Over the last few years renting a property in Croatia has been a huge hit. Although at first property and rental management may sound like a piece of cake, in reality it’s not like that. In fact, it can be very challenging and stressful job. In this article, we talk about 5 common problems that occur in rental management. Knowing the five most common issues that landlords face can help you prepare and handle them with ease.
- You have received a double-booking
Double booking or overbooking is one of the frequent problems and resolving it will depend on the guest and the service provider through which the reservation came. First try to explain to your guests how the double-booking happened and ask if they could cancel the reservation. Most portals will allow you to cancel your reservation if both you and the guest agree on that.
Offer the guest alternative accommodation that is similar to the one they booked or better. If there is a difference in price – be sure that you cover it.
2. Guests brought a pet and you have a no-pet policy in your property
Anyone has experience with people who bring pets when the listing clearly states that pets are not allowed? Sometimes it happens – property has a clear „no pets in the house“ rule, but guests come with their pet and seem surprised and upset when they are not allowed to stay.
If you had a clear sign that there are no pets allowed in your property you are not obliged to accommodate those guests. Explain nicely to them that you cannot offer them your accommodation if they are not respecting its rules.
3. The guests left and your property is damaged
Even if most guests are careful and considerate when staying at your place, accidents occasionally happen. In such cases, here are your options:
Keep the damage deposit – If you’ve already collected a damage deposit, you’re within your rights to keep it in cases where the damage is proven to be caused by the guest. Or you can make an insurance claim – If you have an insurance policy that covers short-term renting of your property, you may be able to make a claim.
4. Guests have arrived and your property is not ready
In case that the previous guests have left the property late and you didn’t have enough time to clean and arrange for the next guests, first try to maintain your stress levels and prioritize. If the new guests have arrived, talk to them and explain the situation. Store their luggage and offer them a coffee or a refreshment in a nearby café. Apologize for the inconvenience and try to clean the apartment as soon as possible.
5. More guests showed up than booked
In this case you are not obliged to host all the guests. Sometimes mistakenly, and sometimes deliberately guests book an apartment or a villa for less people than needed. Show them their reservation, explain that the capacity of your property is not suitable for so many people and that the penalties for not respecting the maximum number of people in accommodation are very high. You can help find them additional accommodation nearby.
If all this seems overwhelming, consider hiring a property management company. Contact us for all the questions you might have. Check a list of all of our services under sections of property and rental management. We make it easy for you!
