Community : Discussion List - Operations

Are they talking Short Term Vacation Rental Regulations in your community?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 20:10:41 GMT

I wanted to share how valuable the Phoenix summit was to my vacation rental business. The last lecture I attended was, Addressing Rental Restrictions in Your Community. This was a timely topic as our local Municipality was dealing with a written complaint from a neighbor about a disruptive vacation rental. The home owner suggested that our Municipality BAN vacation rentals altogether. They listed why B&B's were valuable to the island and why Vacation Rentals added no value to the island other than noise and tourists that disturb their piece and quiet. AS the STRAdvocacy group said, "their evidence would be anecdotal and not based in fact." It was clear that one bad apple could ruin it for many other properties without complaints. The Municipality clearly need a Pro- Vacation Rental voice to balance out the one complaint. Better yet, as a group we would certainly have a much louder voice.

This lecture had me so inspired that I took 3 pages of notes and had my group named before I arrived at the airport to return home. The next day I gathered all the names of the B&B, vacation rentals, and other accommodation owners and emailed them all with a very positive message about creating one voice for our businesses. I mentioned that we were the largest group of small business owners on the island and together we could benefit our businesses in a positive manner as well as add value to the community.

The idea of creating an association was well received. After a few more informational emails to the owners we had established the Bowen Island Accommodation Association. Our first meeting is July 16th where we will finalize our name, meeting dates, etc. Many of the owners have called or emailed me to show their appreciation for starting this Association. I have no idea what the turn out will be at our first meeting but I figure if there are 5 owners attending we do have a START.

Meanwhile, the Municipality whole heartedly endorsed the creation of the Bowen Island Accommodation Association. They have discussed the new regulations, they are editing them, and our Association will be a part of the editing process this coming week. The timing could not have been better as they were going to rule on the regulations without our input. But the word got out that as an association we cared about the community too.

In addition the BC Tourism Board has $8600 to give to Bowen to promote tourism. We may benefit from this gift as well.

Thank you to Joel Rassmussen, founder and president of the Austin Rental Alliance, Matt Curtis, Director of Government Relations, HomeAway, and Heather Weiermann, Executive Committee, VRMA, as your lecture saved my Vacation Rental business (and others in my community) from severe regulations or a banning altogether.

We are moving forward in a positive manner that will benefit travelers, our community, and our vacation rental businesses. Thank you Very Much!!

For more information if your community needs support against regulations go to www.stradvocay.org.

Renting Boat with Vacation Rental?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Thu, 23 May 2013 19:05:39 GMT

Anyone have any experience renting your personal boat along with your vacation rental? If so- we have some?s- does anyone have any knowledge of taxes on the boat rental? We're in NY state and couldn't find any information on line. Any leads would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!!

employee wanted

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:09:44 GMT

I am looking for someone who has escapia experience to help our company. Any recommendations on resources where I can find people with Escapia experience?

Check in and Check out times

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:45:41 GMT

What are acceptable check in and check out times if you have back to back bookings?

Best Vacation Rental Accounting Software?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:31:35 GMT

I have a small vacation rental & property management company in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, with 8 properties. I've been combing the internet, looking for the best vacation rental accounting software out there--and feel like I'm running in circles. I know there is a past forum from 2012 about the subject, but hoped to get some more recent information, given that this industry is changing by the year.

Does anybody have any suggestions for a simple accounting program to keep track of expenses & income, as well as provide basic reports, for a small number of properties?

Here are my conclusions so far:

Quickbooks-- great, not industry specific, and too labor intensive.
Wave Accounting - free, but riddled with bugs! (Migrating from Wave right now...)
There are a number of vacation rental software providers with accounting mods (vacationrentpro, ciirus, vacation rental tracker, etc.), but I'm reluctant to change ALL of our systems and throw all of our 'huevos' in one basket.

Please let me know if you have any suggestions!

Kent

Scam alert

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:05:38 GMT

Thanks again for the response, we are okay with the price and yes we would love to reserve it. We are both not at home right now, as we are in Ukraine for a visit and we will be returning straight to your place and that is why we are making the booking now to avoid any delay. We'll like to complete the reservation before we get home. I'll make an arrangement with our Accountant to make and mail a Bank Check for the full amount through Regular Mail so we can be assured of our reservation and that is why we will like to make full payment. Also i would love to know if there is internet facility or any nearby internet cafe because i personally will need that? I will instruct the Bank check to be issued in US Dollars for easy cashing at your bank. So provide me with the information needed below:

Your Full Name,

Billing Address {Not P.O.Box}

City

State,

Zip code

Phone number / Cell phone.

Thanks,

Colleen

From: VRBO Inquiry Response <inquiry@vrbo.com>

To: Colleen P

NEW PROPERTY MANAGER NEED ADVICE

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 20:15:52 GMT

I am a new property manager that is in a unique situation. The owner of the property lives in another state and only visits maybe 3 times a year for a week or two. He recently decided that he wanted to off set some costs and turn this very special place into a vacation home. It is a log home that has been converted into a duplex. Very private. I live in the loft of the home as a tenant but now also as an on-site property manager. I set us up on VRBO and am seeking other avenues for marketing as well. I do all the bookings/sales, shopping, housekeeping, and make all the calls to contractors ie home repairs and maintenance etc. I am doing all the work as he is a busy man who if had time or in the past, someone up for the challenge, would have done this a long time ago.

My question is: is there anyone else in my position? We are in the process of writing a legal contract between he and I and I am wondering what a fair percentage would be to split the revenue? Or better yet, if you are a property owner, what would be a percentage that would be worth it for you to sit back and let someone else handle the day in and day out of the business?

THANK YOU!

Any challenges getting a refund for being charged twice for Annual Subscription

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 22:22:48 GMT

Called HomeAway/VRBO and asked the customer service representative why we were charged twice for our annual subscription. She said I did not follow the right procedure and that I would not get a refund.

I tried to explain to the rep how the Subscription Notification email I received from HomeAway (see below) specifically states: "If you want to try another level, simply select another level when you renew from your dashboard". I logged into my HomeAway dashboard and selected another subscription level and placed my order.

After stating this, she said that it was in smaller print someplace that you have to turn off automatic renewal prior to doing this.

If the email directs the user to log into an online application and the application processes the renewal for subscription, then there should absolutely be no way for the system to accept two orders for the same home listed.

Even if there is a system or user error, why would the company simply not provide a refund back? It's not like they are losing any revenue. The customer simply paid twice. Why would a company not honor a refund for accidentally paying twice? Is this a mistake or is there an integrity issue?

After this experience, I searched online to get a pulse on HomeAway and VRBO users and I am getting concerned based on the large number of complaints. Moreover, the complaints have an overarching theme painting HomeAway as being primarily concerned about its revenue and substantiating unethical business practices by having their representatives saying to their customers (homeowners) "that is our policy". Well a policy is anything you want your staff to do or not to do.

I truly hope the representative was misguided and HomeAway has resolved this issue so it does not happen in the future.

Has anyone else experienced an issue like this?

Reviews are becoming quite a blackmail tool.

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 05:23:07 GMT

Owners who haven't been around a long time may not realize how owner friendly VRBO once was. When Dave (and Lynn) Clouse started it, the fact that owners are PAYING for listings was actually recognized and service to owners was paramount. (of course with proper service to renters/ inquirers as well!) But, we're finding the service as the years go by more and more hostile to owners. It doesn't seem that we're even considered, except for being offered ways we can "give" more and more money to the Homeaway conglomerate.

One element of this is reviews, because as least where we have quite a few properties, travellers are learning what a wonderful tool reviews are in their hands. Most of our reviews are five star BY FAR on every property. But, we're tired of blackmail by a growing number of travellers. We are currently dealing with a bad review on one property. EVERY other review is five star. Don't accept Homeaway saying that the vast majority of reviews being great will lead travellers to note that. It doesn't happen in our experience or that of any of the many owners we know. One bad review can destroy your business. In this case I'm addressing, we were informed by phone before the traveller arrived in town that he would expect a refund check for half in his mailbox by the time he got home or we could rest assured that he would write a review that would keep anyone from going near the house ever again. We don't yield to (the more and more frequent) blackmail. We got that review.
I've had to answer 27 inquiries wanting to know about the bad review. Responses on the site aren't read it seems...people reading become lazy quickly! That takes a lot of wasted time. Rentals on this property scheduled for 2013 are 5% of a normal year roughly. Homeaway of course won't do anything about a threat that isn't in writing. People are smart enough to blackmail by phone!!! Oh..here's another example of VRBO being totally adversarial to the owners. I submitted a WRITTEN threat last year to VRBO that I would be given a bad review if I didn't give the visitor a free return trip during the biggest festival of the year in our area. VRBO said they couldn't remove that review I later DID get because the 'threat" didn't ask for money, just a free trip. THEY HAVE TO ASK FOR MONEY TO GET THE REVIEW REMOVED!!! If the visitor, for example, says in writing that you havde to buy them a house in the Bahamas or get a bad review, that's fine it seems! That's not money. Beware Homeaway. I'm sure you laugh at all owners now and say we need you, but someday there may be enough other good services that we do NOT! Owners should be allowed for what we are paying to accept reviews or not accept reviews. I don't know any owner in our area who doesn't wish he/she didn't "need" VRBO for now.That's a shame vs. how things were years ago.

What are some great ways to bring new properties onto your rental property program?

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 22:06:05 GMT

We are trying very hard to grow our business in the area. We have noticed that direct mail does not work, and we do not want to waste money on that anymore. Any suggestions? What seems to be working for you?

Canadian money

community-no-reply@homeaway.com — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 03:23:49 GMT

Hi, I took a $500. deposit from someone in Canada and the bank kept almost $25.00 of it for exchange fees. I wasn't aware of the exchange fee. How do I handle the next payment from her. Should she send more to cover the fee, or is there a way for her to send American money? Do you feel she should have said something to me about the exchange fee? Thank you