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Vacationers
Owners
/ Managers
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How
does it work?
MasterpieceRentals.com lists thousands
of rental properties around the globe. Most
of these properties are vacation homes that
the owners are renting out to vacationers for
short or long term stays. You simply choose
from these homes and contact the owner or responsible
party representing the home directly. You and
the property owner or manager will make all
the necessary arrangements. Once you have returned
from your vacation, you can leave feedback about
the property and your experience on MasterpieceRentals.com
for the rest of the world to see. You will enjoy
a unique experience apart from the standard
hotel, and possibly save money in the process.
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How
can I protect myself?
Renters understand that each listing sets its
own refund and cancellation policies and the
rental agreement is strictly between the owner
/ manager and the renter. The following tips
should make the renting process go as smoothly
as possible.
- Planning ahead and booking early guarantees
you maximum choice and access to the optimal
rental. Avoiding last minute bookings can
also save you money. Last minute renters invariably
have to settle for fewer amenities or a higher
price.
- Research the rental carefully to make sure
it fits your needs. While some rentals provide
things like coffee and condiments, do not
expect them.
- Ask for verifiable references. Many times
rental property managers have a relationship
with a cleaning company or maintenance company.
- Be sure to get everything down on paper
before you send any payments! This should
at least include dates of stay, the cost,
if there are any additional charges for anything
and the deposit/cancellation/refund policy.
Make sure you remember to make your deposits
on time. Missing these deadlines can cost
you money, forfeiture of your reservations
or both.
- Find out if bed linens are included, some
rentals do not provide this or do for an additional
charge. Also if you need beach towels make
sure you bring some. Very rarely are they
provided.
- Ask how much cleaning are you expected to
do? Cleaning is included with some properties,
some offer it at an extra charge, and some
expect you to clean. Regardless of the policy,
you should always leave the property in decent
condition.
- Get complete instructions in advance! The
three most important things are:
1. Having complete
travel information before departure (airplane,
car, bus, boat, etc.).
2. Make sure
three or more weeks ahead of your travel date
that arrangements have been made to get the
keys.
3. Be sure to
have and test the owner/managers phone number
or that of their local agent so that you have
someone
to contact
- Once you have the address, look at a map
so you understand exactly where the property
is located.
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Renting
FAQs
Q. What are the policies when renting a property?
A. The
terms and conditions of each property should
be clearly outlined on the property rental listing
page. If you have any questions about the terms
and conditions of renting a particular
property, be sure to contact that property owner
to get your questions answered. MasterpieceRentals.com
does not participate in any part of the rental
process. For more information please see the
legal
notice here on MasterpieceRentals.com.
Q.
Will you sell my personal information
to others?
A. No! The personal information collected on our site is for our own
internal use only.
For more information about our information
gathering practices and your privacy on our site please see our privacy
agreement.
Q. How do I know the
rentals are legitimate?
A. The online service we provide for vacationers
is comparable to that offered by a newspaper
or magazine through which vacation homes are
advertised. Because we do not personally check
out properties prior to their advertising with
us, our recommendation is that you request references
and a list of past renters from the homeowners.
If possible, it is also suggested that you visit
the property in advance.
Q. How do I contact
the owner?
A. All rental advertisements provide the
telephone number of the owners or their booking
agent. There is usually a link to send an e-mail
inquiry, and often a fax number. However you
choose to communicate, the listings enable you
to directly contact an owner or an agent who
really knows about the property and can answer
specific questions for you.
Q. How do I make a
booking?
A. Individual property owners have their
own way of conducting a rental. When making
the rental reservation, be sure and communicate
your arrival and departure dates, number of
adults and children, any pets you want to bring
along, and any special needs that you might
have.To ensure that details of the rental are
communicated, a clearly written rental agreement
or lease is recommended. A legally binding contract,
the rental agreement or lease should include
defined arrival and departure dates, payment
schedules, detailed instructions, and terms
and conditions related to cancellations and
refunds.
Q. What type of deposit
and payment due dates can I expect?
A. In most circumstances the rental agreement
will require a booking a deposit of 10% - 50%
to confirm the reservation, with full payment
received 8 weeks prior to arrival. It is important
that all payments be submitted as specified
in the rental agreement in order to avoid losing
your reservation and/or your booking deposit.In
addition to the booking deposit, you will also
be asked to provide a refundable security deposit
either at the time of booking or upon arrival.
Specifics related to the security deposit, including
property maintenance, damages and additional
fees such as telephone charges, should be detailed
in the rental agreement.
Q. Where can I find
details on check-in times, pets, etc.?
A. Within the rental agreement or lease
you can expect to find terms related to check-in
and checkout times, maximum occupancy, pet policies,
cancellation conditions, and maintenance of
the rental.
Q. How are cancellation
and refunds handled?
A. The cancellation policy associated with
your rental agreement or lease should clearly
communicate penalties associated with canceling
your contract. Note that cancellations due to
weather conditions are not usually permitted
unless specified in the rental agreement.Travel
insurance can protect your vacation investment
if unforeseen circumstances require you to cancel
your trip.
Q. What about travel
arrangements?
A. The owner will be able to advise you
on your travel arrangements, including the most
convenient airports, car rentals, and alternative
transportation options. Special parking requirements
and parking passes should be detailed in the
rental agreement and included in pre arrival
instructions.
Q. What type of pre
arrival instructions should I expect?
A. In addition to directions to the property,
you should be provided with either a key or
the name of the person who will greet you at
the rental, as well as the name and telephone
number of some one at the location who you can
contact if anything goes wrong. If a security
deposit is due on arrival, the expectation is
that it will be paid in cash, local currency,
check or traveler's check.
Q. What happens when
I arrive at the property?
A. Some owners send you a key in advance,
some actually live on site and will meet you,
and some arrange for their representative to
meet you at the property. Make sure you are
given details of some one you can contact if
something goes wrong. If you are delayed, it
is courteous to inform the owner.
Q. What if there
is a problem during my holiday?
A. It is in your best interest and the owner's
interest to fix any problems immediately. Contact
information for the owner or their local representative
should be included in pre arrival instructions
and posted in the rental. The person you have
been directed to contact will be your best resource
to quickly resolve any issues.
Q. What happens when
I leave?
A. Check out policies should be part of
the instructions you were provided. Since cleaning
standards vary, it is important to know how
much the owners expect you to clean up prior
to departure. At minimum, the rental should
be left tidy.When you are ready to leave, the
owner or their representative should check you
out of the property, and assuming there is no
damage, will refund your security deposit, either
on the spot or within a couple of weeks.
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Owners
/ Managers Frequently asked Questions
Q.
Can anyone at MasterpieceRentals.com create a
property listing for me?
A. Yes, we can certainly create a property
listing on your behalf for a small fee of $25.
Click here to let us Add a Property Listing for you.
Q.
How do I change my email address and password
on my account/listing?
A. 1) Login to the Owner's Management
Page.
2) Then select the
"Account" tab and simply scroll down to the
appropriate field and update your email address
or password.
3) Save the newly
updated information by clicking on the "Submit"
tab at the bottom of the page.
Q.
How do I check if my property has been added
to MasterpieceRentals.com?
A. Simply type your property number in
the "Quick Search" field located at the top
of www.masterpiecerentals.com.
If you still can't view your listing than
you need to login to your account and make
sure to click on "Activate Now" under the
'Main Menu' page.
Q.
Can I link to my own availability calendar
or do I need use MasterpieceRentals.com calendar?
A. You can use the MasterpieceRentals.com
availability calendar or you can simply add
a link to another calendar (i.e. Rentors.org
calendar). You may also choose not to display
a calendar for your property. To access your
calendar you need to login to your account,
click on "edit your listing" and then click
on the "calendar" tab.
Q.
How do I make changes on my listing(s)?
A. You can make changes at any time and
as often as you would like. Simply login to
your account and then click on "edit your
listing" and choose the appropriate blue tab
at the top of the page.
Q.
How do I create more listings? Do you offer
discounts for multiple listings?
A. To create new property listings simply
click "Create New Listings" in your owner
login page. We offer discounts for multiple
listings on MasterpieceRentals.com. Please,
email us with the number of properties you
would like to add at discounts@masterpiecerentals.com
and we will send you the appropriate discount
code.
Q.
What is the "Real Time e-Booking" tool?
A. The "Real Time e-Booking" tool allows
vacationers to book properties instantly from
the comfort of their computer without needing
to contact the property owner first. Vacationers
can submit payment using credit cards, checks
or wire depending on the options the property
owner made available on their listing. As
a property owner you have the choice to activate
the "Real Time e-Booking" feature or leave
it inactive. In order to activate this feature
you need to login to your account, click on
the "Edit Book Now" tab on the left side of
the page and then choose the 'Yes' option.
Q.
How do I view Bookings, Inquiries, Reviews
and Statistics pertaining to my property listing?
A. Simply login
to your account and click on the appropriate
tab located on the left side of the page.
Q.
How do I upload/update photos?
A. After you login
to your account click "edit your listing"
and then click on the "photos" tab at the
top of the page. Then follow the following
3 steps:
1) Click the "Browse" tab to select the photo
location on your computer.
2) Select placement of photo.
3) Click the "Add Photo" tab.
To add more photos simply repeat the 3 steps
above. To update/change a photo just overwrite
the existing photo with the new photo.
Note: 4 photos are included in your
listing. To add more photos click on the "Add
Services" tab in your login page ($25 for
each additional set of 4 photos).
Q.
How do I optimize my property listing?
A. Feature Your Listing: Featured
listings receive many more inquiries than
standard listings. From the owner login page
you can feature your listing at the top of
several search pages in MasterpieceRentals.com.
Upload Photos: Pictures are the most
important part of your listing. Add as many
good quality photos as possible. Your listing
should display at least 4-8 photos.
Write Detailed Description: Be sure
to write a detailed and accurate description
of your home. Describe what makes your home
special.
Post Policies: Post your rental, deposit
and refund policies. Potential renters feel
more comfortable renting from listings that
don't appear to be hiding anything.
Update Calendar: Updated availability
calendars show that you are active and have
already booked other visitors. It allows you
to receive also more qualified leads.
Accept Credit Cards: Vacationers feel
much safer booking properties using their
credit cards.
Offer Competitive Rates: Make sure
your rates are competitive with other homes
in your area.
Q.
Why am I not getting calls?
A. There are many possibilities. If your listing does not have photos or if your listing displays bad pictures you may be losing up to 90% of potential renters. Similarly, if your property description is not detailed you may also be losing potential renters.
Q.
Why am I getting plenty of calls but no bookings?
A. Most likely your rental rates are
too high. Compare your home rates with other
homes in your area and make sure to provide
competitive rates.
Q.
What should I know about vacation rental sales
tax?
A. Start by contacting your city, county
and state governments about requirements specific
to your location. Ask about registering your
property. Which government entities require
registration for your area? How much sales
tax you should collect and how often these
payments are due to the authorities. Sales
taxes usually range from 5% to 15% of the
total rent charges.
Q.
How can I contact someone at MasterpieceRentals.com?
A. The quickest method of contacting us is via email at support@masterpiecerentals.com.
However, you can also give us a call at 954-603-7900.
[Back to Top]
Q.
SCAM ALERT - Vacation Rental Owners Beware!
A. The following guide is to caution property owners of the types of correspondence
that have been linked to fraudulent activity.
1. Potential indicators of suspicious emails
Telling signs of a fraudulent email include poor grammar, irregular usage of
capitalization, over earnest attempts to guarantee that the payment method is
legitimate, use of title or profession to indicate or act as a guarantee of
financial status (e.g. government official, doctor or similar) along with other
attempts to provide superfluous or irrelevant information as a means to impress
the exigent or ‘out of the ordinary’ rational behind a delayed or overpayment.It
is important to note that initial correspondence may initially appear to be
legitimate; however, as correspondence begins to focus upon means of payment,
indicators of suspicious activity may become more apparent. Significantly, fraudsters
can work as a network, hence when one or more parties are referred these too
may be part of the fraudulent network. Lastly, fraudulent parties will endeavor
to use the most effective and ‘naturalistic’ method to extort money from property
owners, and will inevitably have access to the below information, as such it
is important to be as vigilant as possible if you ever become suspicious of
correspondence from a potential renter.
2. Types of Fraudulent Activity
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Overpayment
The fraudulent party makes an initial payment in excess of the requested
total for the accommodation by a payment method which can take several days
or longer to clear into the property rental owner’s account. In the meantime
the fraudulent party requests for the excess to be repaid by direct bank/wire
transfer. By the time the excess has been paid, it becomes apparent that
the initial payment was a fraudulent transaction which will not clear. We
recommend that property owners always endeavor to avoid collecting excess
payments for agreed accommodation. In the event that they choose to make
a return payment, always ensure that the original payment has completely
cleared into your account by contacting your bank. Please note that depending
upon where the transaction has originated and the skill of the fraudster
that it may take more than a month before payments such as cashier checks,
travelers checks, certified checks, personal checks or otherwise are identified
as forgeries. Whether fraudulent of not, please be wary of transactions
from non-Western nations where payment may take longer to process than usual
payment types. Please consult your local bank for confirmation of typical
payment clearing schedules. Please be aware that many banks may show a payment
as credited to an account before the payment has fully cleared. If in doubt,
always clarify with your bank that the payment has completely cleared before
accepting any payment.A preferable solution to the situation is to cancel
the initial transaction and request a replacement payment for the correct
amount due.
Indirect Overpayment
Variations of the above scam include attempts alternative attempts to send
an overpayment to the property owner. This may take a number of guises,
and as outlined above, property owners should be very cautious of ever accepted
any form of overpayment. Common methods of overpayment include requests
to accept payment for the fraudulent party’s car hire, tour excursions,
wedding gift, honeymoon surprise or similar - either directly from the fraudulent
party or a third party relation, i.e. spouse, employer, parent etc. The
fraudulent party makes payment by delayed payment process such as a check
and then follows up with correspondence that the excess payment is no longer
needed and requests that the excess payments are refunded immediately, before
the initial payment by the fraudulent party has cleared. The fraudulent
party may also proceed to become aggressive or threatening in nature, requesting
immediate repayment and even threatening legal action. Again, a preferable
solution to the situation is to cancel the initial transaction and request
a replacement payment for the correct amount due. Inform the renter that
you will only accept payment for the exact amount due that all payments
must clear prior to renting your property.
Acquiring Bank Details
Property owners are advised to never release confidential payment information
to any third party requests no matter what. There is never a justifiable
reason for a property owner to release confidential payment information,
and in the event that a transaction needs to be identified for whatever
reason a payment reference will always suffice. Following from the above
indirect overpayment scam, the fraudulent party may claim that they are
uncomfortable releasing their payment details to the second party service
provider from overseas as they are not 100% certain of their reliability/
would feel happier only releasing their payment details to one party, and
as such would feel more comfortable if the property owner proceeded to pay
the service provider on their behalf.In order for the second party service
provider to identify their payment (as it will be coming from a different
source) the fraudulent party may ask for the property owners payment details
- allegedly to help the service provider identify the fraudulent party’s
transaction.Alternatively the fraudulent party may request to wire the money
directly into the property owners account, however, request excess confidential
payment information such as account numbers, social security numbers of
otherwise. If you are ever in doubt as to what information is legitimately
required to complete a wire or bank transfer into your account, always consult
with your local bank directly for further advice. |
3. General
In the event that you receive suspicious correspondence, we advise against entering
into any further correspondence. If the fraudulent party has already made payment
and you are uncomfortable proceeding for whatever reason, cancel the payment
immediately and avoid further correspondence. If you believe that you have received
a fraudulent payment, we recommend reporting the transaction to your local crime
prevention unit who will be able to take the necessary procedures to follow
up the transaction.
FTC toll free hotline: 877-FTC-HELP ( 877-382-4357 )
FTC online complaint form (http://www.ftc.gov/)
Internet Fraud Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov/)
[Back to Top]
Q.
Why I am not receiving inquiries to my email account?
A. Spam-filtering software can block you
from receiving inquiries. Check the spam filter
settings on your e-mail account. They may be set
too high. Check your junk mail folders for any
emails from MasterpieceRentals.com. You may need
to contact your e-mail service provider to request
that any emails from MasterpieceRentals.com not
be blocked. All the inquiries can be viewed by
accessing your login at: http://www.masterpiecerentals.com/login.php
To see if you've been receiving all of your inquiries,
compare the inquiries on this page to the inquiries
in your email inbox.
To minimize the risk of not receiving email
inquiries, check with your email service provider your
options. Some email service providers like AOL allow
you to manipulate your Spam filter settings, while
others like Gmail do not.
Advice: Regardless of your
email provider, We recommend that you log into the
owner's login section regularly to view your listing
and check for inquiries. All inquiries are saved
in the home owner login area, even when you don't see them in
your email account.
Be aware that your emails to inquirers may
also be blocked: If you are emailing potential
renters and never hearing back from them (especially
AOL emails), your emails may be blocked by their
Spam filters. It would be a good idea to give
the renter a follow up phone call. This will make sure
that the renter hears from you and could also
motivate them to choose your property over others.
For AOL users:
· Click the “Mail Options”
button at the top left hand corner of your screen.
· Select “Block Unwanted Mail”
from the menu.
· On the Mail and Spam Controls menu, click
the radio button that says “Allow mail from
all senders” and make sure that blocked mail
be diverted to your Spam folder and not deleted.
· If you're still noticing that inquiries
are being routed to your Spam folder, uncheck
the “Mail filtered by AOL's Advanced Spam
Filter box.” This will mean that more Spam
makes it into your inbox, but so will your inquiries.
For most non-AOL users:
· When an inquiry is filtered into your
Spam folder, click “Not Spam” to notify
your email service of the error.
· Add the @MasterpieceRentals.com domain
to your safe senders list.
· Check your bulk or junk mail folders
periodically.
· Contact your email service. Sure, it
might be a pain, but if you're not getting your
inquiries, you're missing out on valuable business.
Another option: Consider setting up an
email account that's designated for your incoming
inquiries.
[Back to Top]
Q.
How can I increase my bookings?
A. Every 10 inquiries
you get, you should expect one booking. So
if you are getting inquiries but haven't booked,
the following tips might help:
· Reply immediately to inquiries with
all the details, rate and policies.
· Contact the potential renter by phone.
Owners who call rather than email have a significantly
higher conversion rate than those who simply
email. If a renter puts a phone number on
the inquiry, they expect or do not mind a
call back.
· Check your email often. Some renters
are looking to rent right away or may set
their mind on the property of the first callers.
· Return calls and emails immediately.
Make this a priority.
· Follow up. Give your inquirers a
follow-up call. If they are choosing between
properties, your call could close the deal.
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