Are Vacation Rentals Under Pressure?
Are Vacation Rentals Under Pressure?
Over the past year or so the vacation rental industry has come under pressure from some local governments.
Why is this? I believe for two reasons.
1.) Nuisance. A group renters will show up to the local rental located in a nice quiet neighborhood and turn the area upside down. Perhaps it is the loud music, loud noise, cars parked on the streets can easily put normally friendly neighbors in the position where they need to call the police. Perhaps they have kids who need to get to sleep or for whatever reason the group has created a nuisance which has triggered a complaint to the local police department.
The police then respond to the vacation rental. The response usually involves two officers that have to be paid to respond and then write up the report. Who foots the bill for this? The city. Who pays the city? The homeowners.
2.) Scams. Stolen credit cards and online identity theft can easily be used to list vacation rental properties that may not exist. A non-suspecting renter looking for the “best deal” possible for their family holiday finds a non-professionally managed vacation rental on a billboard website, a rent by owner website, or any other site that does not verify their listings.
Then an unwitting renter contacts the scammer (swindler: a person who swindles you by means of deception or fraud) and secures the rental with a deposit or even the full rental amount requested without verifying that legitimacy of the property. The renter pays using a cashiers check or even an ordinary check and the family arrives only to find a vacant lot or an ordinary home and they call the police. And the scammer is never heard from again. Who takes the loss? The renter. Who is penalized? The legitimate professionally managed vacation rental companies in the local area.
I will leave lodging tax out for now and cover that in depth in a post in the near future.
Clearly the vacation rental industry is not exempt from scammers who can make thousands of dollars in one transaction. There are hundreds of “rent by owner” websites offering accommodations from California to Orlando and beyond. But how do you know you are getting the real deal from a classified website?
Here’s is a super simple, really easy tip to a safe and trusted vacation rental transaction;
Use a professionally managed vacation rental company that is in the business of renting vacation homes, cabins, villas and condos. I realize that many renters want the best deal possible but did you know that often the best deal can be found using a genuine vacation rentals company offering legitimate vacation rentals. Just ask the property manager, “do you have any deals going on right now?” During low and mid season you bet you are likely to find a deal. Best of all they will provide you with knowledge about the home and area.
Professional property managers may regulate their rental inventory more closely but overall they are tax-paying companies that can help “keep the peace” when the neighbors are in a frenzy, save the city and its homeowners money and keep the local professional vacation rental companies there for you and your family when you need them. So book and go with confidence on to your next family getaway accommodations.
For safe and trusted vacation rentals check out ReserveMyHome for verified vacation rentals.
