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Re: How do you handle gas heating charges for homes with swimming pools?
We offer each renter the option to have the pool/spa heated at an additional cost of $25/day. This is agreed upon and charged in the total price of the rental. When guests have paid for pool/spa heating, we inform our maintance man and he turns on the pool heater prior to the guests' arrival. Our guests do not have access to the pool heater's controls other than to activate the spa when needed. At the end of their stay, our maintance guy turns off the pool heater.
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Re: How do you handle gas heating charges for homes with swimming pools?
I have 2 houses with indoor heated pools and the average cost is about $200 a month per house in propane to keep each one heated to 85 degrees. Renters complain any time the water temp is under about 82 and even sometimes when the water is 85. I installed floating thermometers in the pools so the renters could see for themselves that the water is 85. A lot of times, they are expecting hot tubs with 25,000 gallons of water in them. I don't see any way you can charge for additional heating costs. Build that into your rate. Pool houses typically run $100 a day more than a non-pool house and that is to cover the costs of heating it, maintaining it, chemicals, servicing etc.
Rick
www.vacationrentalhelper.com
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Re: How do you handle gas heating charges for homes with swimming pools?
Unfortunately many renters abuse the heating. As ski and glee said, tenants expect the pool to be a hot tub. Just finished a rental of four weeks Nd tenant went through 500 gallons of propane. That's almost $2000 of fuel. We just had the heater changed so that the temperature cannot be set above 84. Tenants had it set at 92 and burned thru all the chemicals in the pool in two days. Chemicals which should have lasted for seven.
Some tenants don't require the pool to be heated. I think that next year we will have a surcharge for heating paid upfront with rental fee so that there are no adjustments after the rental. We will give the tenant the choice, heat or no heat Nd lock up the heater controls.
Marilyn
Www.hamptonhouseproperties.info
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Re: How do you handle gas heating charges for homes with swimming pools?
We are just now in the process of installing a heater for our pool. That's exactly what we are planning to do, offer it and then add it up front as a surcharge. What we are having trouble deciding upon is how much to charge. Our pool is fairly good sized and it is in SC so winters do get cold. We are thinking we will not even offer pool heating Jan/Feb since it would cost too much. We're thinking of collecting a pool heating deposit of say $400. Our controls will be turned on and off by the pool company ($25 for each visit) and locked so the temperature cannot be changed. Then we will have gas meter readings to determine usage and refund whatever wasn't used minus the $50 in pool service fees and perhaps a $25 maintenance fee (to help recoop cost of equipment, repairs etc.). Does this sound reasonable? Having never had a pool with a heater, we just don't know.
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Re: How do you handle gas heating charges for homes with swimming pools?
I'd just raise the rates accordingly and not nickle and dime the renter with 4 or 5 line items of extra charges. It will put a bad taste in their mouth and make them feel like you are overcharging for everything.
Imagine you give out a rate
$1095 2 nights
$ 50 pool service fee
$ 25 pool maintenance fee
$ 25 pool company visit to turn on/off heater
$400 pool heat gas usage (surplus refunded after meter reading)
$ xxx taxes
$ 500 refundable damage deposit
$ 45 processing fee
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$xxxxx total
So, just make your rate 1295 or 1395 and be done with it, heat the pool and keep it heated.
Rick
www.vacationrentalhelper.com
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Re: How do you handle gas heating charges for homes with swimming pools?
I understand what you are saying, but I wouldn't break down all the pool
charges for them. It would just be the 400 deposit with refund for gas not
used. I am just very unsure at this point what the cost to keep the pool
heated is going to be. How do I set a fair price? I have already increased
my rates this year and don't want an across the board increase for the pool
heating that only some guests will want.
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Re: How do you handle gas heating charges for homes with swimming pools?
I'm just buying a rental home in Orlando, where every house has a pool. The customary charge is $25/night for pool heat for the duration of the stay. Most of the year, the renter can just elect not to have it.
I'm also going to be installing solar panels that would provide free heating more of the year, so I can keep my costs down and also for the guests. In winter months, heating the pool is pretty much compulsary, but not everyone wants to pay to heat it, so adding that $25/night in makes it more difficult. Again, it's common in Orlando, so it's eaiser.