Serious problem. I paid for the actual stay, more than half that for the cleaning fee, and more than all of that for the security deposit. All paid by check. On returning from my trip, I hit two big problems with the owner and finances. My employer told me that to get reimbursed, I needed a tax id because the money paid to the owner is earned income. A person who owns a property and rents it out knows that and should have a business tax id. The owner refused to give me one telling me he was never asked for one and he was not obligated to do that. I never got reimbursed from my employer because without that id, their books wouldn't be balanced and the IRS would nail them on an audit.
Second, I didn't get my security deposit back until over a month after I returned. He claims he sent a check 10 days after I left and it didn't arrive after three weeks. He claims it was lost in the mail. He "cancelled payment" and sent me a "new" one. Coupled with the tax id, I am highly suspicious.
Inconvenience problem. When we arrived , there was half a roll of toilet paper for the entire two-bedroom apartment. I called the owner and he blamed the cleaning staff. He then told me he would contact them and ask them to bring some.
While waiting for the delivery, I noticed there was no basic items like shampoo and shower gel/soap. I sent the owner an sms asking if the cleaners could bring these items too. He told me that he doesn't provide these since he isn't a hotel but an apartment and you're supposed to bring your own items. For a family taking their car on vacation, that makes sense. But for the many business travelers who can only take what they are allowed on planes, it doesn't make sense. I've stayed at a number of similar rental places and they've always provided these items.
He called a couple hours later to tell me that the cleaning crew could not bring the toilet paper that day and I'd have to wait for the next day. Since I didn't have a car, I had to walk a mile to the 7-11 gas station to pick up these items. In the heat.
The next day, on returning from my conference, we found a four pack of toilet paper stuck in the front door. For myself, it wasn't a problem. But if you bring your family, four rolls is miserly.
If you have a car, no need of reimbursement, and you just want a shelter over your head and a pool in the back, this is ok. If you need to deal with the owner, stay as far away as possible.