10 Questions You MUST Ask Any Orlando Property Management Company Before Hiring Part-2

6.  How many of your bookings come from tour suppliers vs. retail?

It’s very important you know about this.  Management companies get their bookings two different ways.  The first way is from a tour supplier; this is a fancy word for a travel agency. 80% of most of their bookings will come from a travel agency and you will not get the high rates that were quoted to you by the company.  Tour suppler bookings are always discounted because of the volume of bookings they send.  The other way they get bookings is through their direct efforts and marketing. This is where you will get the higher rates that are usually quoted to you on paper.  So keep in mind if the majority of your bookings are coming from tour suppliers the majority of your rates are going to be much less than the retail rates. 

7. Do you have a 24-hour emergency line?

In the event of an emergency (power outage, locked out, broken air unit, etc) it is absolutely essential to your guests that someone can be reached 24 hours a day.  Make sure to ask if this number rings to a real person or a pager. It’s best to have a real person on the other end of the phone.  Your guests will appreciate it much more and will be more likely to come back again if the service was good.

8. Are you located within 15 minutes of my home?

This goes with the question above.  If something were to happen and it required immediate assistance how long will it take someone to get out to the home? It’s best to stick with a company who is no further than 10-15 minutes away. It also makes it much easier for your guests when picking up keys.

9. Do you charge a cancellation fee?

Beware of these sneaky fees hidden in the sales contract.  There is usually a fee that is assessed to you if you choose to leave before your designated contract period.  A company that wants to lock you in and make you pay to leave is not a company I would recommend going with.  If you are not happy with the service and they are not delivering you should be able to cancel with reasonable notice and be released free of charge. Obviously if the company is doing their job properly and you are satisfied you will not want to leave. Be sure to find out their cancellation policy before signing that dotted line.

10. Do you have a quality assurance department?

This is a dedicated team of people that the management company has hired to go out and inspect your home before and after every guest arrives to make sure nothing has been stolen, broken or vandalized. If a company does not have a quality assurance person going out to the property before and after arrivals I recommend not going with that company. Too many problems could arise that you may not find out about until it’s too late.