When you have back-to-back rentals, you have to be strict about your check-in and checkout policies. Your housekeeper may get annoyed and there could be a personal safety issue for her (people walking in on her while she's inside your vacation rental home alone).
Establish strict policies. Tell your guests NO early check-ins or late checkouts. Write it on your reservation confirmation, rules documents and even on the directions to your second home. Now of course I know that you're saying, "yep, I do that," —but there are still the ones who will push the boundaries.
Make an agreement with your housekeeper. Have the guests checking out leave the key on the kitchen table. When the housekeeper is inside, she locks herself in. This way when the new guest arrives early, there is no key in the lock box and there is no way for the new renters to get in. Now there are cautions to this: what if your housekeeper forgets to put the key back inside the lockbox? Make an agreement with your housekeeper making her responsible for driving over, at any hour, to give the incoming guests the keys. Or better yet, have a back-up lockbox at your property with a spare set of keys. © Christine Karpinski 2006

Policies & Procedures    Rental agreements, sample contracts/leases, security deposits, best practices, and written communications with renters of your vacation rental home.

Mortgaging and Refinancing Vacation Homes (Transcript)    Christine talks with the President of Colonial National Mortgage and vacation home owner, David Motley, about mortgaging and refinancing options for vacation homes.

Complying with State, County, and City Short-Term Rental Laws    A list of considerations a new vacation rental owner should look into.

How to Encourage Repeat Renters    Having a past renter come back to your vacation rental property makes good business sense.

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

Merchant Credit Card Account Categories for Vacation Rental Owners    Be aware of the protection (or lack thereof) provided by your merchant account and/or business category.

Checklist for Creating a Thorough Rental Agreement    Use this checklist to sort through your own rental agreement and be sure you have all the necessary clauses.

How to Convert a Word Document to a PDF    Tips for changing your contracts, receipts, and invoices into PDF files.

The Different Types of Vacation Rental Fees    Definitions of common fees included in rental agreements.

Sample Vacation Rental Lease, Agreements & Contracts    Two sample rental contracts, leases or agreements, a rental invoice or confirmation, and a credit card authorization form that you can use for your vacation rental guests.

Why You Should Include Warnings in Rules and Rental Agreements    Are there known dangers regarding flora, fauna, weather, danger areas, or just plain crazy neighbors in your area?

How to Handle Security/Damage Deposits for Vacation Rentals    Tips for accepting and refunding security/damage deposits from your guests.

Checklist for Responding to Vacation Rental Inquiries    Be sure your email includes all the necessary information before clicking send.

Seal More Bookings with Your Inquiry Responses    Learn when to say yes, when to say no, and when to just pick up the phone!

Guidelines for Communicating with Renters    Learn how to create thorough rental agreements, directions, and inquiry responses.

Christine's Blog: Updating Your Rental Agreements (12/11/07)    Christine make a few alterations to her rental contracts.