HOW TO RUN A RESPONSIBLE HOME RENTAL

You will earn money from the rental of your holiday home. You are letting your own residence temporarily to other residents and will earn revenue in compensation. It’s a great way of covering the costs of your property. And if you run your rental well, you should make an attractive profit.

Try always to avoid having disappointed tenants. So be sure your offer is in line with the reality. Present all the benefits of your house or apartment, but never make it seem better than it is. By all means: describe all the pleasures of living there and show the best pictures of the outside, all the rooms and luxury bathroom fittings. But ask yourself: later on, will a tenant be able to prove that he got less than what I promised? If you are sure the answer is no, then your offer is realistic and responsible.

Your holiday home is exactly what the tenants were looking for and you’ve completed all the arrangements in full. Is that enough? Pay attention to the following small points and you will have extra-satisfied tenants at the end of their holiday:

• Provide a list of local emergency numbers, including doctors and the nearest hospital. Tell the tenant where to find the list: in the fuse box, or on the inside of the front door.
•  A description of all household appliances, if possible in several languages, helps the tenant and prevents misuse.
• It’s useful to keep the key ring small, with preferably one or two keys for all locks. Provide at least two sets (otherwise tenants will take them apart). And mark the keys, so that everyone knows which locks they fit.
• Do you have personnel looking after the garden, the pool and the housekeeping? Make clear agreements and inform tenants of their arrival times and working hours.
• Provide plenty of cutlery and crockery. Tip: At least double the maximum number of guests in your residence.
• Provide a wide range of glasses, enough for a dinner set. It’s easy to maintain and gives your guests a feeling of optimal service. Don’t forget wine and champagne glasses. And if a glass gets broken, don’t make a fuss. It happens.
• Are the pots and pans in order? Provide only high quality, scratch-free cookware.
• A complete set of kitchen utensils is indispensable. So don’t forget the serving dishes, table mats, wooden spoons and a set of sharp kitchen knives. Are the blender, kettle, toaster and the fruit juice press all in good working condition?
• It’s nice if new tenants find clean, empty cupboards with enough clothes hangers.
• You feel extra welcome when all bathrooms already have toilet paper in place. Something to remember: is the shower curtain fresh and clean (just like the shower)?
• Beds made up with clean linen are evidence of your care and attention. Are there enough spare sheets in the closet to change a bed in the interim?
• Tenants want to feel at home. Tastes differ, so your personal decorations and ornaments could be an eyesore. Remove them so that your guests can settle in easily. Tip: put private belongings away in a locked cabinet.
• Whatever has been agreed about cleaning, your guests will sometimes have to vacuum or sweep or mop a floor themselves. So have available a bucket and mop, a dustpan, vacuum cleaner, broom, cleaning materials and plenty of trash bags.
• The dishwasher can’t do without detergent, tablets, rinsing aids and salt. The washing machine can’t do with washing powder. Provide a sufficient stock.
• Naturally, your garden looks fantastic. Tidy, mown lawns, neatly raked paths and flowers and plants in excellent condition.
• With pool? Your tenants will appreciate that, especially when there are plenty of sun beds available and garden lighting shows where the paths are in the dark.
• Tenants value their safety. Provide an outdoor light that responds to movement around the house, one or more cameras or an alarm system. Provide clear instructions (and a new password for each rental).
• The presence of a first aid kit makes a tenant feel safe.
• Regularly check the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers. Provide safe, well-insulated wiring. That will tell the tenant that thought has been given to safety.
• Go through your property looking for potentially unsafe situations, especially for children. Fix them or warn your tenants about them (a high step, a low doorway, steep stairs or a garden path that can be slippery when it rains).
• Is the house is well ventilated and, if necessary, does the heater/central heating work properly? You’re well organized, especially when you make the operating instructions clear.
• Are your guests allowed to smoke inside? Is that in the contract? Ensure you have enough ashtrays.
• No smoking allowed? Help guests remember with little stickers in the hallway and in the rooms.
• Your home will have more value if the environment has much to offer. Supply a few leaflets on local attractions, sights and festivals, for example. Always put a new set ready for the new tenant.
• Nice for your guests: a guestbook. They can write notes, give tips to the next tenants and comment on their stay.

All formats and forms for offering, making agreements, confirming and contracting bookings are available on Akomgo.com. Follow these procedures exactly, in the right order, and the rental will run safely. From experience, we’ve prepared the following tips for well-organized, safe rentals:

• Check, check and double check. This applies to all businesses, so for holiday home rentals as well.
• Emails will be flying back and forth between you and the tenant, and multiple payments (deposit, transfer capital) will land in your bank account. Check that the tenant’s details are always the same, and if they change, ask for the reason.
• Once you’ve completed the lease agreement in full, you will be assured that you've dealt accurately with all the details of the rental.
• Find out on the phone what your tenants’ holiday plans are. Does the rental involve a family or a company? Are they adult museum visitors or partygoers who want to paint the town red? You’ll learn a lot from a friendly phone call and that can prevent your home being rented for the wrong reasons.
• Has the (prospective) tenant deviated from an agreement? React immediately to correct the error. Do not settle for promises to make good later or still be dealing with the problem during their stay.
• In addition to all those emails, you can learn a lot about tenants on the phone.
• Check the villa or apartment immediately at the end of the stay.
• Stay in touch to deal with any questions and problems. Tenants appreciate it when you take an interest in their satisfaction about the holiday.
• If the neighbors know that you are renting  your property to holiday makers then they can take that into consideration. If they know how to reach you, then they can also inform you if something goes wrong.