You’re ready to find tenants for your mid term rental home. You’ve listed your property online, in newspapers and on community bulletin boards.
BUT: have you set house rules for the person who will eventually sign the lease?
The Homads team has created a list of elements and questions to consider when creating house rules. We recommend choosing the ones that are best fits and adding details appropriate to your specific rental.
Check-in /Guest ID
At what time can renters expect to first access your monthly rental? Do you require tenant guests to show identification when they check in and how long can they stay?
Quiet Time/Smoking and Drug policy
What times of the day when residents must observe quiet time? Do you allow smoking and/or recreational drug use inside your home or anywhere on your property?
Parking/Deliveries
Where can residents park their vehicles? Do you allow deliveries from UPS, FedEx, Amazon or any other service?
Internet/Television
What are the login name and password that residents need for WiFi login? What kinds of TV systems do you have and how do you want residents to use them?
Bathroom/Shower
Will you provide towels? What can residents safely flush down the toilet? Does your shower or bath require special use instructions?
Circuit Breakers/GFCI Outlets
Where can residents locate the breaker box? Is your midterm rental home equipped with GFCI outlets? How can residents use them?
Water Heater/Garbage Disposal
Can tenants reset the water heater? Is any food off-limits for the garbage disposal?
Kitchen Appliances/Utensils
What items do you allow in the dishwasher? Do you have special instructions for refrigerator/stove use/cleaning? How should a resident use your microwave?
Where can residents find dishes and other kitchen utensils? Do you certain items requires special care and if so, which ones?
Ceiling Fan/Air Conditioner
Are there any special instructions residents need to operate cooling and heating systems in your monthly rental home? Can they manually adjust temperatures?
Linens/Cleaning
What are your policies about bed and bathroom linens? What should residents expect regarding cleaning services? What should residents do in case of a stain-causing spill?
Furniture
How should residents treat furniture? Can tenants bring their own furniture and/or appliances onto the midterm rental property to use?
Trash/Recycling
What do residents need to know about where to put trash/recycling and when to leave out trash/recycling bins for collection?
Lights/Blinds and Curtains
Where are lights — especially outdoor lights — located? Are lights in the house manual remotely control? Do you have specific instructions for how/when to use blinds/curtains?
Storage/Travel Gear
Where/how should residents store items they bring with them, including luggage?
Security/Household Items
What should tenants know about any midterm home security system that you have? What are your policies about home items that get damaged or taken by residents/their guests?
It takes time to make good mid term rental house rules. But if it means the difference between a positive and negative tenant experience, it’s worth the effort.
