Costa Tropical Holiday Accommodation – Owner Considerations
More and more people are considering renting out their holiday home to pay for the outgoings. If this is your first time renting you must ensure that you do the necessary preparation before hand. This will take some time to do and if you only visit your rental property on the Costa Tropical for short holidays you will have to dedicate sufficient times to ensure everything can be organised in good time before the first clients arrive.
1) If you do not live near the property you will need someone here on the Costa Tropical to not only manage your rental property but also assist the clients and guests should they need assistance. It is best to use a professional service or agency rather than rely on neighbours and friends to assist. If you do not use a management agency you will have to find your own cleaners, laundry service and gardners if you have a rental villa with a garden. Do you want an agency which will also handle the bookings and enquiries?
2) You need to examine the property to ensure it is up to appropriate standards. If you have already selected someone to manage the property they may be able to give some helpful advice.
3) If you have any personal items in the property you will require an area to safe-guard your items this may be a spare room, a garage or a locked cupboard.
4) You will require at least two sets of keys for the agency (and more if using seperate cleaners and gardeners) – one set for the client and one for the agency. Ensure the keys work in the locks before handing them over and getting on the plane.
5) You will need at least two full sets of bedding (allowing for one to be cleaned while the next clients use the villa. Some owners have fouind by experience that white is the best colour for sheets and towels as although it will easily show marks it can always be bleached! If white looks to plane then patterned linens should be considered as they will not show marks.
6) You should prepare an information book for visitors providing them with local information – also list emergency numbers here including a mobile number for whoever is managing the property.
7) Check all equipment functions well and furniture including outdoor furniture is in proper condition.
8 ) Prepare forms for obtaining full rental enquiry information from the rental clients including their dates of arrival and departure, information about the number and ages of guests are among the basics you will need. Other information such as contact and mobile numbers are also very advisable.
9) Decide on the conditions you will expect the guests to agree to – what deposit will need to be paid (to reserve the property), how much security deposit will you ask for. When will these amounts need to be paid? Will you have a flexible change over day?
10) How will you receive the money? By cheque, electronic transfer or in cash upon arrival? You should also obtain tax advice on how receipts should be treated.
11) Decide how much you want to charge in different months of the year and will you accept long term rentals and if so how much will you charge. With an increasing number of Costa Tropical holiday villas and apartments rental prices must be competitive and you should have a look at similar properties in the area.
12) Will your property insurance cover any damage caused by (rental) guests and allow holiday rentals?
13) When advertising your property you should spread your net fairly wide the internet is the most powerful and wide reaching method but you may decide to try traditional print advertising too – but you should also be selective. Sometimes two or three sites will be sufficient but as the number of rental properties on the Costa Tropical grows it is becoming more necessary to have a mix for instance a large international site, a site which is popular in Scandinavia for example as well as local specialist sites which focuses on the Costa Tropical.
14) On arrival will clients be met at a landmark location, at the offices of the management company or will they go to the property – will you need to send them a map?
