How many weeks each year is your vacation property empty?

Rentabode provides the means for you to safely rent your property so it can work for you. We are looking for attractive properties on the Lake Huron Shoreline, Bruce Peninsula and Southern Georgian Bay regions. We offer several listing options and will also act as your booking agent to save you the hassle of arranging reservations. If you would like to see your vacation location help pay the taxes and upkeep and are willing to share it with qualified guests a few weeks a year, then read on for more information on how to list.

Why choose Rentabode?

At Rentabode we take measures to take the stress out of renting your vacation property. You can simply use us to advertise your property or we will act as your agent to handle the paperwork and assure that things go smoothly. Our renter acceptance policy is designed to protect you while assuring that renters have an enjoyable stay.

If you live some distance from your vacation property, renting can be a real hassle. Potential renters want to see what they're getting and you don't want to travel back and forth showing it off, especially if its the middle of winter. Presenting your property on the Internet removes the issues of distance and lets you reach a much larger market. The problem as always, is how do people get to see your property.

Rentabode advertises through regional tourism publications and is linked through several web sites. Traditional advertising increases traffic and the number of potential renters that will see your property. Simple listings in search engines do not reach the right market and are easily lost amongst the thousands of competing sites.

What does it cost?

Property Listing
Property listings are displayed in a preformatted web page with all information relevant to the property. We provide a detailed questionnaire that you must complete for each listed property. Each listing allows the inclusion of up to (5) pictures that should include at least one exterior shot. A link to an existing web site or secondary web page can be added to your listing. Your name and phone number will be provided as the contact person unless you choose to have Rentabode act as the booking agent.

Flat Fee Plan
Rentabode will list your property for a 12-month period from January 1st to December 31st of the current year. We do not pro-rate this fee if you list later in the year so it is to your advantage to place your listing early. In this case, you are simply using Rentabode as an advetising service. If customers call us for information about your property we will direct them to the web site for more information. If they do not have access to the Internet, we will describe the property as best we can and determine if it is available for rent. The renter must contact you to complete the reservation.

Rentabode Agent
We can act on your behalf to arrange rentals of your property including handling the entire financial transaction for which we charge a percentage of the rental rate. Please contact us to discuss the options available.

When Rentabode acts as your agent we offer the following:

> free listing of your property.
> 888 toll free number for booking reservations.
> handling of all inquiries about your property.
> processing of reservations including issues relating to rescheduling and cancellations.
> acceptance of Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Diners Club for payment.
> a formal Renter's Agreement to protect your interests.
> periodic inspections to assure that the property is in good order.

When you choose the rental percentage option your listing fee, page design and updates are free.

How you apply

Before you can list your property you must complete a detailed questionnaire that lists all of the features of your property and what conditions you may have. This will include things like the distance to the nearest town, if pets are allowed and access for the handicapped. We expect complete and accurate disclosure so renters will know what they are getting and you get the people that you want.

Pictures of the property are very important, as most renters will not have the option to view the property before renting. Photos should be in focus, well exposed and show your property to its best advantage. Photos can be supplied in a digital format via a simple email attachment or provided as prints. Prints must be scanned for which we charge a service fee of $5.35 per image. Digital pictures should preferably be 800 x 600 pixel images and no less than 640 x 480 pixels.

Guidelines for listing your property

Minimum Listing Period
If you are simply choosing to use Rentabode as a listing service, you can rent as much or as little as you like.

If you utilize Rentabode as your reservation agent we require that you provide at least six prime-season rental weeks within a calendar year. If your property is a cottage these weeks would be in the summer months. If your property is a ski chalet this would be during the winter months. These prime season periods are dependent upon the area in which the property is located and will be determined when you first contact us. As a basic guideline, the months of June, July and August are considered to be the prime summer period for Ontario.

How much should you charge?
This depends on location, season, and the property itself. Locations in high-demand areas such as beaches in the middle of summer are going to demand a high rent. A good indicator are the prices being charged by other commercial and private accommodation in the immediate area. After a comparison of the features of your property to others, you can set a price that is consistent with the market. In a sense, you can charge whatever the market will bear but should select a fair price that generates rentals. If you are unsure what to charge, we can help you set a rate based upon properties in our database and knowledge of the local rental market.

Availability Dates
If you are simply using Rentabode as a means to list your property, you can make it available as much or as little as you wish. However, if your intent is to make money on your property, you should allow at least a few weeks of prime usage time. The months that you may be most interested in using your property will commonly be the same ones that guests are interested in.

Can you book it yourself?
Listing your property with Rentabode does not limit you in advertising your vacation property in anyway, including listing it on other services such as Rentabode. We request that you notify us each time you rent the properly in order that we can update the availability dates. If you have requested that Rentabode act as your booking agent, doing it yourself may incur the risk of double-booking the same time period. Therefore, we request that you contact us before you do so to confirm that a booking has not already been made. You can also check out the availability dates on your listing.

Can you add or remove availability dates?
You can choose to modify the availability dates at anytime although we suggest that you choose them a few months in advance of the season. This is most important for dates in the high season. Changing dates can discourage renters who may have seen the property available one week and unavailable the next. If there are frequent changes we may be forced to charge a service fee for maintenance.

Multiple properties
Renters are using the Rentabode service to preview a property before they rent it. Most will live a considerable distance away making it impractical to view it firsthand. Each property for rent should have an individual listing, including photos otherwise guests are still left with the problem of renting a property site unseen. However, your ad can state that you have other properties for rent but should be directed to you and not Rentabode. We offer attractive discounts when you place multiple listings so price should not be an obstacle.

Rental Agreement
Rentabode has created a standard rental agreement which is used when we act as your booking agent. If you decide to do it yourself, you should protect yourself with a rental agreement that covers such conditions as cancellation, damage and a general indemnity clause. One important clause of our agreement covers the issue of cleanup.

Cleanup
The Rentabode rental agreement includes a specific clause for property cleanup. Unless stated otherwise, guests are expected to cleanup after themselves and leave the property in the same state they found it when they moved in. However, it is reasonable to assume that guests may not be as particular as the property owner and some additional cleanup may be required between rentals. If you are not prepared to do this, consider hiring someone near the property to provide this service. If you choose Rentabode to manage your property we can make the necessary arrangements for this service.

Preparing your property for rental
If you don't want it broken, put it away is a good caveat. We expect most guests to be responsible but accidents can happen. This is more likely to be the case when children are allowed. Rather than create a problem situation, it is advisable to remove personal or fragile items or secure them in a locked area. This does not mean that it should be as sparse as a monk's cell - you are trying to provide a comfortable place to stay. The same goes for sports and recreation equipment that you do not want guests to use.

Part of your preparation should include the maintenance of the cottage. Don't leave items such as broken windows or doors, leaks, bad plumbing or electrical services. You should also do an inspection of the exterior of the property and grounds serenading it and fix or remove anything that could be a potential hazard to guests. If you make your property appealing it will be easier to rent at the best possible price.

Insurance Risks
Accidents can happen, regardless of the measures that you take. Your property should be insured to cover use by guests which will require you adding the necessary rider to your existing policy. Annual rates are in the range of $2.00 per thousand of coverage which will be lower if you rent for a limited number of months. The Rentabode agreement renters sign when we act as your agent includes specific indemnity clauses to reduce your risk. If you do it yourself, be sure to add this clause to your agreement.

Cancellations
If Rentabode acts as your booking agent renters pay a penalty for canceling a reservation or changing the reservation dates. (Refer to the section "Terms & Conditions for Guests" for more information.) In these cases, a portion of the cancellation fee offset the booking costs and the balance is paid to you. We allow renters some options such as substitution in order that they can have someone else take their place and reduce their costs.

Renter Comments
We invite renters to send us comments on places they have rented. If we receive negative comments you will be notified before we post these into the comments section of the listing. We will also contact the renter to determine the validity of their comments. Too many negative comments will discourage future rentals.

Amenities
Your property should include standard items such as dishes, cutlery, pots and pans, fridge, stove, etc. Although a television and phone are not essential, they may be considered as such to potential renters. Feature listings provide a list of all such items so renters know what is included and what they will need to bring.