½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Hi Sue
I thought I'd comment on this from the other side of the fence...
we manage rental properties on Lake Garda and while I can understand your view that management companies charge hefty fees for management, the reality is that the services required to run something like this efficiently involve an awful lot of hard work. You have two alternatives:
1) use a neighbour, give them the keys and bung them a few euros for their service and hope they don't use the property for parties and guests when you are not there or
2) hire someone who knows what they are doing and have a vested interest in keeping things running smoothly and making sure your guests get value for money and a clean house.

It seems an easy job, but for a professional to make a living from this work they have to run several properties at once. Changeovers are invariably on Saturdays (if you don't let on a week by week basis you'll find yourself losing money from "lost" days", which means having to be in several places at once. Cleaners are often unreliable and the manager often has to put on the marigolds and get stuck in if the cleaner has a bad back or the cleaning company (always very expensive) lets you down or does a bad job. Guests sometimes arrive late at night: we've been woken by guests who didn't turn up at the agreed time of 10pm and who didn't bother to call to say the plane was delayed, and called the "emergency" number at 2am after ringing every doorbell in the entire complex (this was a member of the owner's family). You also need someone on hand to help people out if there are problems. We get calls from guests irate because they can't find a parking space in the local town, and problems with gas leaks, when we had to find an emergency plumber on a Sunday. We've also had people be taken seriously ill and had to help them find and get to the local A&E.
In short, it's not an easy job and while it can go smoothly, when things go wrong you need someone reliable and professional, and for a good service you need to pay decent money. I always suggest upping the prices slightly to cover this, as one of the most important aspects of your rental will be the cleanliness and paying a bit extra for a job well done is worth every penny in repeat bookings and word of mouth.
Unfortunately I have heard though of managers for UK owners of ½ûÂþÌìÌà property going bust because owners aren't prepared to pay for their services.
Unfortunately in your location I can't help you as you are too far away, but if there's anything else I can help you with just ask. You might find the following site useful (I am not affiliated in any way: [URL=http://www.laymyhat.com]www.laymyhat.com[/URL] ).
All the best and good luck!
Sarah

If anyone is looking for a means of marketing their rental property without paying an agent a percentage, then the following two sites put people seeking holiday rentals directly in touch with owners;

[url]http://www.holiday-rentals.com[/url]
[url]http://www.holidaylets.net[/url]

They charge a flat annual fee, and the owners of many of the rental properties in our area of Umbria have found them to be a successful way of recruiting clients. You'll need good photos to make the stand out from the competition though.

Hai ragione, this is one of the hardest parts of having a rental property in Italy. My requirements were a person who spoke some English, had an internet connection, and was readily available. It has been my good fortune to hook up with the person who runs the small grocery store about a block or so from my house. His job is to hand out the keys and to be the "quarterback," ie make arrangements in some way to make things right when they inevitably go wrong. In addition to an agreed upon sum for each renter, I always bring him and his family things from the states. He is worth every euro.

Casale-Villa in Abruzzo
[url]http://www.angelfire.com/film/casale[/url]

stefano.... you get good neighbours in abruzzo....

we are also lucky....we live next door to our rental property....

i think if you want you can register with paypal to help get depoits and such over the internet

we will also use a neighbour to help with the cleaning...saturdays will be hectic ..... the thing is if you are letting out your home anyway you are going to get different types of individuals...some good some bad....
we have done a lot of work on our property and hopefully those that come will appreciate the place and leave it much as they find it....

so for what its worth.... make a decision on who locally you can trust to help.... make it worth their while to do a good job for you and as stefano says.... show your apreciation when you visit on top.... you ll make a friend and help the local italian economy

Hi Sue

I run a rental agency in Lucca - and agree with all that Sarah says! When things go smoothly, maybe the rental commission seems like a lot, but I can assure you that when things go wrong it is not nearly enough!

Sue,

if you are just renting it to friends/family and workmates on an 'irregular basis [i.e - not solidly renting it out for the whole of the Summer], I think there is an easier way than those shown above.

I let my family and a few use my house when I don't need it.

1, If you are not renting to strangers - who needs a deposit?
2. People you know can take their own bed linen etc
3. People you know expect to be asked to leave the place clean and tidy [otherwise they don't use it again]
4. People you know also expect to have to run a brush about the place when they arrive, if nobody has stayed for a while
5. If they use food/drink left in the house - they replace it
6. If they break anything - they replace it
7. They collect the keys from you, and return them to you [keep a spare set or two]

This works for me and does away with the need for local agents

Any rental you charge, [don't forget ½ûÂþÌìÌà Taxman], would reflect the lack of a cleaner and the need to take linen etc.

This is exactly how we will manage ours Alan. Family, friends and paying local (to us in England) rentals can collect the keys from us and we have bought white bedding only which we can give them a full set before they set off and like you say, ask them to leave the place in the same condition they found it.

As agreed with Alan again, if you have any complaints, dont let them use it again but I think you would know who to trust in the first place.

Sarah is it possible to be that much bussy and helpfull with renters or maybe you are exstrimlly good agent and renters usles?JC1

[QUOTE=gardahomes]Hi Sue
I thought I'd comment on this from the other side of the fence...
we manage rental properties on Lake Garda and while I can understand your view that management companies charge hefty fees for management, the reality is that the services required to run something like this efficiently involve an awful lot of hard work. You have two alternatives:
1) use a neighbour, give them the keys and bung them a few euros for their service and hope they don't use the property for parties and guests when you are not there or
2) hire someone who knows what they are doing and have a vested interest in keeping things running smoothly and making sure your guests get value for money and a clean house.

It seems an easy job, but for a professional to make a living from this work they have to run several properties at once. Changeovers are invariably on Saturdays (if you don't let on a week by week basis you'll find yourself losing money from "lost" days", which means having to be in several places at once. Cleaners are often unreliable and the manager often has to put on the marigolds and get stuck in if the cleaner has a bad back or the cleaning company (always very expensive) lets you down or does a bad job. Guests sometimes arrive late at night: we've been woken by guests who didn't turn up at the agreed time of 10pm and who didn't bother to call to say the plane was delayed, and called the "emergency" number at 2am after ringing every doorbell in the entire complex (this was a member of the owner's family). You also need someone on hand to help people out if there are problems. We get calls from guests irate because they can't find a parking space in the local town, and problems with gas leaks, when we had to find an emergency plumber on a Sunday. We've also had people be taken seriously ill and had to help them find and get to the local A&E.
In short, it's not an easy job and while it can go smoothly, when things go wrong you need someone reliable and professional, and for a good service you need to pay decent money. I always suggest upping the prices slightly to cover this, as one of the most important aspects of your rental will be the cleanliness and paying a bit extra for a job well done is worth every penny in repeat bookings and word of mouth.
Unfortunately I have heard though of managers for UK owners of ½ûÂþÌìÌà property going bust because owners aren't prepared to pay for their services.
Unfortunately in your location I can't help you as you are too far away, but if there's anything else I can help you with just ask. You might find the following site useful (I am not affiliated in any way: [URL=http://www.laymyhat.com]www.laymyhat.com[/URL] ).
All the best and good luck!
Sarah[/QUOTE]

Bravo jc1[QUOTE=adriatica]stefano.... you get good neighbours in abruzzo....

we are also lucky....we live next door to our rental property....

i think if you want you can register with paypal to help get depoits and such over the internet

we will also use a neighbour to help with the cleaning...saturdays will be hectic ..... the thing is if you are letting out your home anyway you are going to get different types of individuals...some good some bad....
we have done a lot of work on our property and hopefully those that come will appreciate the place and leave it much as they find it....

so for what its worth.... make a decision on who locally you can trust to help.... make it worth their while to do a good job for you and as stefano says.... show your apreciation when you visit on top.... you ll make a friend and help the local italian economy[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=marmotta]Hi Sue

I run a rental agency in Lucca - and agree with all that Sarah says! When things go smoothly, maybe the rental commission seems like a lot, but I can assure you that when things go wrong it is not nearly enough![/QUOTE]

It's true, but mostlly goes smoothlly, doesn't it?

No. Have been doing this for only a short time and have encountered concerns re a slightly muddy path, small water leak, small rip in the screens, turning on the hot water, lack of a stool, etc etc. Feel lucky that I have been able to successfully deal with each of these small issues. My opinion is that you need a trusted and capable and willing person to check on things if you are not going to be around yourself.

Casale-Villa with No Bidet
[url]http://www.virtualitalia.com/articles/acne_house.shtml[/url]

[QUOTE=stefanaccio]No. Have been doing this for only a short time and have encountered concerns re a slightly muddy path, small water leak, small rip in the screens, turning on the hot water, lack of a stool, etc etc. Feel lucky that I have been able to successfully deal with each of these small issues. My opinion is that you need a trusted and capable and willing person to check on things if you are not going to be around yourself.

Casale-Villa with No Bidet
[url]http://www.virtualitalia.com/articles/acne_house.shtml[/url][/QUOTE]

Hi, I see that we are (almost) neighbours. I drive down to San Nicolo to buy porchetta and deep fried Ascolana olives on Fridays if we are too tired after working on the house to cook.

By another coincidence, in Italy I have become Stefano Fiat, with the Stefano being pronounced in our local dialect as Shtefano.