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Getting the most from your vacation rental

By Attorney General Roy Cooper

30 May 2007 — With the end of the school year approaching and temperatures rising, many North Carolina families are beginning to plan their summer vacations. Whether it’s rafting and hiking in our mountains or fun in the sun along our coast, North Carolina offers many incredible vacation destinations. In fact, the state we call home is a year-round top tourist destination, drawing 50 million visitors and $13 billion to our state each year.

Whether you choose to vacation near home or far away, keep the following tips in mind when you make your summer travel plans.

Vacation Rentals

Planning on renting a place in the mountains or at the beach? North Carolina’s Vacation Rental Act protects consumers who rent a vacation property for fewer than 90 days. Under the law, the landlord must give you a written rental agreement that spells out:
• Your rights and obligations as a tenant, including payment
• The rights and obligations of the landlord and/or real estate brokers
• The amount of security deposit required and how the deposit will be held
• Any additional fees required to rent the property

Once you sign a vacation rental agreement, you and the landlord agree to abide by its terms. Landlords are required by law to keep the property safe and habitable.

So what happens if your vacation gets cut short by the threat of a hurricane or forest fire? Your landlord may offer you insurance on your vacation rental, which would cover the cost of any nights you miss due to a mandatory evacuation. If you’re ordered to evacuate and you were not given a chance to purchase insurance, the landlord is required to refund your money for each night you can’t stay at the rental property.. But if you’re offered rental insurance and don’t take it, the owner isn’t required to refund your money in case of mandatory evacuation.

If you rented the property through a real estate company and have a complaint or question, contact the North Carolina Real Estate Commission at 919-875-3700. If you are thinking about renting a vacation home out of state, it’s a good idea to contact that state’s Attorney General’s Office to learn about your rights there as a consumer.

Travel Packages and Clubs

You’ve probably gotten a fax, phone call, or email offering an incredible price for what sounds like a dream vacation, or been offered a “free vacation” if you join a travel club. What these advertisements and offers don’t reveal is that these packages usually involve added fees or require you to take an unwanted timeshare tour. And in many cases travelers arrive at their destination to discover the accommodations aren’t quite what was promised. In fact, you may even be nickeled and dimed with extra charges like a bed fee, meals fee, or even paying for linens and towels.

A vacation isn’t free if you have to pay for something to get it, and offers that seem too good to be true almost always are. Before you decide on a package or club offer, be sure the terms of the agreement are to your liking. Don’t feel like you have to agree on the spot to high-pressure sales tactics (for example, an offer that is only available for one day). Finally, be sure to check and see if the offer includes any sort of refund policy in case the company goes belly up.

A Few More Travel Tips

No matter how or where you book your vacation, consider paying with a credit card instead of cash to improve your odds of getting a refund if the company goes out of business. Also, be sure to read all contracts carefully before signing. Make sure verbal promises are put in writing and keep good records, so if a problem arises, it can be resolved quickly.

If your travel deal involves a third party, such as an online travel agency who is supposed to issue you a coupon, verify that the participating company (hotel, cruise ship, airline) is in fact a partner of the company and will honor the coupon.

To check for complaints against a specific travel agent, travel package company or landlord, or to file a complaint, you can always call my consumer protection office toll-free at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. And if you take a vacation this summer, I hope you have a wonderful and safe time.

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