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Rental Home Policies
Payment Policies: Reservations are taken on a conditional basis. Following confirmation by the owner, we will send your lease. Your lease is fully confirmed once the landlord has fully executed it with their signature and payment has cleared.In order to secure your booking, your leases and deposit must be returned within 10 days. Deposits may be made by personal or business check or money order. We do not accept credit cards. Overseas transactions must be paid in US funds through a US bank, any and all fees associated with payment are the sole responsibility of the TENANT. All leases are subject to a $50 processing fee. Final payment, security deposit or damage waiver and cleaning fees are due 30 days prior to your arrival. Full payment is required on any leases booked after May 1st for July or August of current year. Certified check or money order is required on all bookings made within 30 days of arrival.
Security Deposit (refundable less damage)/Accidental Damage Waiver Option (non refundable):
Most rentals allow for a $50/$100/$150 damage waiver however some require a security deposit. If your rental allows for the waiver, you will be sent that along with your lease. If the property requires the security deposit you will be notified and sent a lease without the security waiver. The $50/$100/$150 non- refundable Accidental Damage Waiver covers up to $500/$1000/$1500 respectively, in accidental damage (see Waiver for specific conditions). The security deposit (minus telephone, cable and/or damages) will be returned 45 days after your departure. Option for security deposit or Accidental Damage Waiver must be exercised at the time of booking. After lease has been written and signed by the tenant the option cannot be changed. Our agents inspect each property both prior to your arrival and at your departure. Agents inspect the properties for damages and/or excessive use and will notify you within 72 hours if any problem for which you will be billed is discovered.
Cancellations: If you need to cancel your lease, notify our office immediately. All cancellations must follow in writing. Please note: even with written notice, under the terms of your lease you are responsible for all rents due.If we are able to re-rent the property all rents will be refunded less a 15% (of all rent due) cancellation fee. We will do our best to re-rent the property under the same terms as your lease to a new tenant. However, we cannot guarantee re-rental.
John C. Ricotta & Associates reserves the right to cancel your lease and in some instances the same cancellation policy will apply: 1) If leases and initial payment are not received within 10 days of booking; 2) If a deposit check bounces; 2) If your final payment and/or security deposit or damage waiver and cleaning fee are not received 30 days prior to your arrival.
Hurricane Policy: The tenant’s decision as to the purchase of trip insurance will affect tenant rights in the event of a hurricane threat, mandatory hurricane evacuations or hurricane aftermath that may prevent travel to Cape Cod. To protect your investment for trips disrupted by hurricane John C. Ricotta & Associates strongly advises that tenants purchase trip cancellation insurance. We offer it through our cooperating partner, CSA Travel Protection, a plan that will cover most instances of trip interruptions due to hurricanes. To ensure a refund you will need to contact the insurance provider, be it CSA or another insurance group, and file a claim. If you have not purchased trip insurance, unfortunately there will be no refund offered for lost time due to a hurricane.
Accommodations Descriptions: We make every effort to ensure accurate descriptions of the homes we represent. We cannot, however, be responsible for typographical errors or changes made by owners in furnishings or equipment. If a tenant does not personally inspect the premises prior to signing their lease, they agree to accept the rental property as is, provided it meets the basic standards of habitability under MA law. The tenant will not be entitled to a refund and will have no recourse against the agent or John C. Ricotta & Associates if the property does not meet their expectations. Equipment and Appliances: Although we cannot guarantee the operation of all appliances, our staff makes every effort to ensure that the equipment and appliances are in working order. Agents, authorized employees or repairmen may enter the premises for purposes connected with repair, care or maintenance of the rental property. We will do our utmost to have any malfunction repaired in a timely manner; however, no refunds are given for equipment or appliance failure. Show clauses: Leases on properties that are listed for sale at the time of booking include a 24-hour show clause. This means you will be given 24-hour notice prior to showings. On rare occasion an owner will list their property for sale after a lease has been executed. The same 24-hour advance notice applies. Subletting: Tenants will not be permitted to sublet any properties without prior written permission from the property owner.
Internet Service: If your rental home offers internet service the owner/agency will make every effort to have the service up and running. However, we can make no guarantee for continuous service during your stay due to user error, down provider services or equipment malfunction. Service is not always reliable, however we offer our tenants the use of our business center Monday-Saturday 9-5 which includes free WIFI as an alternative (again as long as the provider's service is available).
No refunds will be made due to interrupted service. This is NOT considered an emergency issue- if your internet doesn't work we provide you with a trouble shooting list and would be happy to assist you during business hours: Mon-Sat 9-5. We recommend that you bring your own Ethernet cable. Should the home provide a wireless router, and not be running - as long as the provider's service is available - you will still be able to connect to the internet through your cable.
Construction: Cape Cod is a very desirable area with many homes under construction at any given time. We are very sorry but we cannot move people, or give refunds for construction noise or inconvenience.
Occupancy: Maximum occupancy (which includes infants in cribs) is set by the owner. Violation of the occupancy limit is grounds for immediate eviction. Sorry—no exceptions and no refunds.
Telephones: All homes have telephones; most have long distance blocks. Please come prepared to use your cell phone or calling cards.
Linens and towels: Most of our rentals do not include linens or towels. Please bring from home, or ask your agent for a referral to a local supplier. If your rental home does include them, you will need to follow the directions for cleaning/stripping them from the beds at the house.
Pets/Allergies: Most of our homes do not allow pets. The owner may still have had a cat or dog in residence. We can make no guarantee for an allergen-free home. Further, failure to abide by our no pets policy by allowing pets on the premises, either your own or a guest’s, will result in a $500 penalty and immediate termination of your lease.If rental is pet friendly: Tenant agrees that if they bring a dog there will be an extra $75 charge for cleaning and this will be deducted from their security deposit.
Smoking: Unless stated to the contrary in your lease, smoking is not permitted in our rental properties. If there is evidence that smoking has occurred inside a non-smoking rental property you will be charged an additional $1000 cleaning and ionization fee—THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS OFFENSE AND OUR POLICY IS STRICTLY ENFORCED.
Cleaning Policy: Rental homes are professionally cleaned before and after every rental at the tenant’s expense. The customary charge is listed on the data sheet and delineated in your lease. Additional charges will apply for excessive cleaning, replacement of furniture to its original place, and/or laundering of linens. For long term stays interim cleanings, at the tenant’s expense, may be required. If you arrive at your home and believe that the house has not been cleaned to your satisfaction you must notify the office within 24 hours.
Check-in/Check-out: Check-in time is 3:00 PM. Keys may be picked up at our office at that time. If you will be arriving after 5:00 PM, please call the office to let us know and to make arrangements to pick up your keys. Check-out time is 10:00 AM (unless otherwise noted on your lease). Sorry there are no exceptions. Keys must be dropped at our office. There is a $25 charge for lost keys or keys not returned by 10:30 a.m. on the day of departure.
Lost Items: Ricotta & Associates is not responsible for lost or stolen items. A service fee of $20 and actual postal costs will be deducted from your security deposit resulting from attempted retrieval or retrieval and return of items left at your rental property.