Frequently Asked Questions
Owner FAQs
Will you manage my property without a permit?
No, if the area in which your home is located if a permit is required we require the home to have one. As we are fully licensed and regulated through the Tennessee Real Estate Commission and hold a Vacation Lodging Specialist License we follow all local and state regulations. If you are partnering with us on a Full-Service Management contract we will help you obtain that at no additional cost. If you are a partner that is doing a la carte services you can hire use to obtain the permit for you for an additional fee.
Do you only manage homes in Nashville?
No, we can help you with homes in any state that does not allow us to have a broker license in that state. If you are looking at investing in other areas we can help guide you in that process. We have first-hand experience in Colorado, Florida, Texas, and Georgia, however, that does not mean we cannot assist in other markets as well. Our experience and connections allow us to manage in all markets.
Is my home guaranteed from damages?
As we would like to guarantee your home will be accidents free, they sometimes do happen. When a guest makes a booking we screen them thoroughly and ask every guest a series of questions to get to know them, learn about the trip, plans for the stay (we offer concierge service) all while still maintaining conversations with them during the stay. Less than 1% of bookings have damages and when they do we take the appropriate steps on getting those resolved. In that slim chance damage does happen we work with the booking platform’s damage protection policy, then the policy the guests’ purchase. In the unforeseen instances, we were not able to collect on either of the methods the owner is financially responsible for the repairs and/or replacements.
Are there onboarding cost and if so what are they?
Yes, there are a few things we require to partner with us. We use a smart lock and home automation system that allows us to better manage our homes. Only the locks are required, however, we offer a wide variety of thermostats, sensors, and camera options to help protect your investment. We use cellular-based products so if the wifi goes out we can still communicate with your equipment. There are other items we require our homes to have to ensure all guests have an enjoyable experience during their stay on top of the basic bedroom and kitchen supplies. Those items are: -entire space for them to enjoy (if you have just a room reach out to us about our marketing only option) -electronic lock -cable television or Smart TV -minimum 2 sets of linen with the base being: full set per bed, 2 towels, 1 hand towel, and 1 washcloth per guest (ex: if the home has 3 queen beds and sleeps 6 you need — 6 queen sheet sets, 24 towels, 12 hand towels, and 12 washcloths at minimum to start off) -high-speed internet -bi-annual inspection of all systems by a professional -hair dryers in each bathroom -iron and ironing board -digital garage door opener (if applicable) -2 trash cans for 3 and 4 bedroom units -washer and dryer on site -basic cleaning supplies for guest use (vacuum, broom, dust pan).
Do you charge a consultation fee to evaluate my property?
Yes, we do charge $150 to come and evaluate your property. During the evaluation, we will obtain all the information needed to do a property analysis and present it to you within 48 hours after the visit. During the evaluation, we will provide you with a detailed list of recommended supplies to be successful and a list of best industry practices. As we hate to charge for this service, sadly it has become a requirement for us as many people have met with us, taken our strategies, and decided to self manage so we lost valuable time with our paying owners. If you decide to partner with us the consultation fee will go towards your onboarding costs.
Does Welcome Mat Vacations have the proper licenses and insurance needed?
Yes, we are fully registered with the state of Tennessee and hold our Vacation Lodging Specialist (VLS) license and our owner, Leslie, is the designated agent for the firm. If you choose us or not make sure the company or person you pick holds this license as many people do not know they have to have it within the state. If whoever you choose to manage your property does not have a VLS they are at risk of having to cease operation immediately, fined $1,000 per property, and the owner will have to forfeit all bookings until the company/person complies. This used to not be regulated as much, however, the state is starting to crack down on illegal operators. Not only do we carry errors and omissions (E&O) insurance we also have general liability insurance on the company as well. Many property managers only carry E&O insurance, however, we feel we should be fully protected in the event anything happens.
Guest FAQs
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check-in for our properties is at 3 pm local time and check-out is 10 am local time. While we would like to honor early arrivals and late departures at the time of booking we simply cannot guarantee it until the day before arrival or night before departure. If you know your travel plans will need either one we highly recommend booking the night before your booked arrival date or night of your booked departure date. Please reach out to us directly if this is the case and we can see if we can offer some form of a discount, however, the discount is based on the season/date needed and not a guarantee. If your plans have changed since you booked please reach out to us so we can work on accommodating the new arrangements the best we can.
Does the home have WiFi?
Yes, all homes have Wi-Fi and the information will be provided with your check-in instructions.
How do we access the home?
All of our homes have a digital door lock with the code that is specific to you. The codes are only valid from the check-in time to the check-out time and will not work if you try and access the home outside of your rental times.
What is the deposit and cancelation policy of the reservations?
All reservations must be canceled 30 days before your arrival date to receive any type of money back. At the time of booking 25% is due, which is non-refundable after 48 hours of making the reservation. We know people like to get something booked to hold the space so we offer a complimentary grace period of 48 hours. The next payment is due 60 days before the arrival of 25% (50% would be paid by this time and non-refundable). The final payment of the remaining balance of 50% is due 30 days before your arrival; at that time the reservation is 100% non-refundable. **If you book less than 60 days out 50% is due at the time of booking. If you book less than 30 days out 100% is due at the time of booking** Example: booking date February 14th for arrival on June 30th for a total reservation cost of $1,000— -25% due on February 14th ($250 due with the balance of $750 owed) -25% due on April 30th ($250 due, $250 paid with the balance of $500 due) -50% due on May 30th ($500 due, $500 paid with a balance of $0 due)
Can you help me arrange activities or groceries for my trip?
Yes, we are a full-service company so we offer a wide variety of concierge services. Reach out to us directly as we can help make dinner reservations, suggested itineraries, and even grocery shop for you and have the home stocked on your arrival. These services sometimes have a fee so please inquire with us and we will serve you to our best abilities.
I see you have nightly minimums do you ever change those?
Yes, reach out to us directly if you want to book less than our minimum night requirement for that selected and we can try to accommodate you. If that home is not available we might have another one where we can honor your request.
Is smoking allowed in your homes?
All of our homes are NO SMOKING and if we find signs of smoking there will be a minimum fee of $500 charged to the method of payment for the reservation. Smoking is allowed outside the homes, however, ALL butt must be removed or an additional cleaning fee of $100 will be billed.
What if a natural disaster or any other unforeseen circumstance that impacts our stay?
As we would like to say these things never happen they are outside of our control and no refunds will be issued. We offer trip insurance for you to purchase that would cover these situations. If you elect not to purchase the insurance through us or another company you are taking the sole risk and responsibility for your trip.
Are there any extra fees after booking?
While booking directly all taxes and fees are displayed in the cost. We cannot control what other platforms allow us to collect at the time of booking as they are a marketing platform for us and we do not own or operate them. Some platforms do not collect all of our taxes or the damage policy and an additional invoice will be sent 72 hours before arrival and will need to be paid before checking into the home. All additional fees collected after booking are displayed in our listing of that platform as well as our guest agreements if applicable to that site.
The taxes seem high, why is that?
Depending on where the home is located depends on the taxes collects as each state, city, and county have different taxes and fees we have to pay. In Tennessee, we have to collect 7% in State Sales Tax, while in Nashville we have to collect 2.45% Davidson County Sales Tax, and 6% + $2.50/night Hotel Occupancy Tax giving us a total of 15.45% on the gross (rental rate and housekeeping rate) plus $2.50 nightly.