics - all this and what you have enough imagination, is already part of your concierge manager's responsibility.
While others can only dream about it, in our company you will get all this by default. We believe that the care of our customers must be confirmed in deed, not in words. Our company just love people and we do really care of our clients!

You will not definitely have any problems in Phuket with the search for cars and motorbikes to rent out. However, sometimes you can not be ensure of the security of the transaction, not to mention the fact that you can face the requirements to leave a passport or credit card as a security. To protect you from such unpleasant moments, we will take care of all issues related to renting vehicles on the island. Just tell us about your desires, and we will satisfy them. Meanwhile:
You risk nothing. We work only with trusted companies that insure their cars and have a transparent history. At the same time, when registering with you, you only need to make a deposit of up to 10 thousand baht. In the absence of damage, this amount will be fully refunded to you. Transport will meet your needs and preferences. Model, brand, color, age of the car - we will take into account all the wishes voiced by you. In this case, in case of technical problems, we will provide a worthy replacement of the vehicle for the period that will be needed to eliminate them. Adequate cost and flexible system of discounts. We do not overestimate the price of renting cars; we are guided by the seasonality and the market. In addition, we are always ready to specify possible discounts individually with each client. There is no reason for you to overpay