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Owners Area - Questions and Answers
Why should I use Portugal Property Rentals?
So what is the cost to me?
Who deals with renters?
How will you notify me when a booking is made?
Is the system flexible? Can I change things around?
What happens when a client books my property?
If I understand correctly - I can show the same availability calendar on my own website.
Obviously it is important not to make personal plans without updating the online calendar?
What about unsold weeks or gaps in the calendar?
Do you guarantee bookings?
What do you guarantee?
What about taking deposits and chasing payments before the rental date?
What about sending out directions, house info and making key arrangements?
Can I change the rental terms and conditions or write my own?
What about taking a damage deposit from clients?
How and when do I get paid?
Why should I use Portugal Property Rentals?
The Portugal Property Rentals presents your property to the millions of potential clients who choose their holiday accommodation on the Internet – there are no setup charges, advertising costs, annual fees or nasty surprises.
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So what is the cost to me?
You pay us is 10% commission on bookings that we make for you which includes the Credit Card Merchant fee of 3.25%
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Who deals with renters?
Most of the aspects of the procedure are automatic and are part of our administration software. You will be notified immediately a booking is made and will have direct contact with the client to approve or reject that booking.
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How will you notify me when a booking is made?
Our administration system will send you an email immediately a booking is made and if you register your mobile phone number we will automatically send you an SMS to let you know there is an email waiting for your attention.
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Is the system flexible? Can I change things around?
Yes – You have complete control over the following…
- Prices – You set, monitor and change your own price list at all times
- Midweek changeovers - Offering renters total flexibility beyond the usual 'Saturday to Saturday' increases your renting opportunities. Budget Airlines fly daily make the most of their resources
- Late breaks, short stays and long stays – You can provide incentives for these, it adds to the appeal. You have the ability to vary the rental costs with demand or according to the season
- Change your personal and property information as often as you wish. The owners area of the website is password protected Owner you are able to change most of the information held about your property as often as necessary. This is a free service
- The availability calendar - renters can see the availability and rates there and then. The diary is updated each time a renter makes a reservation. If the renter does not confirm the booking before the hold period expires, the diary automatically removes the hold and makes the period available. As an owner, you have full access to the diary so you can see at a glance all booked periods as well as the ability to block out periods of rentals for personal or family use. Not only that, if you have your own website, you can place a copy of the same 'View Rates and Availability' button on any page so renters can immediately see the diary and rates and request a Booking On-line
- Because the Availability Calendar uses the latest software technology, you don't have to worry about it being updated each time a booking is made. Remember, there are thousands of properties listed for rent on the Internet - very few have a real time diary that is always up to date
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What happens when a client books my property?
Following a request to book your property, a series of automated e-mail's are sent to both the renter and to you. All you need do is click on the 'Accept Booking' link in the e-mail and let our powerful back office software do the rest. To make sure you can respond quickly to renters, you can also ask for booking notifications to be sent by SMS to your mobile phone.
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If I understand correctly - I can show the same availability calendar on my own website.
Yes – We can provide a link to our site that will show the availability calendar for your property on your site or any site you wish it to appear on. In reality there is only one calendar safely hosted on our site all the other appearances of it are just links to it. If one appearance of the calendar is updated with a booking then they all are - automatically!
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Obviously it is important not to make personal plans without updating the online calendar?
Yes! One of your principal undertakings with us is to ensure that if you book time in your property for personal use, you make sure you update the calendar (if you forget and the place is booked by guests you will have to find somewhere else to stay or pay for them to stay elsewhere!)
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What about unsold weeks or gaps in the calendar?
You are able to adjust your prices automatically – i.e. set last minute discounts or lower rates for longer stays. The owners control panel gives you complete flexibility. If you have a few days availability between longer bookings, many people will take the opportunity of a ‘mini-break'. Flights into Portugal are available daily so the any smaller gaps on your calendar can be quickly filled if you set the rates right
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Do you guarantee bookings?
No - for obvious reasons, we are unable to guarantee the level of bookings, it will depend on the facilities you offer and the prices you set.
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What do you guarantee?
WE do GUARANTEE - that your property will be presented to potential renters in a clear, professional manner listing all the information you have supplied. In conjunction with Villarenters we will promote the properties listed via our affiliates and agents. We will submit the site to all the major Internet search engines, advertise in newspaper or magazine articles and constantly monitor our competitors to ensure our technology is always working better and harder. We will also make your property details and diary available to our partners who have licensed our technology - all of this at no upfront cost to you. If you're not happy with our service at any time please let us know why
We will also give you the best user tools to make sure you can easily maintain your property details. In fact everything we can to ensure potential renter see your advertisement... but we can't force them to book. Renters are no different to you; they want the best available property in the price range they can afford.
If you follow these simple tips, it should greatly increase your rental bookings:
Photographs - 'a picture says a thousand words'! Make sure your pictures are clear, bright and in focus. Make the object fill the frame and above all, make them interesting. Don't include photographs of Auntie Gladys or you by the pool with a beer, that is interesting to you, but not to anyone else. Pictures are one of your main selling tools. The idea is to make the property look welcoming and inviting and make the client imagine they are there or want to be there.
Descriptions - think carefully about the wording in your advertisement – this is where the sale is made. Make the text interesting and easy to read - keep the sentences short and uncomplicated, make it informative and give as much information as possible, make the prospective renter want to stay there and finally, be accurate - don't exaggerate or even worse. Never tell untruths about the property or the area – you will be found out and clients will complain!
Communication - Make sure you respond to all renter bookings immediately or as soon as possible, preferably within a couple of hours but certainly within the 24 hours required under our Terms and Conditions. If you register your mobile number, we will send you an SMS to let you know that a booking has been made. Make it your goal to reply as quickly as possible
Charges - Set a fair rental rate for your property. Too high and it will affect your booking levels. Check the prices of similar properties in your area to make sure you're in line with your competition or even a little lower. Don't forget people normally expect to pay less when booking directly with the owner. Set pricing according to season. Remember - word of mouth recommendations are very important, clients will return next year and recommend you to their friends if they have a great time. Many people choose their villa on price – if you want high levels of client booking then offer them a good deal
VALUE FOR MONEY MARKETING: Our powerful ‘state of the art' website links you with individuals, travel partners and other agents all over the world. The Portugal Property Group marketing team will be working hard to get you bookings for just an amazingly low 10% commission – we have every incentive, we don't get paid unless you do.
Back to top of page What about taking deposits and chasing payments before the rental date?
Our automated administration service will create invoices, request payments, chase payments for you & automatically inform you, your property manager, your agent and of course your customers by email
Back to top of page What about sending out directions, house info and making key arrangements?
All of these standard documents can be set up within our system and can be set up so as to be automatically sent out to renters with their booking confirmation or just before the rental period. Even if you live locally, we strongly suggest you use a ‘key-box' system for the keys (the key-box is located at the rental property and can be opened by entering a security code that you give to the client)
Back to top of page Can I change the rental terms and conditions or write my own?
Yes – Once you have logged into the Villarenters area, you have a choice of either using our standard terms, adapting ours to your needs or writing your own. Clients will see the terms and conditions you have decided upon before they book your property
Back to top of page What about taking a damage deposit from clients?
We will take a damage deposit from clients. The value of the deposit can be decided by you and set according to your needs. Once the rental period is over we will ask you whether there is any need to make a claim or whether we can refund the deposit. If all is well we will refund the deposit directly to the renters credit card
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You will be paid by BACS into your nominated bank account once the rental has taken place and any damage deposit has been refunded to the renting clients. Our 10% fee will be deducted from your payment. All payments are in £ UK 's. If your nominated account is outside the UK then your bank may make a charge for converting £'s into euro or your local currency. We ask that all rental values are quoted in £ UK 's. Our credit card merchant account is in the UK and all deposits and client monies are held in a secure UK client account until the rental has been fulfilled. There are no charges for UK BACS transfers and only a nominal charge for international transfer.
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Contact us if you have a question or query
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