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03 379 5033

office@rubyhousing.co.nz  

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Frequently Asked Questions (Furnished Accommodation )

 

Q. How are your fees structured?

 

A. Our fee structure is quite simple, basically we charge a percentage of the tariff for each property we manage and a small fee for servicing in between guests. This means youare only paying the management fee for the time the house is occupied. If we don't get bookings for you, we don't get paid, therefore we're highly motivated!
Our fee covers all marketing, quotes, managing bookings, credit card processing, advertising & promotion, and visits to the home to meet with guests or deal with maintenance.

 

Q. Are there any other fees or costs?

 

A. There is a housekeeping fee (approx $300) for each booking for us to service the property thoroughly and wash, iron and replace the linen. Starter cleaningproducts as well as tea,coffee and milk, and some pantry items are supplied to guests as part of this housekeeping package. A regular deep clean of the property is required to keep the home and furnishings fresh. This may include sanitising mattresses, drycleaning duvets and curtains, andcarpet cleaning.

You will also need to acquire a lock- box to hold your house keys securely.

 

Q. Can I advertise the house myself or put it with another agency at the same time as I list with you?

 

A. Our management agreement is exclusive to our company, if you would like friends or family to use the home please let us know so we can block those dates out on ourbooking sheet. However you are not able to use another agency or individual,  or advertise the home yourself to get bookings.

 

Q. Who pays for the power, gas and phone bills?

 

A. Power, gas and phone is included in the tariff charged to guests, with a limit on overall use. We need owners to let us know as soon as excess power or interent data is usedso we can charge the guest correctly. We reimburse owners for power used by guests. We read the power meter at the start and finish of each guests stay (therefore your power meter needs to be accessible) and calculate usage, then invoice guests directly. There is an administrationcharge for this.

Owners keep the gas, phone and internet bill in their name and take care of paying the bill (we allow for this in the tariff charged). We recommend that you place a toll bar on thephone and disclose the amount of internet data included in the tariff. If excessive data is used or toll calls made these can be on-charged to guests.

 

Q. How do guests gain access to the house?

 

A. We use a secure lock-box attached somewhere discreet outside your house. Once guests have booked the property by paying the deposit, weadvise them in writing what the code is to gain access to the keys.

Q. What if something stops working in the house?

A. We have our own team of housekeeping and maintenance staff, as well as preferred suppliers for electrical, plumbing and building repairs. If you prefer we can use your own suppliers who are familiarwith your property. 

Q. What about maintaining the lawns and garden?

A. Many of our owners have their own gardeners that they wish to use, or we can arrange a lawn mowing and gardening contractor for you.

Q. What if there is a problem with services?

A. To enable a quick response to guests and continued supply of services at short stay houses, we must be authorised on your power and phone/internet accounts.

Q. Should we let guests bring their pets?

 

A. Most of our homes don't allow pets, we do add a surcharge if you would be happy for pets to stay in your home. It's up to you.

 

Q. If this is my own home and we are moving away, do we have to remove all of our belongings?

 

A. We suggest that you remove and store securely any personal or valuable items you are leaving behind, ensuring wardrobes and cupboards are clear to give guests room to store theirthings.

 

Q. What do we need to provide for guests?

A. There must be at least two working smoke detectors in the house, one in the living area, one near bedrooms.Please leave a supply of water for emergencies, a torch and battery poweredradio.You need to leave a full stock of cutlery and crockery plus cooking utensils, pots & pans etc.2 towels per potential guest, some handtowels, teatowels, bathmats and a few facecloths (most people bring theirown facecloth),At least 2 changes of linen for each bed.  2 mattress protectors, pillow protectors, pillowcases & duvet covers per bed. 1 duvet inner per bed is ok but an extra blanket inwinter is nice, 2 pillows per person.Starter items such as cleaning products (we replenish these between guests) and cloths.Tea, coffee and sugar in containers, we will re-stock these.Instruction manuals for appliances are great if you still have them - we can put together a booklet with everything in it.Some books and magazines are appreciated by guests and maybe a few DVD's.

 

Q. Do we need to change our insurance?

A. If it is your own home, your insurer and your bank (if you have a mortgage) will need to be advised that you are no longer living there, and that it is under management.  Ifit is an investment property please do ensure you have a rental property policy. You will also need to authorise us with your insurer as well, especially if you are overseas and we need to initiate the claims process for you in the event of earthquake, storm or snowdamage.