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New York Apartments » News » Questions to Ask About a Vacation Rental

Questions to Ask About a Vacation Rental

28 Jan 2011

A recent New York Times article, “Vacation Rentals Add Hotel-Like Luxuries,” detailed all the perks, from concierges to flat-screen televisions, that some vacation rentals are now providing to compete with luxury resorts.

Such amenities add to the list of advantages vacation rentals often have over traditional hotels, including more space, more privacy and a kitchen.

But if you’re considering skipping the hotel and opting for a rental on your next vacation, the article points out that it’s important to “do due diligence by contacting the property to ask what exactly is included in the price.”

In fact, the Frugal Traveler shared in his column, “Burned! A London Vacation Rental Scam,” how he fell victim to a vacation rental scam by not doing his homework and offered tips to help other travelers avoid the same fate.

To get more details on what first-time vacation home renters should ask homeowners or management companies before sending a deposit and picking up the keys, we turned to Alexis de Belloy, vice president of the vacation rental site HomeAway. Here’s what he said novice renters should do and sometimes don’t — besides the obvious like asking for a written copy of the rental contract and payment conditions and renting from homes listed on a legitimate site.

“When people are booking a vacation rental, they are really thinking high-level sometimes, such as how big is the house and what does it look like in pictures, and they don’t go think more on an operational level,” such as making sure the house has exactly what they expect it does, Mr. de Belloy said.

Location: Be sure to ask for specifics about the location, including the kind of details you may not be able to tell just from looking at a map, Mr. de Belloy said. “It makes a big difference when you’re on a beach holiday whether you are extremely close to the beach or have to cross a busy street with children,” he said.

Among the location-related questions to ask are whether there is a sea view, whether there is anything between the house and the sea that you won’t necessarily see on a map, whether there are paths to cross to get to the beach and whether a road between the house and the beach is a quiet one or busy and noisy. In addition, you should ask how far away the main local attractions are.

Configuration: You should ask for details about how the house sleeps the number of people it claims to sleep as well as where and how big the bedrooms and bathrooms are, Mr. de Belloy recommended. This is because certain aspects of the configuration of the bedrooms and bathrooms (like pull-out couches, small rooms and en suite bathrooms) could make the house suitable, or not suitable, for your group.

Child and Pet Friendly: If the house is described as “child friendly” or “pet friendly,” make sure to ask for the property’s definition of those terms since they may not necessarily line up with how you define them. “’Child friendly’ will mean different things to different parents,” Mr. de Belloy said.

Surroundings/Activities: Be sure to ask the homeowner or property manager for recommendations of favorite places to eat and things to do so you can vacation like a local rather than as a tourist. “One of the great things about renting from a homeowner is typically that they have bought properties in areas they know very well,” Mr. de Belloy said.

Amenities: You should ask about details like what temperature a pool is heated to, what cable channels the home has and whether it’s easy to get online. In addition, Mr. de Belloy suggested asking about what kinds of household amenities are provided so you can determine whether you need to bring your own hair products, dishwashing detergent, seasonings for cooking, and whether you can just arrive and settle in or whether you’ll need to stop at the supermarket first.

If you’re traveling with a large party, you may also want to ask about the number of parking spaces (like how many cars will fit in a driveway) and how many place settings are provided.

Cleaning Fees: Mr. de Belloy recommended asking for specifics about cleaning fees and surcharges and especially about if and when extra cleaning fees are charged. Some owners, for instance, he said, will charge extra cleaning fees if a house is particularly dirty and requires extra time to clean.

Cancellation Policy, Keys and Problems: If the cancellation policy is not specified in the contract, be sure to ask about it, and how you’ll get the key. According to a HomeAway rental owner, you should also be sure to ask for details about how far the property manager or emergency contact lives from the vacation rental should you need assistance. Another article also recommended asking about who to call if there’s a problem, say with plumbing.

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