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Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I go about securing a rental? Contact me via phone or email to find out if the date you have in mind is still available. After we have talked and you have confirmed the date; I will send a contract. You need to do nothing until the contract arrives. Once you have the contract; read ALL provisions and confirm ALL information is correct as you understood. Then sign one copy and return with the deposit to my address. How long do I have to return the contract? You have 10 days to return the contract. I will generally assume that it takes 2 to 3 days to arrive to your home. If I have not received it in 12-13 days from the date on the top of the contract letter; then I will re-advertise as available. If special circumstances exist ; a phone call to me can adjust this provision. No. If there is some change, I will do what I can to arrange for a different week. However, if there is a request for an outright cancellation, the deposit is forfeited. Remember, I have turned people away from your week since you committed...and a cancellation leaves me in a financial hole of which your deposit only partially helps me. Will you hold a date open for me until I can check on friends/family commitments? I will hold a date a reasonable amount of time. Understand that people are calling me while you are deciding. I can only ask them to hold for 24-48 hours. So, after you've inquired about a particular date and ask me to hold it open, I can do it for only this amount of time. Can I reserve a date a year in advance? Yes. I maintain a list of tentative reservations. I start this list in January for reservations in the following year. If you have a particular week in mind...let me know and I will put it on the list. In early January of the vacation year, I will contact all people on the list for a commitment or not. At this point adjustments can be made or the reservation dropped. Also; at this point all people wishing to keep their reservation will receive contracts and must return them with deposits. When will I need to send you the rest of the money? I will send the key to the house 3-4 weeks in advance of your rental date. The entire amount of the rental is due on the date stated in the cover letter (usually 10 days previous to rental date). The deposit is not returned until after Kim Piddington has checked the house and you have returned the key to me. Are rentals only on a weekly basis? No. During June, July and August when all the houses fill up; I generally must stick to a Sunday to Sunday rental. However there are sometimes exceptions if a house is still not committed two weeks prior to a summer week, I will extend a rental beyond 7 days or rent a partial week. Also, during this period I have at times been able to match 2 families together to make a week. Usually with one family renting 4 days and the other family renting 3 days. During the other months of the year I can rent partial weeks with a 3 night minimum. Is there a limit to the number of people I can put in a house? Yes. The signed contract stipulates that the "Beach Crab" hold a maximum of 9 people; the "Sound Crab" hold a maximum of 8 people. I see that the contract excludes pets. My dog is a very small indoor dog. Can I have an exception ? NO. The NO PET requirement is non-negotiable. .I realize that everyone's dog and cat is different; but experience has taught me that this rule must be strictly adhered to. Deference will result in eviction and forfeiture of deposit. Are the houses available during the winter months? Yes - both houses are open at a pro-rated weekly rate. The houses are well equipped for your stay. The kitchen has all the conveniences and utensils that you might need. You will need to supply linens, sheets and towels. The bed configuration for each house is written up in the brochure accompanying your contract. Beach chairs and blankets are your responsibility. A fresh roll of toilet paper is in each bathroom when you arrive; as well as a roll of paper towels in the kitchen. After these are exhausted; you are responsible for replacements during the week. Video players and CD players are in each house. You will need to bring whatever tapes and CD's that you enjoy. Is there a cleaning fee in addition to the rental rate? Yes and No. There is an optional cleaning fee. If you clean the house yourself there is of course no fee. If you want the house cleaned for you, the fee is $75. This is what I pay the cleaning crew; there are no admin charges. If you clean the house yourself all materials are provided. Kim Piddington (the caretaker) will inspect the house once you have cleaned to insure that it is acceptable to the next renters. If not, he will do what is necessary and bill me accordingly. I will then deduct charges from the deposit. The breakout for cleaning or paying the service is about 50% to 50%. Rarely has a house been found unacceptable after either type of cleaning. Are there any additional charges other than the published weekly rate? No. Other than the optional cleaning charges; all other fee's and taxes are contained in the published weekly rate. What happens if there is a breakdown or mechanical failure? Kim Piddington is available as caretaker to handle these situations. What he can't fix himself; he will arrange to have repairs made as quickly as possible. Realize that at the height of the season some breakdowns may take a few days to repair. They will be made as quickly as possible. Should Kim be out of town during your rental; a back-up caretaker will have been designated and you will have been made aware of the name and phone number ahead of time. What happens if there is a hurricane evacuation? Evacuation days are credited with the same number of days during the off-season" Do the houses have telephones? All the houses have at least one telephone. They also now are equipped with telephone answering machines. Each phone has a long distance Call Block. All long distance calls must be billed to another number or credit card. We have never been to the Outer Banks. Where can we get information to see if it a place we want to vacation? There is a wealth of information on the web. Here are some links to get you started:
If you ask me, I will provide you with the information; from Charter Boat Fishing to restaurants to fishing regulations to golf. You can also contact the Dare County Tourist Bureau at 252-473-2138. I need to know what is going on in the World; even on vacation. Is there a place available to get a daily newspaper? Yes. The Virginia Pilot is delivered daily to your door at each house during the On-season (June through August). The Virginia Pilot is an excellent newspaper from Norfolk, Va. The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal and other New York and Philadelphia papers are available at the Stop and Shop on the Beach Road at Mile Post 8 each day after 9 AM. The Richmond, Charlotte and Raleigh papers are available at the Red apple at Mile Post 7 (north of the houses) and Mile Post 8 (South). Both Red Apples are on the bypass.
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