How to Turn Your House Into a Vacation Rental extension London

Turning your house into a vacation rental can seem overwhelming at first… but it really doesn’t have to be. This is a process that you can really enjoy and have fun with! I have set up houses as vacation rentals dozens and dozens of times, for my client’s extension London, as well as my own houses. I understand what is involved and required from every aspect, from assuring the property is in compliance with governmental agency rules and regulations, to making sure it has all the essentials that most guests require. In my commitment to assuring that my clients are continually successful with their vacation rental houses, I often find myself in the role of ‘vacation rental counselor,’ mostly pertaining to governmental agency and code compliance, quality assurance, and ongoing property maintenance required to meet the current industry standard.

So, with that in mind, it’s important to begin with the basics when you decide to offer your house as a vacation accommodation to travelers. In this article I will provide you with the 5 most important steps to follow to assure your vacation rental success. As you read through this, I advise you to consider the fact that your house is in a unique town or city, that this article is a general guide, and that it is critical for you to become aware of your local community sentiment, and rules and regulations about short-term rentals. Always remember, your house is a private property, it is are not a hotel, and preparing your house and managing it as a vacation rental accommodation for tourists must be carefully and thoughtfully done.

The very first thing you need to do is to educate yourself about your local city, county, and state laws, ordinances, and rules and regulations pertaining to offering your house as a vacation rental in your unique community neighborhood. Please don’t just assume that because it’s your property, you can do whatever you want with it. And, please don’t put a lot of effort and expense in setting up your house as a rental for tourists until you rule out the possibility that there are laws preventing you from doing so.

Many local and state government agencies have clear regulations stating that setting up your house to rent as a vacation rental turns it into a business. And it will probably be subject to some level of city, county, and / or state licensing. Many governing agencies also require that to legally rent your house as a short-term rental, you must collect local and state tax from tourists who rent your property.

A quick search in the vacation rental news reveals, that as short-term rentals become more. And more popular, many communities have licensing restrictions. And very specific rules and regulations regarding renting houses short term to tourists. Call your local town or city governmental offices. And get to the appropriate licensing department that can answer your specific questions. Find out what specific licenses and / tax numbers you need to legally rent your house, and get them. I highly recommend that you seek the assistance of an established licensed local rental agency. That can properly assist you understanding and complying with licensing. And tax requirements required in your community.

Now that you’ve determined that it is legal for you to rent your house as a vacation rental. And you’ve obtained the proper licenses and tax numbers. It’s time to think about the neighborhood where your rental house is located. This might seem silly, and many people gloss over this important step. But believe me you can save massive headaches. And fights with neighbors by dealing with this issue pro-actively. Nearly every news article you read on communities that are resisting or trying to restrict vacation rentals point to the same neighbor issues: noisy tourists staging loud parties. Tourists taking parking spaces from local residents, and tourists being careless with their garbage.

In all the years I’ve been in the vacation rental business I’ve seen several neighbor-to- neighbor squabbles. That have involved code enforcement, the police, and even expensive law suits. Most of these issues could have been avoided with plain common sense and consideration. Find out who your neighbors are. And do your best to communicate with them and determine if they will resist you renting your house to tourists.

Once you begin renting your house to vacationers. You need to commit to being selective about who you rent your house to. It is important to talk with them and determine if they will be a ‘good fit’ for your neighborhood. Ask them directly what they plan to do while they are renting your house for their vacation. For example, if you discover a potential guest is planning to rent your house to accommodate. A wedding party or a birthday party. Think about the impact on your neighbors and if they will be okay with this. Some properties I manage are in neighborhoods that will only tolerate very quiet couples. Others are set up to accept larger groups and the neighbors are clear on this and understand the rules. Know your neighborhood, and set up your own ‘House Rules’ that your tourist tenants must agree to comply with.

The biggest complaint that most neighbors have who live next to vacation houses is noise. Some neighbors are more ‘noise sensitive’ than others. And you need to know if your neighbor is going to call. The police every time a group of vacationers sit Around the swimming pool and listen to music. Give neighbors who live next to your rental your phone number. And ask them to call you directly if there is a noise extension London. And when there is a problem, call the guests and ask them to quiet down. Since you are renting your house to tourists. It is your responsibility to make sure the guests you bring into your rental house are respectful of the local neighborhood.