Perhaps an electronic card system could work? It could be expensive, but may well be worth it. (I've got a first up estimate for a shop system, where there is an alarm system which it could link up to fairly easily, that would be about $600 - $800 for one door). That would mean that if a tenant leaves with the key, just disable that card and issue another card to the next tenant.bianca said:
corporate letting and short term rentals
- Thread starter bianca
- Start date
who flogged the toaster....?
Gee, you all have your brains on today--thanks for all the ideas.
The possible returns from this type of letting is just too good to let go, because it appears too difficult at the start.
Funny thing, the solutions always seem to be out there, its just focusing on letting them enter your own head, that is the hard part.
The beauty of team work folks!
Now if we could only stop them from running of with the toaster and the towels...................
What is the story on charging people for such things after they have already paid their fees, presuming that you have their card details etc? Is that legal?
Gee, you all have your brains on today--thanks for all the ideas.
The possible returns from this type of letting is just too good to let go, because it appears too difficult at the start.
Funny thing, the solutions always seem to be out there, its just focusing on letting them enter your own head, that is the hard part.
The beauty of team work folks!
Now if we could only stop them from running of with the toaster and the towels...................
What is the story on charging people for such things after they have already paid their fees, presuming that you have their card details etc? Is that legal?
bianca said:
Hi Bianca
In nearly 3 years, I have never lost even a towel.
The only group I don't let to are the partying 17-20 year olds. And in all those lets, I've only had 1 leave it really messy.
I'd say don't worry about what might happen. And you can take a deposit that is refundable when they leave
I also charge a departure cleaning fee which they are aware of upfront.
bianca said:
I have a cleaner that comes in as required. The key is with a neighbour or I meet them......yes it is close to where I live.
But if I was away from the place I'd have a key caddy as mentioned before. I rented somewhere that had that and it worked well. I was told the code after I had paid and voila! The cleaner reset it each booking.
Brilliant!! i am going to look into that immediately.
Any aspiring keycaddy producers out there? could be a nice add on to the short term rental websites.......I am sure the Chinese could reproduce them at a fantastic price. If only i had the energy to follow it up....
low cost keycaddies especially for self managed properties-now there is a business idea!Maybe we should get together and ..... I am supposed to be having a year off pfwww!
Thanx Ani and geofw..now i can spend the next month dreaming this one up, instead of relaxing.
Any aspiring keycaddy producers out there? could be a nice add on to the short term rental websites.......I am sure the Chinese could reproduce them at a fantastic price. If only i had the energy to follow it up....
low cost keycaddies especially for self managed properties-now there is a business idea!Maybe we should get together and .....
I am supposed to be having a year off pfwww!Thanx Ani and geofw..now i can spend the next month dreaming this one up, instead of relaxing.
These guys might be able to give you are few ideas bianca.
http://www.cicsecure.com.au/index.htm
Ruby
http://www.cicsecure.com.au/index.htm
Ruby
hi Bianca,
luckily, i lived in the same building as the apartment, so I just met the tenants in the foyer and handed over the key.
I'd do a quick count of all the items before the letting and then again afterwards, and also kept a master inventory report in the office.
I gave the cleaner a key, and he went every single friday unless I told him not too. then I'd book him in for a final clean after each tenancy. He'd do a thorough clean and vacuum, and change all the linen, sheets, towels etc and top up the complimentary shampoos, soaps, coffee and milk etc. We had a locked linen cabinet that all the spare supplies were kept in, which he had a key to. I'd dump the linen off at the laundromat, and then leave them in a specially arranged location for the cleaner to collect and load back into the locked cabinet on his next visit.
With the telephone I organised that I could view the account online, and at the day after the last tenancy I'd download all the activity and charge the tenant accordingly.
Like i said earlier, it really is a hands-on exercise, but can be quite worthwhile.
Good luck.
luckily, i lived in the same building as the apartment, so I just met the tenants in the foyer and handed over the key.
I'd do a quick count of all the items before the letting and then again afterwards, and also kept a master inventory report in the office.
I gave the cleaner a key, and he went every single friday unless I told him not too. then I'd book him in for a final clean after each tenancy. He'd do a thorough clean and vacuum, and change all the linen, sheets, towels etc and top up the complimentary shampoos, soaps, coffee and milk etc. We had a locked linen cabinet that all the spare supplies were kept in, which he had a key to. I'd dump the linen off at the laundromat, and then leave them in a specially arranged location for the cleaner to collect and load back into the locked cabinet on his next visit.
With the telephone I organised that I could view the account online, and at the day after the last tenancy I'd download all the activity and charge the tenant accordingly.
Like i said earlier, it really is a hands-on exercise, but can be quite worthwhile.
Good luck.
The SOMERSOFT THINK TANK
It would be fantastic though, if there was some easily set up system that made this kind of operation do-able from wherever, don't you agree?
How about this. Basic set up:
You install one of those fingerprint recognition keypads in your property.
( Eliminates the need to forward a keycard to the visitor, which is still a problem) The lock is preprogrammed to accept pin numbers--as per standard manufacture. The only thing is that the pin numbers will need to be "wiped" from the lock system as soon as a new client comes along.
The cleaner has access to the master pin ( scary but neccessary) They do the exit clean and then , at the swipe of a card, the none master pins are deleted. All they then have to do is push a few more buttons and set the pin for the next client. The client comes in, scans his fingerprint which configures the pin, and hey presto, the place is theirs for their paid up time.
If the client forgets his pin or whatever, they can always ring up and get it reissued.
Problems: If the cleaner gets it wrong then you are totally screwed.Therefore must have an emergency key available SOMEWHERE?
How do other members of the family use the lock
How do you ensure that the guests leave on time
without placing more responsibility on the cleaner
How do you know the guests have gone
Advanced setup:Motels can do all this as they have a central computor from which they manage all operations. Is there a possibility of managing remotely?
You smart wire the house, or at least have constant broadband set up, and then the technology used in motel reservation should be able to be controlled remotely-- resetting of codes on keycard locks etc. The website your apartments are affiliated to could also be in charge of issuing keycards and/ or pin numbers, and onsell the neccessary hardware to get your property ready.You just log into their back office and access all the stuff . All sounds expensive, but its not realy, if it is possible.
problems: still the problem of how do you get the keycard to the customer- that is why the fingerprint scan may be better. They have already paid by cCard, so payment is no problem.
If their is a server crash then your guests cant into the house! arghh
Wonder if this could work some way with the regular alarm systems that run through the telephone wiring?
anyone with some more ideas. i have found companies that provide these systems, but I am not sure if they cater for little single operators like us, and if they provide the remote capabilities.
Get that grey matter going folks!
It would be fantastic though, if there was some easily set up system that made this kind of operation do-able from wherever, don't you agree?
How about this. Basic set up:
You install one of those fingerprint recognition keypads in your property.
( Eliminates the need to forward a keycard to the visitor, which is still a problem) The lock is preprogrammed to accept pin numbers--as per standard manufacture. The only thing is that the pin numbers will need to be "wiped" from the lock system as soon as a new client comes along.
The cleaner has access to the master pin ( scary but neccessary) They do the exit clean and then , at the swipe of a card, the none master pins are deleted. All they then have to do is push a few more buttons and set the pin for the next client. The client comes in, scans his fingerprint which configures the pin, and hey presto, the place is theirs for their paid up time.
If the client forgets his pin or whatever, they can always ring up and get it reissued.
Problems: If the cleaner gets it wrong then you are totally screwed.Therefore must have an emergency key available SOMEWHERE?
How do other members of the family use the lock
How do you ensure that the guests leave on time
without placing more responsibility on the cleaner
How do you know the guests have gone
Advanced setup:Motels can do all this as they have a central computor from which they manage all operations. Is there a possibility of managing remotely?
You smart wire the house, or at least have constant broadband set up, and then the technology used in motel reservation should be able to be controlled remotely-- resetting of codes on keycard locks etc. The website your apartments are affiliated to could also be in charge of issuing keycards and/ or pin numbers, and onsell the neccessary hardware to get your property ready.You just log into their back office and access all the stuff . All sounds expensive, but its not realy, if it is possible.
problems: still the problem of how do you get the keycard to the customer- that is why the fingerprint scan may be better. They have already paid by cCard, so payment is no problem.
If their is a server crash then your guests cant into the house! arghh
Wonder if this could work some way with the regular alarm systems that run through the telephone wiring?
anyone with some more ideas. i have found companies that provide these systems, but I am not sure if they cater for little single operators like us, and if they provide the remote capabilities.
Get that grey matter going folks!
haha-brain is in overdrive
I guess i have to be a bit more trusting.
Yup--checked it out, but I guess i am going on past experience of husbands in a flurry dicovering keys in the glove box from the last 3 places we stayed at, and then having very disgruntled owners who had to get the keys back to the property somehow.
Or husbands who never remember to hand in their keycards.
Been there?
Maybe my streamlining of the process is a bit overboard....but hey...I am envisioning 10 apartments here! lol---always think big I say.
cheers
I guess i have to be a bit more trusting.
Yup--checked it out, but I guess i am going on past experience of husbands in a flurry dicovering keys in the glove box from the last 3 places we stayed at, and then having very disgruntled owners who had to get the keys back to the property somehow.
Or husbands who never remember to hand in their keycards.
Been there?
Maybe my streamlining of the process is a bit overboard....but hey...I am envisioning 10 apartments here! lol---always think big I say.
cheers
Must be a Male thing..
Only one husband involved here!!! But on holidays, his brain is usually not attached to his body. Must be a MALE thing i think Actually, his brain never seems to be anywhere except for work...and he does that better than most, so i am definitely not complaining.
Thats why i am on the forum, because mine goes a hundred km per minute, as it has for the past 20 years,and without feed back that is very scary . i love him to death though, so don't get any ideas!
So you are investigating the electronic system? Any ideas on how this could work or if there is already anything out there to suit our needs?
cheers
Only one husband involved here!!! But on holidays, his brain is usually not attached to his body. Must be a MALE thing i think
Actually, his brain never seems to be anywhere except for work...and he does that better than most, so i am definitely not complaining.Thats why i am on the forum, because mine goes a hundred km per minute, as it has for the past 20 years,and without feed back that is very scary . i love him to death though, so don't get any ideas!
So you are investigating the electronic system? Any ideas on how this could work or if there is already anything out there to suit our needs?
cheers
