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Terms & ConditionsWhat We Do We rent waterfront or water-view vacation properties, primarily in the summer between June and October, on a Saturday to Saturday weekly basis* (a select few properties are offered on a Friday to Friday basis). On the Water in Maine is that accurate and "guaranteed" certification of a rental property by a 3rd party. By offering a property to you for rent,
we are verifying that it is in fact what it is advertised as. Renters
tell us more and more that they will "never" rent a property online again
directly from an owner. There are hundreds and thousands of examples
where an owner and a renter in a direct relationship have come head-to-head
without a positive resolution. With On the Water in Maine Inc. as part of
the equation, renters know that we have our good name, our reputation with the Better Business Bureau and our experience and knowledge to
help ensure that both the renter and the owner get a fair deal. Besides, if
after your long trip to Maine, you arrive to find that your rental property
isn't advertised or agreed upon in the rental contract, we always have other
properties to choose from!
Our only business at On the Water in Maine is renting waterfront vacation properties in Maine. We are not a real estate agency and have no affiliation with any real estate brokerage firm. We are proud that one of our goals is to make sure we offer a great match for both the homeowner and for those visitors who are looking for spectacular vacation retreat for family and guests. It is important that you know that we have a contractual relationship and serve as representatives for our Property owners. We treat all parties (owners and guests) honestly, fairly and in good faith. Booking
Process Once you have decided on your property and the week you desire - BOOK IT online here at the site or by calling us. You are not always the only person negotiating for the same property for the same week. We have encountered many situations where one party has spent a week asking us questions about a property and trying to decide whether they want it or not while another person "swooped in" and booked the property they wanted. The first person to give us a 50% deposit on the property gets it. In order to "book" your desired rental property with us, we'll require a 50% deposit of the total rental amount which includes tax and processing. You can pay this by credit card, check, cash, or money order. We accept all credit cards except American Express, but we would prefer that you didn't present us with a credit card that earns points or rewards (In case you weren't aware, we - the merchant - pays for your rewards through our credit card processing. In some cases, we have accepted reward accumulating credit cards that have charged us as merchants more than the 7% agent processing fee we charge you- which makes all our work go uncompensated). Once we have received your deposit, we will send you a rental agreement by e-mail in a PDF format (or mail it to you if that is more convenient). We can provide you a "sneak peak" of an example rental agreement if you contact us verbally first to request it be e-mailed. If, after we have received your credit card deposit, but before you have signed the rental agreement finalizing the rental, you decide not to rent with us, we will still retain our 7% agent processing fee to cover the time and effort that goes into putting your rental agreement together. So be sure that you are 99.9% committed to renting with us when you give us that first deposit. 60 Days prior to your rental, payment in full is due along with any amenity charges such as boat rentals or vacation grocery services etc. Please note - Any checks returned for insufficient funds will require replacement funds by cash, certified bank check, or postal money order, plus a $25 fee. Later, about two weeks before your rental begins, we'll e-mail you with all the information you need to know about your rental property, including directions, what to bring and fun facts about the area around your property will be sent. If you don't have the information on how to get to your property at least two weeks prior - call us! Check-in
Procedure Directions
to the Property you are renting will be e-mailed to you at least 2 weeks prior
to your rental, and after your rental has been paid in full. 90% of our properties have lock boxes and the
access code to the lock box at each property will be located in the directions
e-mail. The other 10% of our properties
are left open with the keys on the table.
Your directions will explain.
Once you arrive at your Property, you must call 1-800-930-2561 Ext 5 to "check-in".
Every effort is made to have
each home ready by check-in time, but no guarantee is made as to the exact time
of occupancy. Housekeeping and maintenance personnel must provide
services between occupancies for each home in order to prepare the home for
incoming guests. Sometimes, due to unforeseen circumstances, housekeeping
and/or maintenance services may not be completed by your 4pm check-in
time. This situation rarely occurs, however, we apologize in advance if
the is situation happens to you. Payment
policies The credit card you provide will be used
unless other arrangements are made. Regardless if you are able to pay by check
(bookings in advance of 60 days), you must still provide us with a major credit
card for any unforeseen charges that occur during the rental such as boat
trips, massages, or damages not covered by the Damage Waiver. We do not accept American Express credit
cards.
Maine State Lodging Tax Change: Maine State Lodging Tax Change: Please Note, the State of Maine's legislature voted to increase the Maine state lodging tax to 8.5% effective Oct 1, 2009. However, a statewide petition has put the law into question and now the law goes before the people of Maine in June of 2010. We reserve the right to charge an additional 1.5% in Maine Lodging tax should the rate increase take effect prior to your arrival date. - http://www.state.me.us/revenue/salesuse/taxreformsalestax.htm Cancellations/Refunds While we look out for the interest of our Customers when it comes to rentals - we must also pay special attention to our Property Owners, who are also our Customers. Many of our Property Owners count on the income generated by renting their vacation properties, and when a week is canceled, they must contend with lost revenue and the possibility of the unexpected situation of a property not re-renting for the week they had intended to see rented by you. If you book with us prior to 60 days from your rental start day, we do offer Vacation Trip Cancellation Insurance because even the best planned trip can be impacted by the unexpected. This plan also provides other insurance coverage an assistance services to take care of you while you are traveling. We anticipate the unexpected so you do not have to. If you decide you must cancel your vacation plans with us and we are able to re-rent the week(s) of your planned stay, we will return all your money minus a 10% (of the full rental price) administration fee. However, you must contact us immediately if you decide to cancel - we want to help you find a replacement renter for week(s) at the property. Regardless of whether you have
paid your balance in full or not, if you cancel your rental before the 60 day
final payment due date, and have not yet paid us in full, you must still
continue on with the terms of your rental agreement with the owner and send in
the balance of the rental minus the security deposit protection and the Maine
State Lodging Tax (since these items are not required if you do not stay). We
will work hard for you up until 4pm of the day the rental begins to find a
replacement renter for you as long as you cooperate with us. We want
you to be happy and come back and rent with us again. Failure to return a rental agreement signed within 5 days - If you
have made a reservation with us and received a confirmation e-mail that your rental is "Approved", we have initiated the process to complete your rental booking. This means your are committed to your rental. At that time we will e-mail the rental agreement between you and the owner to you. If we don't receive the signed rental agreement back within 5 business days, or don't have any communication from you requesting an extension, we will consider your rental "canceled without a signed agreement". 98% of our guests return their agreements by fax - which is why we work within the 5 day time-frame. With advance notice, we will grant an extension if you decide to mail the agreement instead. In the case that we have to cancel your rental because you didn't return a rental agreement timely, we
will still retain our 7% agent processing fee and take that charge from the credit card that you provided us at booking. If you are able to still return your rental agreement after the 5 days, and the property is still available at the current advertised price, we will re-process your rental and credit the 7% agent processing fee back to you. Cleaning
Fee Normally, we don't charge a
cleaning fee. Your home is stocked for
your arrival with paper products including 2 rolls of toilet paper in each
bathroom, 1 roll of paper towels at the kitchen sink, and pump-hand soaps at
each sink. Beds are ready and made for
your arrival except the following: trundles, futons, sofa sleepers, and cots. Please
leave the Property in the same general condition as it was when you arrived -
when you depart. Our staff will arrive after your departure to thoroughly
clean and inspect the Property. All
food and drink spills should be cleaned up as they occur. Food and drink spills on carpets or upholstery
are considered to be damage, not normal wear and tear. If they are "accidental" and can't be
cleaned, let us know right away so we can take care of it as part of the Damage
Waiver covered by your rental processing fee. Refrigerators
should be emptied of all food and free of spills. All used dishes should be washed and/or
placed in the dishwasher on the wash cycle. Damage
Waiver (Security Deposit):
Part of your rental processing fee
includes our Damage Waiver protection plan.
This covers you for up to $975 in accidental damages to the property. This is in lieu of a traditional "security
deposit". Our
housekeeping staff works diligently to prepare each home in preparation for
your arrival. For stays over seven nights, please inquire if you would like
additional cleaning. You
may be charged up to $1000.00 additional in the event of a violation of our
"no smoking" "no pet" or "maximum occupancy"
polices or incidental damages which occurred during the tenancy. Additional
housekeeping charges will be applied in event for the need of excessive
cleaning by our staff and the occurrence of exceeding the maximum occupancy of
the cottage. We supply a departure procedure checklist in each home; these
rules must be followed to avoid any additional charges. Pet
Policy Due to owner's & guests allergies
certain homes DO NOT allow pets...big or small. In all cases - ANIMALS BESIDES
DOGS ARE STRICTLY PROHIBITED. Smoking
Policy ABSOLUTELY NO SMOKING IS ALLOWED IN ANY
OF OUR PROPERTIES or on the Property grounds.
Keys are located at each Property
either on the kitchen table in an unlocked home, or in a lock-box. For
check out, please return this key to wherever you found it when you arrived.
The charge for a lost key is the cost to re-key the home, and this can range
from $150 to $300.
The
following items are included in each vacation rental:
You'll want to bring the following items
for your stay: General
Policies Primary
contracted Guests are responsible for any expenses incurred during the visit,
including but not limited to loss and damages, accident or injury to person, or
loss sustained while visiting the home. Occupancy for each home is
strictly enforced and fines will be assessed for exceeding the number of
allowed guests.
Some of the properties we offer
are listed on the market for sale and may be shown to prospective buyers. , or if the Property goes on the market after you book
it. Once you are in the vacation Property, every attempt will be made to give
24-hours notice and to not interrupt your vacation if a potential buyer
requests to view the Property during your vacation. |
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