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By CottageGuru | September 7, 2007
Has anyone noticed how this year renters seem to have much higher expectations than before? I remember when the most asked question was, ‘Does it have running water and electricity’, and feeling amused and slightly smug saying that not only did my cottage have the luxury of an indoor toilet, but it also had a TV. Now, some of the most frequently asked questions are, ‘What size is the TV and does it get the sports channel?’, and ‘Is there hi-speed internet?’
Just a few weeks ago, I heard a complaint from a renter who had completed their vacation at a cottage on a lake local to us. The cottage has grass to the shoreline then shallow water with a hard sand bottom with a few rocks. I would say water shoes are advisable but then I’d recommend that anyway. The listing for the cottage said:
“Sandy, shallow walkout to the water, deepening gradually toward the end of the dock”.
The renter complained that the ‘beach’ that was advertised was not there and her daughter was unable to play in the sand. Apparently, using the word ‘sandy’ in the listing gave the impression that there was a portion of Bondi Beach on the shoreline, dunes stretching in every direction, and an expectation her children of the family spending happy hours building Buckingham Palace type sandcastles.
I read through the complete listing and I couldn’t see the word ‘beach’ anywhere. Yes, there is a walkout to the water that is fairly sandy and shallow – I would perhaps have mentioned the rocks – but contrary to the renter’s accusation of misrepresentation, I felt the listing portrayed the shoreline and water access, accurately.
In another property, the complaint concerned a washing machine that was located in the crawl space. It was accessible enough, but apparently not located in the sterile environment of the ‘laundry room’ the renter expected when they read the words, ‘Washing Machine’, on the listing.
Top of the list of expectations this year is cleanliness. Now I have no arguments with that whatsoever and it’s the first aspect I consider when doing a cottage inspection and review, but taking some of the comments I’ve heard this year, many first time renters are fully expecting hotel style environments. Spider webs, bugs in window frames, dust bunnies under beds, and the occasional mouse dropping in a cupboard are enough to send some rental groups hotfooting it back to the city, and demanding an immediate refund.
To be fair, on this subject I believe there are a lot of properties whose owners are not as cottage-clean proud, as they are cottage-theme proud. These are the people who grew up vacationing in rustic properties where the first task on arrival was to reclaim the cottage from the wildlife population; throw a few covers over the mouse chewed sofas, and snuggle down onto hard and mildewed mattresses at the end of an idyllic day spent on the water. To some, that is traditional cottage living and is just the way it still should be. My recommendation to them is, don’t rent it out. Today’s high demand clients will not accept it even at the lowest rental rate.
So, how should you manage these expectations?
Be brutally honest in your listing – if there are weeds to one side of the dock, mention them; if the walkout is sandy, but there is no beach, say just that; if the only way to get cell phone reception is to stand on the end of the dock on one leg, you should note that as well.
Educate your renters – find out if they have ever rented a cottage before and if not, created a manual that includes everything they need to know. Just because you know how the septic system works and what you can and cannot put down the toilet, don’t expect them to. A comprehensive cottage guide can address most issues renters need to know.
Create a list of frequently asked questions on your website or listings – here’s a few I’ve encountered recently ‘Is the water drinkable?’, ‘Can my kids jump off the end of the dock?’, ‘What size is the freezer compartment?’.
Create a relationship with the renters – when they make the first enquiry, find out what they look for in a vacation; ask them what makes a place special, and answer every question honestly. I know of one owner who regularly swims in the
weedy water around her cottage because she has done it since she was a kid. Her
listing says she swims there, but doesn’t mention the weeds. It’s not so
unexpected that there have been numerous complaints about her waterfront
description this summer.
Let the renters know if you
change anything – when a renter has only a brief description and some photos to
go by, their vacation expectations will be based on that. If you make any
significant change, let them know. For example, if you decide to remove the VCR
and replace it with a DVD player and your rental group arrives with all their
favourite videos, they will not be happy. Or, if you change bed configuration,
share that information promptly.
The bottom line is to be
honest, keep your renters educated and informed, and to share any changes you
made since you listed the cottage. Knowing what your renters’ expectations are,
and then meeting them, is the key to a happy rental group. And happy rental
groups mean happy owners!!
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Topics: Cottage rental basics |
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