Posts Tagged ‘vacation rental help’
“Don’t Worry, It’s a Vacation Rental”
Monday, January 11th, 2010
Who is Watching Your Rental?
Almost everyone’s said it, about a car or a house or a hotel room – that’s why when we’re on the other side we have concerns about opening our personal vacation property to renters.
One specific concern is the rental group who overfills any house with more (sometimes many more) people than it reasonably accommodates. Sometimes it’s to reduce the cost, sometimes more people than expected show up; but sometimes renters intentionally take the opportunity to invite as many folks as they want – knowing that “it’s just a rental.”
Some destinations even advertise this as a specific benefit vacation rentals compared to hotels: “Hold your family reunion here, no capacity requirements!” It is a difficult situation to control, so what can you do as the property owner to influence renters to bring only a reasonable number of people along?
Listen for clues
Most renters will ask questions…listen carefully:
• How many cars can we park?
• Do you have any more pullout couches or cots?
• Can we bring tents?
• Is there space at the dock for more than one boat?
• Is there parking for an RV?
Ask for number of adults and children on your rental application
Provide the empty space on the form and it will most likely get filled in accurately. Without specifically asking for number of children, you may only get the count of adults declared. I like the sign my veterinarian has in her office: “Any children playing on the scale will be sent home with a kitten.”
Set the agreement for their number of guests
Provide your rental agreement for the number of guests the renter has stated in the application, even if your property accommodates more. If the renter was intending to bring more people, this will generate questions and help head off ill intentions.
Add a clause to your Terms & Conditions
“The maximum occupancy of this property is 6 people (adults and children). Exceeding this at any time without notification will result in an immediate non-refundable charge of $150 per person in excess of 6 and/or immediate eviction with no refund.” Better to have the rules clear up front then to risk an untenable situation.
Let them know somebody’s watching
“The home is located in a great and friendly neighborhood. Neighbors watch out for each other, and can be counted on to help. As a courtesy, we notify our neighbors who live in the area full-time when we are expecting renters.” This is just a nudge to anyone who might be thinking of bending any of your rules.
At the end of the day, if someone is bound and determined to violate the rules and requirements, it will happen – owners can’t be there to monitor every renter. These tips will help to dissuade people away from taking advantage of the situation, and will help keep your home in good shape!
