How do you stop renters from trashing your rental?

[Duchess]

Who else has had stuff stolen?

We just took over our rental from a management company for good. As much as we loved the extra income, our tax guy advised that it wasn't as advantageous as we thought. So 2006 is the year *we* get to use our place! We look forward to letting friends and family use it as well; a buddy of ours is down there right now for his birthday. I look forward to not having to inventory the crap that's been continuously stolen each time I go down. First to go are always the laundry basket, chip clips and remotes. I kid you not! I'd be interested to hear what others have found "missing". We have had folks leave stuff as well.....the most interesting being a nice, large, working gas grill with a full tank o' propane. Can you believe it?

 

[Sheila]

Re: Who else has had stuff stolen?

We just took over our rental from a management company for good. As much as we loved the extra income, our tax guy advised that it wasn't as advantageous as we thought. So 2006 is the year *we* get to use our place! We look forward to letting friends and family use it as well; a buddy of ours is down there right now for his birthday. I look forward to not having to inventory the crap that's been continuously stolen each time I go down. First to go are always the laundry basket, chip clips and remotes. I kid you not! I'd be interested to hear what others have found "missing". We have had folks leave stuff as well.....the most interesting being a nice, large, working gas grill with a full tank o' propane. Can you believe it?

Worst experience I ever had was from my former managment company. On my monthly statement I had a charge for "service on my grill". Called assuming it was a mistake, since we didn't have a grill. No mistake. They had a guest that wanted one. They went and bought a charcoal grill, charcoal, and lighter fluid and delivered it to our house for the guest! The sweet guest used it, left it uncovered on my DECK! It was all rusted and had stained my deck. Let's just say, the management company and I parted ways briefly after that incident! Good to hear you will actually be able to enjoy your home now!

 

[seagrovelover]

I will never understand how someone who rents a vacation home could be so inconsiderate!!! I feel that it is a privilege to be able to stay in a beach home no matter what the cost is. We have always kept our vacation rental as if it is our own, we cherish every single minute at the beach and appreciate that someone worked very hard to purchase their beach home. I wish every renter would be a little more careful!!!! so sorry that you had such selfish renters.

 

[Beachlover2]

I think I mentioned this once before - last April - someone took my comforter - shams - pillows etc. I couldn't believe it. The worse part was the property manager gave them back the deposit without checking the place out (how can you make a bed without a cover). When they tried to call the people the phone number was disconnected and when they went to put the charge on the visa - that was declined. I guess they liked my decorating taste

I think the number one way to stop abuse - is be there yourself. I think people think twice about abusing the place when the owner is the one that checks them in and will be the one to check them out. I know easier said than done - we have been renting since 1998. I think most things disappear because they get broken or as in the case of my crockpot - they burned something in it and decided they didn't want to clean it same principle as to my missing fry pans etc.) I just wish we were there to do this but that is impossible for now.

The grill - now that is another story - that now stays in the garage and the only one that uses it is us and our snowbirds - because I can trust them.

 

[InletBchDweller]

I know someone that had a rental at Seacrest Beach. He paid a maid, and paid her well but she counted every dvd, cd, book, etc. after a guest left. It was a pain and expensive but he said that there was never a problem.

I rent and clean my own units and I too believe that when the owner checks in the person and checks them out it makes a difference.

Too Far Tampa I used to take care of your place and you would not believe what a bunch of college kids did to your place once.
I could not believe that people could be so disrespectful and their parents took up for them. I believe that one ended up in a lawsuit.

 

[Miss Kitty]

gttbm...so if a guest at your place had wanted a new car......????? That is just about the crazist thing I have ever heard! I take it you declined the charge!!!!?

So far we have been fortunate. Of course, I have never seen what the place looks like after they leave. I am on my third paper towel holder. For a while there, I thought about leaving some BB&B coupons for our guests so they could purchase their own! After our first Guest Book walked out of here, the new one has remained. I do love reading what our guests have to say.

 

[Sheila]

gttbm...so if a guest at your place had wanted a new car......????? That is just about the crazist thing I have ever heard! I take it you declined the charge!!!!?

Those were my thoughts exactly! Yes! Not only did I decline that charge I also declined the charge that they slapped on my final statement for going over, hauling the rusted grill off my deck, and disposing of it! As I said we parted ways very quickly after that!

 

[DBOldford]

Management companies are preoccupied with renters much more than with owners' needs. Everyone needs a reality check on this, believe me. Ours even told me once that I really didn't need to know when the renters were abusive, that they would take care of it. Well, I don't want to ever rent to such people again. And I would feel pretty stupid unknowingly sending them a Christmas card with a nice beach photo and a "thank you" for renting our house this past year!

Here's a silly story. I never use electric can openers because they rust and retain disgusting food remnants on the apparatus. Plus, the manual openers are more convenient and are quite effective if you have a good one. We have three good ones in our kitchen. A family of 10 rented the house over Thanksgiving weekend and demanded an electric can opener, because the grandmother had hand surgery. So...out of 10 people, no one could open a can? Give me a break. I refused to pay the charge and delivered the electric opener to the management company next time I was down.

None of us should let these people get away with this kind of nonsense. Without the properties, there are no renters... :shock:

 

[Sheila]

Management companies are preoccupied with renters much more than with owners' needs. Everyone needs a reality check on this, believe me. Ours even told me once that I really didn't need to know when the renters were abusive, that they would take care of it. Well, I don't want to ever rent to such people again. And I would feel pretty stupid unknowingly sending them a Christmas card with a nice beach photo and a "thank you" for renting our house this past year!

Here's a silly story. I never use electric can openers because they rust and retain disgusting food remnants on the apparatus. Plus, the manual openers are more convenient and are quite effective if you have a good one. We have three good ones in our kitchen. A family of 10 rented the house over Thanksgiving weekend and demanded an electric can opener, because the grandmother had hand surgery. So...out of 10 people, no one could open a can? Give me a break. I refused to pay the charge and delivered the electric opener to the management company next time I was down.

None of us should let these people get away with this kind of nonsense. Without the properties, there are no renters... :shock:

My kind of woman! We don't own and electric can opener either!

For the most part we have had very positive experiences with our renters. We do have repeat guests and I have a few that we stay in touch with throughout the year.

I want to empahsis the guest in my earlier post was an exception not the rule. But, once and a while you get one or two that are just mind boggling!

 

[DBOldford]

I absolutely agree. The vast majority of our renters are families who come back year after year. They share their photos and memories with us. Some have stayed in our house longer than we have! We have even hosted the Atlanta Ski Club on many occasions and they have been great guests. All in all, we have been very fortunate with our renters. And we do keep in mind that we could always take the house off the rental program and avoid all the angst. But on more than one occasion, we were pretty happy to have renters in the house when problems arose that would have been awful but for early detection. The weird requests and even the abusers keep things interesting, I guess.