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Keep It Simple
Every property owner should have a simple and consistent
procedure for confirming bookings which should include:
- Name, address and telephone number of the renting party plus the
name, address and telephone number of the owner with name/location of the
vacation home.
- The specific rental dates, e.g. Arrive; Saturday July 7th; Depart:
Saturday July 14th.
- Specific check-in and check-out times for the above dates.
- An outline of the total due g. Rent + damage deposit + cleaning fee +
other (tax).
- A time line of when rental fees are due: g. 50% of above or $450 due
immediately to reserve (and hold) rental dates; the other $450 due May
7th.
- A clear concise cancellation policy: g. All rental fees are due 60
days prior to arrival (May 7th); after that point, the rental is
non-cancellable unless re-rented by another party of equal value in which
case a $50 fee will be assessed.
- Check-in procedure and contacts g. Keys will be mailed two weeks
prior to arrival date; property manager/owner on hand at 555-555-1212 in
case of emergency.
- Damage deposits are returned 3 weeks following departure date.
- Other miscellaneous items unique to the rental arrangement.
With each correspondence, the owner should confirm to the vacationer,
monies received and reiterate the above points with another simple
confirmation, which can be sent as postcard, letter with a templated sheet
of paper or e-mail. This will keep all parties in the loop. Further it
will go a long way in addressing two of the most common complaints. That
is, timely return of the damage deposits and clarification of the
cancellation policy. Now a procedural trail has been established and the
cancellation policy has been confirmed on at least two occasions. These
simple steps will keep both the vacationer and owner aware of their
respective responsibilities.
Back to Damage Deposit
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