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Property Usage

Do you allow wedding party groups in your properties?

Sorry, we try not to anymore. We've been "burned" too many times.  As a result, we no longer offer properties to large wedding guest groups exceeding 6 people.

Is there an age limit on who can rent from you?

Yes, we don't rent to anyone under 25 years old.

Can we bring an RV or Camper to the property?

Sorry, no. Unless you have special permission from the owner, RV's and campers are not permitted at the property.

Can we pitch a tent at the property?

Sorry, no. Tents can leave a patch of dead grass underneath them when removed. However, the main reason we don't allow tents is because they can lead to renters exceeding the maximum occupancy of a property.

Can we have outdoor fires (camp fires) at the property?

Only if the property has a firepit or place designated for a fire. Some ocean property owners will allow fires on the beach below the high tide water mark.

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Payments & Charges

What other fees and taxes are involved in renting a property from you and why?

We take pride in not tacking many fees on to our rental property's prices although it may seem that we do:

When is my first payment due?

A 50% deposit on the total rental is required to book your property with us.  Our rental season in Maine is less than 12 weeks, so we need to be sure you are committed to the time period you want to rent and not miss an opportunity to market the property to someone else if you aren't committed. The balance  is due 60 days prior to check-in . We accept all major credit cards (except AMEX), but of course prefer checks.

Once I have paid in full, what should I expect next?

If I am ever due a refund from you for anything, how will I receive it?

No matter whether you pay us by credit card, cash, or check, we most often issue refunds for things such as security deposits and cleaning deposits in the form of a bank check. We mail the checks to the renters address on file.

What happens if you reduce the advertised price on the rental property AFTER we rent it?

Nothing. Fortunately this doesn't happen often.  It's called "Yield Management".  We try to employ this industry standard business practice when there are only 2 or 3 weeks remaining in a summer to rent a property and we want to fill up the vacant weeks.  Occasionally, we offer sales on selected properties.  These sales will not apply to already confirmed reservations.

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Communications

We will be working or doing business on vacation and MUST have high speed internet access and good cell phone coverage. Can that be guaranteed?

Unfortunately no. Some guests must work while on vacation. 90% of our rental properties offer High-Speed Internet access. Some of the properties even offer wireless access. Internet service in the villages and towns is generally pretty reliable. However, outside of town in the more rural areas - it is not. If the Internet goes down, it can often take days or weeks to get repaired, especially in the busy summer season. If you MUST have internet access during your stay - let us know. We will tell you if the property you are renting has better service than most. We do not guarantee working internet access at any of our properties and do not offer refunds if it is not working. There are many public WiFi Hot Spots in Maine that can be used alternatively.

How is cell phone coverage in Maine?

Improving - each year is better than the last.  We learn more from our guests how well the coverage is than by our own experience. We use Blackberry's through US Cellular and have coverage at every property we list. The southern part of the state, from Brunswick south to New Hampshire has good coverage for all major carriers.  North of Brunswick (98% of our properties), the best service is with Verizon and US Cellular.  AT&T provides a little coverage in some larger towns, but in general - don't count on reliable service for your iPhone if it is with AT&T if you are staying in the Boothbay, Penobscot Bay, or Acadia regions.  Sprint, Nextel, and T-Mobile service is also poor in these areas.  If you need a cell phone in Maine, and don't think your's will work, we can arrange to get a pay-by-use phone for you with a local Maine number.

Will there be a landline at the property?

Possibly.  About 70% of our rental properties don't have a telephone "land-line".  With such a short rental season in Maine, it's too costly to install a phone each summer for some owners.  The properties that have phone lines are most likely our year-round rental properties.  If having phone service at the property is important to you, please let us know.

How do we reach you after normal business hours if there is a problem at our rental property?

Extension 6. Anytime you call our offices after normal business hours, and you need to reach us for an URGENT issue, push Ext 6 and you'll ring every phone, cellphone, and truck phone our company has including the home phones of our owners and agents. Someone will rush to pick the phone up right away. As long as your issue is an urgent issue that can't wait until the next day during normal business hours, whoever answers the phone will be happy to assist you with your issue. Some examples of urgent issues include getting lost going to the property, plumbing and electrical problems at the property, lockouts, and bad odors such as smoke or septic related, or an alarm going off. Issues that are not considered urgent are problems with a television or the internet, or a request for additional linens and towels (you only get one set of each), or sweating toilets (on really warm days, the cold water in toilets can make them appear to be leaking - but they are just "sweating").

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Guest Expectations

What is the most important question we should ask you?

"We have reviewed all the pictures for the property we are interested in renting from you that you have posted on the listing page. We have looked at the Google Earth Map that you provide to see the satellite view of the property on the listing page and understand the area around the property. We have read the entire Property Description on the listing page and looked at all the photos. As a result, we have generated our own assumptions about the rental property. Should we verbalize our assumptions and ensure that we understand completely the property we are renting from you before we rent it?"

YES! One of the most popular words we get in any feedback from our guests AFTER they rent with us is the word "ASSUMED". Examples include, "We assumed we could launch a kayak easily from this property", or "we assumed it was a sandy beach, great for kids, that came with the property, that is why we rented it", or our long-time favorite, "we are here on a work-vacation and assumed we'd have great cell phone service and that the internet service was fast and reliable". If you have any assumptions to make, please let us know BEFORE you rent the property with us. We want to ensure the property and what's included with it meets your expectations, but we would rather not hear the word "assumed" after you arrive.   Please call us - we love to talk to our guests!

We rented from you last year or in the past - should we expect everything to be the same at the property or in regards to your rental policies and terms?

No. This has been a problem in the past for us, which is why we felt it important to share it here.  Our property owners are constantly updating and changing things to their properties - usually for the better. However, sometimes their changes may affect something that you are counting on. For example, they may have changed from twin bunk beds in one room, to a king sized bed instead. If you have certain expectations about a property you have rented from us before, please be sure to tell us up front - we don't want you to be disappointed. Additionally, we keep our listings 100% up-to-date with the most accurate information. Please be sure to re-read the property listing for any changes. Check our terms each year as well.  We try and post new terms in October each year for the upcoming year, and of course every year – they do change.  Most of the time the changes are for the better.  Between 2008 & 2009, we switched from taking security deposits, to offering a damage waiver, which offered better security to our guests.  Between 2009 and 2010, we added the damage waiver into our processing fee to reduce the number of fees our guests had to pay. In 2011, we added that properties occupied by 7 or more guests must now pay a refundable $200 cleaning deposit. For 2012, many of our owners are now requiring a straight-up cleaning fee.  This change was because we had major housekeeping issues after rentals with larger groups in 2010 & 2011.

Are linens and towels included with our rental?

We get this question all the time and used to not understand why until we realized most other renal companies and private owners don't include them.  OF COURSE we include linens with the rental of the property - they are included with all our rentals - we are a professional company that wants to ensure that our guests don't have to work while on vacation.  The last thing you want to do is make beds when you've arrived at an unfamiliar property late in the evening after a long drive.  When we say linens and towels are included - what we mean is that all beds are made with clean sheets as well as at least one bath towel for each guest (if you require wash cloths, you'll want to bring your own - we supply one hand towel per bathroom).  You may re-launder your linens and towels on your own during your stay if you desire.  We DO NOT provide beach towels and request that you don't take the bath towels to the beach or lake.

I have allergies to certain things - should I tell you if I do in advance so I am not surprised when I arrive at my vacation property to find something that I am allergic to is there?

We have had guests with allergies to down-pillows, cleaning products; air fresheners, etc arrive and contact us at 10pm on a Saturday night to asking us to address these issues. . Had we known in advance, we could have tried to accommodate them or been able to quickly resolve the issue before their arrival. If you have an allergy, don't assume we will know it - tell us up front. Cats - we never rent to cats - but, some of our owners have cats in the homes during the off-season. If you are allergic to bees, please let us know! We'll be diligent before your arrival to check around the property and ensure no nests are evident. Again - if you have allergies to anything - please tell us when you book the property - we want you to have an allergy-free vacation.

What is expected of me in regards to cleaning of the property after my stay?

Your property should be cleaned to your satisfaction when you arrive. We have 4 rating scales that we use to ask you about the cleanliness of your property in a survey you can complete at the end of your stay. "Excellent" is the highest rating, and we hope that you find your property that way when you arrive. Cleaning is is included in your rental price. However, should the cleaning of the property exceed the hours expected, you will be charged $25 per hour from your credit card on file for any extra time it took to clean the property. This rarely happens, when it does, there will certainly be a discussion with the renter, usually within hours of departure.

98% of the time, we find that guests have left a property just as they found it minus some basic cleaning when they checked-in, which is expected. Our cleaners are most likely to disinfect, vacuum, dust, and make beds when a guest departs a property in order to prepare it for the next guest. Re-emphasizing our membership with the BBB (Better Business Bureau), it is not our goal to generate income off of cleaning, nor do we or the owner generate income from cleaning charges. Cleaning is a challenging part of the seasonal vacation rental business.  It is not expected that cleaners should need to clean up new carpet stains, wash dishes, scrub clean barbecue grills, pick-up excess human or pet hair, and replace furniture to its original location, etc. after a guest departs. Our cleaners only have a 6 hour window in which to clean multiple properties each turnover day (Saturday). The last thing we want them to do is spend extra time at a property cleaning it because it was left excessively dirty or displaced as it will set back their schedule. We only ask that our guests will ensure they will do their best to leave the property as they found it when they arrived.

If you have brought a dog or dogs - you must vacuum up all their pet hair.  There should be no evidence a dog was in the property upon your departure.

We do not review properties with our guests at Check-In to confirm condition of the property, but guests can let us know of any concerns about a property when they Check-In. 

In summary, we like you to think of the vacation house you are renting from us as your "Aunt Sylvia's Maine Cottage" and treat it the same way you treat a family members house if they let you go use it for a week.

What do we need to bring with us to our vacation property?

All the food, condiments, and things you need to feel at home. We take pride that a majority of our properties are fully stocked with all the tools necessary to have a great vacation. We have "pump" soap in all the bathrooms and in the kitchen for basic cleaning, so if you want your favorite soap for washing, you'll need to bring that. Definitely bring beach towels if you plan on swimming.

Will there be beach chairs at my vacation property?

Maybe - Maybe not.  Some owners supply them - some don't.  We don't inventory these items.  Most beach chairs are not made of a great quality.  While they may be there at the start of the season, they may have broken by the 3rd or 4th week.  Logistically, we can't keep up with tracking down which properties have broken beach chairs - so we choose to say the are not at a property rather set the expectation that they are.  If having folding beach chairs to take to the beach is important to you - you'll want to bring them with you to the property

How will the drinking water be at my vacation property?

Drinking water at 99% of our properties comes from a well or city water and is great to drink right out of the tap. A couple of our properties take water from the lake or pond they are located on and you cannot drink the water until it is boiled, although it is safe for cooking, cleaning, and bathing. The listings for each property describe the water source under the Amenity section.

Do you include any bikes or boats with the rental of any of your property rentals?

We do not include bikes or boats such as canoes or kayaks with any of our property rentals unless a listing specifically states that a bike or boat is included.   Individual owners may have boats at their properties, but insurance requirements prohibit them from sharing the boats with you. Fortunately, Maine Watercraft Rentals Inc., our other business, offers boats for rent and we can deliver them right to the property before you arrive in most situations with life jackets, fuel, and all you need to get out on the water. Click HERE to see our boat rentals.  Bike rentals are available only in a few locations in the state.  Click on the Amenities section of our website menu, then Affiliate Amenities to see some we recommend.  Even at properties that offer bike or boat rentals - we do not guarantee that they are in good working or usable order.

What happens if we leave something behind after we leave?

Unfortunately, our lost items policy is not as "friendly" in appearance as we would like it to be. Every year, about 100 guests contact us because they left something behind after their stay at one of our properties.  Because we are a small business with two employees, these calls and e-mails to report lost items are an unnecessary burden on our company.  The number one item left behind is a charger, whether for phone or iPad/iPod, or other.  Clothes are another item left behind frequently.  Unlike a hotel or resort where housekeeping can simply swing by and drop off found items for us to return, our more complex houses offer a challenging opportunity for cleaners to distinguish between owner items and renter items left behind.  As a result, it is rare for our cleaners to want to remove an item from a property.   Because of this, it is very difficult for us to then make a trip back to a property to find lost items because new renters take possession of a property 6 hours after you departed.   Even if a cleaner finds an item, many of our cleaners have no reason to make a special trip to our office to drop it off since they are "vendors" and most only work for us part-time on the weekends.   As a result, we must charge a fee to retrieve lost items because it is an inconvenience to us.  In addition to shipping and handling charges to return your items left behind, we charge $50 to look for and retrieve lost items.  Bottom line, triple check the rental property before you depart to make sure you left nothing behind. 

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Heating & Cooling

Will our vacation property have air conditioning?

Not unless it states it does on the Amenity section of the property's listing page (only eight 2012 listings have A/C - the Tea House, Maple Island Lodge, Coast Cottage, Midocy Cottage, Rocky Point, Springbrook Hill, Chestnut Retreat, and Waterside Retreat.)  Usually, Maine has "natural" air conditioning.  This past summer of 2011 was hotter than most and this question was more common as a result.   Most of our homes are on the water and have fans and that is enough to help on the hotter days.  That said, we know some of our southern guests that are used to living in air conditioned houses year-round at 68 degrees may be bothered by having 75 degree days in our rental properties. Again, this is Maine, and this is how it is.  Fans can take the edge off - or take a dip in the water on those few hot nights. If for some reason there are no working fans in your bedroom when you arrive - call us right away and we'll show up to remedy the situation.  We want you to sleep well on vacation.

If our rental property has a fireplace or wood stove - can we use it?

Any property we offer for rent before June and after September will have a heating source. Between July & August, it's doubtful that you will need any heating source in your rental property. Each listing page for each property lists on the Amenity section whether a wood burning stove or fireplace may be used.  Just because a property has a fireplace or wood stove, don't assume you can use it.  Unfortunately - most of our homeowners with properties that have fireplaces don't allow them to be used   The straight truth why: INSURANCE. The average home owner's insurance policy in Maine runs about $400 per year. The average "casual home rental" insurance policy that allows our home owner's to rent their homes to you for up to 8 weeks a year runs around $800 per year. The next step up is "commercial rental insurance". These commercial policies are the only policies that cover allowing renters (you) to use indoor wood burning stoves and fireplaces. These policies average $3 to $4 thousand per year. So, as you can imagine, our property owner's aren't willing to spend an additional amount of money needed to upgrade to commercial renters insurance just to allow our guests to burn wood a few nights each summer. SOLUTION - Some of our properties have outdoor fire pits, or - we rent them.   Ask one of our representatives about renting a fire pit - or have a fire on the beach below the high-water mark if possible.