|
Frequently
Asked Questions and Booking Details
Cancellation policy
Key Info
Additional Rental
Enhancements
Computer Rentals
through Wehrconnected
I want to rent it!
What do I do next?
We will need your home address and cell phone number to put you into
our rental software and make you a rental agreement. You can click
on "Contact Us" on this website and fill out the contact form (or
just send us an email with that info.) We will make the rental
agreement and email it to you as an attachment to look over, sign
and fax back or scan in and email back. A reservation deposit of 1/3
of the rental fee will hold the reservation until 30 days prior to
your stay when the balance of the rental fee is due. You can also
snail mail it if your rental is a ways off.
Can I pay by
credit card or debit card?
Yes, we take Visa, MasterCharge, Discover and American Express. We
have to pay a lot more for AE cards so that would not be our first
choice for payment! You can either call me with your credit card
info or write the information on your rental agreement in the place
provided. You may opt to have
us charge the balance automatically when it it due. Otherwise we
will contact you when it's due to see how you want to pay the
balance.
If you have a problem
with giving me your credit card info (I charge an average of $100K
per month in payments), you an also go to the secure payment center
at
www.PayPal.com
(owned by eBay) and click on "Send Money." Enter my email address
nparinello@san.rr.com as the payee. But note that there is a
$2000 limit for first time PayPal users. If you have a PayPal
account, you can also transfer money from your account or bank to my
PayPal account,
nparinello@san.rr.com.
Can I pay by personal check?
Yes, if it's in US dollars and your check-in date is not within the
next two weeks. Make checks out to Nancy's Vacation Rentals and send
to this address:
Nancy's Vacation
Rentals
PO Box 1075
Julian, CA 92036-1075
Be sure to include the PO Box because we live in a small rural town
in the mountains of San Diego and they do not deliver mail to the
homes. We have to go to the Post office to pick up our mail. If you
are using Fed Ex or UPS to deliver the payment, use the name Nancy
Kramer and the address is 3385 Black Oak Lane, Julian, CA 92036 and
put the phone number 760 765-3177.
I don't have a US bank account and I don't like to use credit cards
over the internet. How else can I pay?
Most of my international guests pay by credit card or by
bank-to-bank wire transfer. I am able to take payments in Euros also
because I have a bank in Paris, France (see my rental apartment
there!).
Do I have to give you a security deposit?
Well, lets just say you are responsible for any damage you cause.
The security "deposit" is $500. If you have paid by credit card, we
will hold your card number on file for the security deposit (like
renting a car) and will not charge anything unless you do something
to make it necessary to evoke using the security deposit. So far, I
have only had to charge two people for damage, one for a broken
window (about $300 so don't throw the suntan lotion in the house!)
and the other for a lady that went out and bought candles and put
them on the mantle right under the new plasma TV. It melted the
frame on the TV (a $700 repair!). Not bad for 7 years! I'm sure you
won't want to add anything to this list. If you do break or damage
something, please tell me ASAP so I can get it fixed or replaced
right away for the next guest. Chances are that I will forgive
little things IF YOU TELL ME. If your teenager is using acne
medicine, please have them bring their own towel because I am
thinking about starting to charge for the bleach spots on our nice
colored towels!
What is the security deposit used for?
The security deposit is used to reimburse the owner in the unlikely
event that windows, walls, furniture, a mattress, towels, dishes or
other objects are broken or damaged. This rarely occurs. If
necessary, the security deposit may also be used to pay for lost
keys or extraordinary cleaning. We have rarely ever had to charge
anyone for damage. Our policy is to operate on the trust that you
will treat our properties with care (many are second homes for the
owners!) so we just keep a credit card number for backup. You will
also be charged $250 out of your security deposit (plus damages) if
you bring an unauthorized pet or have a party that disturbs anyone!
We don't allow parties. These are not party places and most of them
are in close proximity to the neighbors in quiet residential
neighborhoods.
Can I get a
receipt so I can get reimbursed by my employer or write it off on my
taxes?
Absolutely. You can use your rental agreement as a receipt or I will
write you a separate one with the rental fee, tax and cleaning fee
clearly defined. Many of my guests are on business trips, attending
meetings, a convention or training. I do business with companies
like Hewlett-Packard who often send me international people coming
to San Diego for training. The College of English Language have
placed their students in my rentals. They pay me with company checks
and give me a 1099C at the end of the year.
How do I know you can be trusted not to run off with my money or
that there will actually be an apartment at this address when I
arrive?
Read my extensive customer comments or call my mother, Betty!
She'll vouch for my character. 805 528-0631. One customer did call
my mother when she couldn't get a hold of me for days. This was
during the devastating Cedar fires in San Diego. We had been
evacuated from our home to a Red Cross Relief Center in the desert
and even cell phone coverage was disrupted when the relay towers
burned.
Are there any additional fees other than the rental fee?
Yes. The city of San Diego requires us collect a Transient
Occupancy Tax of 10.5% for rentals under 30 days and we have to send
it in every month. That is lower than most destinations. They use it
to advertise San Diego as a tourist destination, to run the tourist
offices, to keep the beaches spotlessly clean and use if for city
beautification projects. There is also a cleaning/laundry fee which
varies depending on unit. The cleaning/laundry fee must be added on
before the tax is applied according to the City Treasurer's TOTax
Office.
What is your cancellation policy?
Back to Top
When I reserve time for you and take it off the calendar,
chances are I have turned down several other people who wanted that
same time period. If you cancel more than 30 days out, I will refund
all money paid except $50. Within 30 days, my "official" policy is
that I refund only what I can rebook. Reality is that I have been
able to give refunds to everyone so far that has had to cancel, even
one person that had to cancel 24 hours before her check-in date! I
look at each case on an individual basis. I try hard to rent the
same dates to another party and I'm pretty good at booking my
properties at the last minute. If I'm able to re-rent it then I will
reimburse you up to what I was able to rerent. I can't promise it
will happen but chances are pretty good and we sure try our best for
you! We encourage our guests to buy Trip Cancellation Insurance. It
is optional but recommended. We also suggest you check your Home
Owner or Renter Liability Insurance to make sure you are covered
while staying in a rental property stateside or abroad (if you are
renting the Paris apt).
Are linens included?
Yes, all linens are provided, free of cost. In most cases they
are 300 or 400 count Egyptian cotton sheets and nice, soft, fluffy
towels. I also provide beach towels at the beach properties. If your
teenager is using acne medicine, please have them bring their own
towel because I am thinking about starting to charge people for the
bleach spots on our nice colored towels! And please don't take our
blankets and sheets to the beach.
Do rentals always start on a Saturday?
No. Starting the last week in June, all of July and the first half
of August at the beach, I try to stick to weekly rentals but the
rest of the year you are free to arrive and leave when you choose.
We can prorate extra nights above one week. Our weeks, by the way,
have seven nights.
Can we rent for three nights?
Yes, our minimum rental period is three nights. I offer discounts
off the nightly rates for weekly or longer stays. If you need only
two nights, it never hurts to ask. If it's at the beginning or end
of another rental and not smack in the middle of an available period
of time or if it's at the last minute, I will probably accommodate
you. Since there is a one-time cleaning/laundry fee that is separate
from the rental fee, the shorter your stay, the more the total
nightly cost will be.
Do you have inexpensive rentals?
Back to Top
Depends on what you call inexpensive. We think our rentals are very
reasonable, definitely competitively priced and an excellent value
for your money! I do have one beach rental that I am able to offer
more reasonably that the other beach rentals because it is not right
on the beach. It's 4 blocks from the beach so, obviously, my costs
are lower. If you think the rental prices are high, you should check
out the price of buying a beach rental in San Diego!! Add on to that
the property taxes, HOA fees, furniture, constant sheet and towel
replacement and carpet and furniture cleaning, and the fact that we
pay for all the utilities, cable TV, high speed internet and in many
thre is unlimited free phone service, plus trash pick-up, gardening
service, window washing. Then add the renewable supplies such as
paper towels, toilet paper, hand and body and dish soaps, shampoo,
kitchen items like saran wrap and aluminum foil, coffee filters,
spices, a clean sponge for each guest, cleaning supplies...the list
goes on and on. The truth is that most of my owners (unless they
bought their property more than 8 years ago) are subsidising your
vacation in thier home.
How do we get the keys to the property?
All of the rentals have a lockbox on or near the door. We will email
you detailed directions and instructions to the property about a
week before your stay, which will include the code for the lockbox.
Who do I call if
there is a problem?
Me. The buck stops here. Actually there are three of us, Nancy,
Jackie and Jeremy, and one of us is ALWAYS on duty so you call my
cell phone number 619 884-8332 and one of us will answer. If we
don't we will call you back right away (like if I can't find my
phone in my purse before it stops ringing!)
Would you stay
there yourself?
Absolutely! As a matter of fact, we do try to stay in each of the
properties. We go to France twice a year and often stay in the
beach/bay rentals on a monthly if not weekly basis. That is the best
way to see what needs attention although we ask each guest for
feedback and really appreciate it when you take the time to give us
your comments and suggestions.
My story about working for
United Airlines during 9-11
(relating to the website photo of the bathtub in my Riviera condo.)
I was a Purser for United Airlines flying a flight from Paris to San
Francisco on 9-11. It was quite scary to be in the air and hear that
"all airspace in the entire USA is closed." We were sent to Calgary
for four days and while my crew had a few hotel rooms to share, our
passengers stayed in a school gym with the passengers off quite a
few other jumbo jets. My boyfriend, Brian, (now my husband) knows
when I am stressed out after a flight, I head right for the bathtub
for a nice relaxing soak. He sent me this picture by email and said
"Come home safely, my love. This is what is waiting for you."
Nancy's Condo #303 (last photo).
I just happened to be carrying the huge 5 foot x 9 foot American
Flag that the military had draped over the coffin of my boyfriend's
uncle when he died in WWII while fighting in France. We used it
during the Tour de France to honor Lance Armstrong upon his arrival
in Paris (that's another good story. See last photo of us in Paris.)
I was bringing it back home. I draped it over the galley entrance
right at the front of the entry door to the plane so when the
passengers boarded, that's the first thing they saw. They cried,
kissed it, kneeled in front of it and took lots of photos!!! The
boarding was a slow process but then when you are already 4 days
late getting to your destination, who cares. We were the first
aircraft to land in SFO. The reception was overwhelming. It was
nighttime. The fire trucks sprayed a welcome arch of water that we
taxied through and I think every employee of the airport was outside
with flashlights waving in welcome as we taxied into the jet-way.
There was not a dry eye on the entire aircraft.
Brian drove all night from San Diego to SFO to pick me up because
departing flights were not scheduled to operate for a few more days.
It was good to get home and I headed right for the bathtub!
Additional Rental Enhancements
Need a Pack-n-Play, highchair, toddler bed or booster seat
for your youngster?
We will deliver them right to your rental and have them set up
and ready to use when you arrive. Always clean and sanitized!
Toddler bed comes with sheets, blankets and pillow. Pack-n-play
comes with baby blankets.
- Delivery/pick-up fee $25 - Three night minimum
- Highchair: $5/day or $30/wk plus $3 day for each
additional day
- Booster: $2/day or $12/wk plus $1 for each additional
day
- Pack N Play: $5/day or $30/wk plus $3 for each
additional day
- Toddler Bed: $8/day or $40/wk plus $5 for each
additional day
Computer Rentals through Wehrconnected
We offer a range of Laptop Rental's delivered to
your doorstep of any location in San Diego for just $15 a day or
$10 a day if you are in the Military.
Our Dell business class slim line laptops are a huge hit and we
cater to all special requests as well.
All of our laptops include Microsoft Office 2007 suite, complete
internet security protection and 24/7 customer/ technical
support.
Call us if you
have other questions: 760-943-0143
Date last updated-
11/09/2008
Back to Top |
