Rules In A Florida Vacation Villa
By Chris Neilson, Thu Dec 8th

Copyright 2005 Chris Neilson

The answer is "yes" and "no" ! There are very few, (in fact,I've condensed it down to just four) but ultimately it all boilsdown to common sense and respect for the owners of the vacationproperty.

Sounds pretty good huh ? And it is... so here are the few simplerules that the villa owner will expect you to obey during youroccupancy.

Check In & Check Out Times :

Please adhere to the times stated on your booking forms. Theseare stated for a reason and are part of the contract that youmake with the owner when you agree to book their accommodation.Early check ins cause terrible problems for the cleaning staff,who work like Trojans in order to ensure your first impressionis a great impression. Look at it this way... if it normallytakes the cleaners 4-5 hours to clean the villa, and you arriveearly, it is not going to make them clean any faster ! You willnot be allowed entry to the villa until the job is complete, soif you do arrive early, take the opportunity to do a littleshopping and stock up on those daily essentials.

Likewise, late check outs cause problems as this has a knock oneffect throughout the day, as the cleaners struggle to make upthe time caused by a late check out. Imagine you were the guestsarriving on a day that the previous guests had checked out late.And imagine how annoyed you would be if the villa wasn't ready,just because of someone else's selfishness.

So the general rule of thumb, is to please check in and checkout on time. Remember that if you overstay your welcome, as withhotels, you will be charged an additional fee.

Notices :

The villa owner and their management company will have gone togreat lengths to ensure that the appropriate signage isdisplayed inside and outside the villa. Some people say thatthese signs are insulting to their intelligence, but the bottomline is that they are the law, and an owner can be fined if theyare not displayed. Besides which, they are there for your healthand safety, so take note of them and follow the instructionsthey give.

General Behaviour :

Always remember that you are staying in a privately owned home ~not something owned by a faceless corporation. Villa ownersspend thousands of dollars a year maintaining and upgradingtheir homes to ensure that you, as guests, get the best valuefor money vacation experience that you can.

Please don't disrespect the owner's property, and the trust theyhave placed in you by turning your accommodation into "dump" ora "party house". Would you like your home and your possessionsdamaged ? Of course not ! So please don't think that an ownerwill feel any differently.

Report any accidents immediately to the management company.Don't try to hide the evidence in the hope that you will getaway with it. Trust me... you wont ! Also bear in mind that ifthe manager is not given time to repair damage or replacedamaged items, the next guests will have to suffer theconsequences of your actions. Put yourself in their position,and do the right thing !

Pool Rules:

One of the greatest things about renting a private villa is thefact that get your own private swimming pool too. However, caremust be take at all times in and around the pool, especially ifyou have children in your party.

The villa owner will give specific details of pool safety intheir Welcome Folder, and you will also see signs at poolside,which are required by Florida State Law. Please read thesecarefully and follow them to the letter.

A legal requirement in a short term rental villa is theprovision of a pool alert alarm which should be fitted to anyinternal door which leads out to the pool area. This alarm willsound whenever a door is opened, and is designed to alertparents to small children who may have entered the pool areaunnoticed. It is an excellent safety feature. An override buttonon the alarm,

which can be activated by adults will ensure thatthe siren does not become annoying.

Many guests however simply disarm this alarm, showing totaldisregard for the safety of their children. Not only is thisstupid beyond belief, but also an arrestable offence in theState of Florida, with fines of $5,000.00 being levied againstoffenders.

Again, be smart, think health and safety, and do the right thing.

And that my friends is pretty much it ! Nothing too scary oroverwhelming. Just simple common sense and courtesy. Followthese rules and you will not only enjoy a fantastic vacation,but you will always be welcomed back to the villa again, yearafter year after year.

About the author:Chris Neilson is a professional writer and private Villa Ownerwho has an extensive knowledge of the Florida Travel Industry.He is also the senior copywriter for the well known FloridaVacation Rentals web site Orlando Villas -http://www.orlandovillas.com © Copyright Chris Neilson 2005 AllRights Reserved