0 Shares Should I Raise My Rental Rates? This is a question I hear frequently. Vacation home owners are always reviewing their past occupancy; thinking about improvements and most important of all, considering whether to raise their rates for the next year. With the current economic climate, the rise in vacation rental properties coming onto the market, and changes in travel demographics, it’s […]
0 Shares How to Be a Vacation Rental Professional I’ve already seen indicators that there will be a lot more rental properties on the market in the coming year. The second home market has always been volatile in uncertain economic times, and the potential for a fall in value is prompting more owners to consider renting to ride out the storm. This will increase […]
0 Shares When Should You Claim On A Vacation Rental Damage Deposit? I’ve received a lot of emails recently about damage deposits for vacation rentals, and what circumstances should occur before a charge is made. This is a thorny issue and one that needs some thought and reflection before making a decision. Where do you draw the line on additional cleaning? What constitutes normal ‘wear and tear’? […]
0 Shares Five Complaints That Can Easily Be Prevented Put yourself in your rental guests’ shoes. Perhaps you live in a high-rise condo building. You have a small balcony overlooking another high-rise condo building, so the only time you can enjoy fresh air and better views is when you get away from home. You’ve rented a cottage and spent the last few months counting […]
0 Shares Are High Maintenance Guests Your Best Assets? It is likely that most of your vacation home rental guests will be of the low maintenance variety. They book; pay their money; arrive at the designated check-in time; leave promptly on the last day, and apart from a few lines in the guest book, you may never hear from them again. Sounds ideal? Sure, […]
0 Shares Seven Keys to a Happy Rental Season Hopefully, your rental season has kicked off on a positive note, and all will run smoothly through the summer. Your renters will all be totally knocked out by your property, won’t bother you with any issues, and you’ll get to the end of the season without a single problem. And pigs might fly………. Seriously, if […]
0 Shares What Should Your Guests Bring To The Cottage? New owners often ask what they should provide for renters to ensure their cottage rental vacation gets off to a good start. I like to hear this because it tells me the owners are already feeling a responsibility to their clients, which is not always the case. I recall hearing of a situation where a […]
0 Shares It’s Just a Cottage! I’ve heard the expression, ‘it’s just a cottage’, too many times. Used to make excuses for tired and mis-matched furniture, saggy mattresses, ancient appliances and 70’s décor, it’s a cop out. Having ‘just a cottage’ is absolutely fine… unless it is being rented out. Some friends of mine were over from UK last week. They’d […]
0 Shares Educating Your Guests in the Etiquette of Cottage Living I recently read a forum post from a non-renting cottage owner blaming cottage renters on his lake for all manner of poor behaviour. Late night noise, operating watercraft in an unsafe and irresponsible manner, and general rowdiness were a few of the complaints levelled at the rental groups. This is not the first time I […]
0 Shares Dealing With Damage – Do You Have a Plan? No matter how well you screen your renters, talk to them before their vacation, and educate them with your cottage manual, there is a risk of damage. Some damage we can accept and will write off, but there’s other situations where we must take a practical approach and put the responsibility for payment firmly in […]
