Search Go
   Home       Travelers       Homeowners       Property Managers       Travel Deals   
   
Search Community
Go
Browse
HomeAway Sites
Getting Started Links
Services & Tools
Rent by Owner FAQs
Top 10 Articles
Downloadable Forms
  Policies & Procedures , Checklist for Creating a Thorough Short-Term Rental Agreement  
 
     
Checklist for Creating a Thorough Short-Term Rental Agreement

Use this checklist to sort through your own rental agreement and be sure you have all the necessary clauses
 
You might have already consulted our sample rental agreements and contracts to create your own set of rental rules. But with all that information to sift through, it might be hard to tell what details are missing and what clauses need updating in your own agreement. This rental agreement checklist should help you determine what needs to be added or reworded within your own rental rules.
Booking Information
 Property Address
 Phone Number at Vacation Home
 # of Guests Booked
 Guests Name(s)
 Check-In Time, Date & Day of Week
 Checkout Time, Date & Day of Week
 Rate Change Provisions

Payment Instructions
 Security Deposit Amount
 Total Bill
 Cleaning Fee
 Tax Rate
 Payment Schedule Including Dates
 Balance Due Date
 Payment Methods Accepted
 Address to Mail Checks
 Returned Check Fee
 Instructions for Paying by CC
 Cancellation Policy

Credit Card Authorization
 Name on Card
 Billing Address
 Credit Card Number
 Type of Card
 Expiration Date
 Reiterate Cancellation/Refund Policy
 Signature with Date

Rental Rules
 Smoking Policy
 Pet Policy
 Rental Restrictions (Age, Noise, etc.)
 Maximum Occupancy
 Minimum Stays

Post-Stay Information
 Housekeeping Procedure
 Checkout Policy (Keys, Cleaning, etc.)
 Penalty for Late Checkout
 Deposit Refund Policy (incl. deadline)

Other
 Written Exceptions Clause (if renter wishes to alter anything outlined in rental agreement)
 Parking Information
 Inclement Weather Policy
 Use of/Access to Community Amenities
 Homeowner or Property Manager Contact Info

Do you include anything not listed above in your rental agreement?

"I include a very explicit cancellation policy covering everything from natural disasters to emergency cancellations." Steve P, Florida (VRBO).

"Anyone renting an apartment unit I would suggest to include the following:

Please be advised that the apartment you are renting is located within a condominium which contains certain amenities and common areas (including but not limited to the swimming pool, gym, elevators, sauna, alarm system, etc..) which may from time to time not be fully functional or operational or may be under repair as managed by the building administration such that the use of these areas and/or amenities may be unavailable or limited during your stay in the apartment. In this context, while we recognize and regret any resulting inconvenience to our guests, the owner of the apartment will not be responsible for any such events of outage or unavailability and shall have no responsibility or obligation to grant any discount or refund of any of the rental fee as a result of any such circumstances."  -Eric, Panama City, FL (VRBO #107794)

“Guests agree to lock doors/windows and have blinds drawn upon departure. They must remove all traces of food from the premises and lock garbage in bear-proof box. They also agree to keep security system set when they are absent from property and when checking out since bear break-ins are common in our area.” - Brenda, South Lake Tahoe, CA (HomeAway, VacationRentals.com)

 


Related Tips header

 Check out these sample forms and checklists.

Sample Forms & Checklists for Vacation Rentals A list of the sample forms available on the Owner Community.

 Handling security deposits.

Security Deposit Guidelines for Vacation Rentals Helpful guidelines to follow for handling deposits for your rental.

 Create thorough agreements, directions, and inquiry responses.
Guidelines for Communicating with Renters Learn how to create thorough rental agreements, directions, and inquiry responses.
 Considerations for new vacation rental owners.
A list of considerations a new vacation rental owner should look into.

© Copyright HomeAway, Inc. U.081202.KD