About the Outer Banks Area > Rental Info: FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is Tenant Damage Insurance?
Unless the owner of a property does not allow the Tentant Damage Insurance option, you may purchase tenant damage insurance coverage in the amount of $1,500.00 in lieu of making a security deposit. The premium is $ 45.00, plus tax and is non-refundable. This insurance covers the owner for any accidental damages to their property as long as you disclose the damage upon arrival or anytime prior to your departure. Intentional damage, gross negligence, natural disasters, certain thefts, and other exclusions are listed in the document detailing specific coverage AIG Travel Guard. Also, a copy can be mailed, faxed, or e-mailed upon request. This insurance cannot be purchased after you have made a final payment.
What is Trip Insurance ?
Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates offers the option of purchasing a travel insurance policy with each vacation rental. Most guests think vacation rental insurance is just for hurricane evacuations, but it really covers much more. "Trip Preserver" from Red Sky Travel Insurance provides valuable coverage, benefits and 24-hour emergency assistance services to take care of you while traveling to and from your vacation destination and protects your hard-earned vacation investment. The trip cancellation and trip interruption component includes coverage for sickness, injury and death; extension of school year; armed services leave revocation; hurricane evacuations and much more! The emergency assistance services are available 24/7 and include helpful benefits such as lost ticket & passport assistance, a nurse help line, and emergency prescription refill assistance.
This particular coverage is only available to the primary person on the reservation who must be a resident of the United States or Canada. Please keep in mind that payment for the plan must be received prior to or with your final rental payment, and there are terms and conditions that apply. For complete details, you should reference the Certificate of Insurance that you receive along with your Rental Agreement copy and payment acknowledgement.
When is my first payment due?
An Advance Rent Payment of one half of the rent, the reservation fee, trip cancellation insurance (if desired), and tenant damage insurance (if desired) and applicable taxes must be received in our office within seven (7) days after your reservation request. An exception to this policy occurs when reserving a special or a period for which check-in will occur in less than thirty (30) days of the request. In such case all payments are due at the time of the reservation request and must be paid in full by credit card.
Do you send a reminder for the unpaid balance due?
We don't send payment reminders. The balance of the rent, including a state tax, county occupancy tax, and the security deposit (where applicable) is due no less than thirty (30) days prior to your check-in date. The balance you owe will be on your first payment receipt.
Where do I pick up my keys?
Our main office is located at Milepost 2 in Kitty Hawk on the corner of Croatan Highway which is US Highway 158 and Fonck Street. This is where you will check-in and get the keys for your vacation rental home. We will have directions ready for you.
During the summer months, Memorial Day to Labor day, we have two offices open:
Guests checking into Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills homes will pick up their keys at the main office in Kitty Hawk at Milepost 2.
Guests checking into vacation properties in Nags Head and South Nags Head will check-in and get their keys at our Guest Services office located at 2705 N. Croatan Highway, Mile Post 5.8 on the Corner of E. Hayman and N. Croatan Highway in Kill Devil Hills.
What if I arrive after your office closes at 5:00 pm?
If you arrive after hours the keys and directions to your vacation home will be put in the after hours box. Both of our offices have a big maroon colored box just to the left of the front door. Your package will be clearly marked with your rental number and directions are on the outside of the envelope.
Can we check-in earlier than 4pm?
We set our check-in time at 4:00pm so that service providers such as housekeepers, inspection crews and maintenance vendors have time to do their jobs. Most every home has new guests arriving each week. With just a short time between check-out time and check-in time, we have to allow enough time to get your vacation home ready for you and your family. We will make every attempt to let you into the home earlier but only if it has been released for occupancy. Please do not park at the home and ask the service vendors if the home is ready for you to go into. We have specific processes in place to ensure that everything is ready for you. We do not have a pay to check-in early program.
What is the phone number to my vacation home?
You can contact us to get the phone number on the Monday prior to your arrival day. It will be listed on your check-in package information. We do give phone numbers out any earlier because of privacy issues and becuase when houses are sold, the new owners usually have to get a new number. Phones are for local calls only and there is no charge.
What do I need to bring?
All Joe Lamb Jr. & Associates vacation properties are equipped with standard kitchen amenities such as cooking pots and pans, dishes, silverware, basic cooking utensils and glassware. You will need to bring paper products like garbage bags, toilet tissue, paper towels, hand soap, dish and laundry soap. You might want to pack any items that you use regularly at home that the homeowner may not provide like crock pots, salad spinners or your favorite chef knife. The things we find most folks forget are spices, coffee filters, aluminum foil, dish towels, sponges and dish cloths. Even if you do forget something you can easily pick it up at the nearby grocery or retail store. Beach chairs, coolers and umbrellas can be rented locally.
I see on all of your property descriptions that you quote the rates for Bed Linens or Bed Linens and Towels, how does that work?
You can rent these items, just let us know when we review your rental agreement with you or make a request when booking online. Add the rate quoted (plus tax) into your reservation total amount due. The bed linens and towels are provided by an independent company that delivers directly to your vacation home. Their service makes the beds for you (except for trundles, tops of bunks, sleep sofas, futons and rollways) and leaves the towels for you. You are welcome to bring your own. A good number of our vacation home owners provide bed linens and bath towels, some only provide the bed linens. You can find out what is supplied by looking at the description of the property you want to rent.
What do I have to do when I check-out?
Please be considerate and leave the home in a neat and clean condition. You will need to wash and put away all of the dishes. Wipe off counters and empty the refrigerator and cabinets. If you rented linens you will need to strip the beds and replace the mattress pads, comforters, pillows, etc. back on the beds the way they were when you checked in. Take out the trash and roll the containers to the street. Do not leave anything outside of the trash container. Set the air conditioner to 75 degrees if it is during the summer; set the heat to 60 degrees if it is winter or the heat is needed. Lock all doors and windows. You will need to vacate you vacation home no later than 10:00 am, feel free to have breakfast and enjoy your last day here. Just remember to bring the keys, your guest survey and advance reservation form the our office before you leave town. Please don't leave the keys inside the home.
What if we are planning to leave the Outer Banks area before your office opens in the morning?
If you plan on getting an early start on your trip back home, feel free to drop your keys , guest survey and advance reservation form in the after- hours box. Both of our offices have a big maroon colored box just to the left of the front door. If you put everything back in the check-in envelope we will note that you have checked out early.
We had a great time. We would love to stay in this Outer Banks vacation home again next year ! How do we make an advance reservation for the same week in the same house for next year?
You have a special request form in your check-in package. Please fill it out and turn it in with your keys when you check-out. Keep in mind the owners of the Vacation Home always have the first choice of weeks. As the repeat guest of the house you have first right to reserve the same rental week for the next year by submitting the request form at check-out. It is best to contact us within a week of departure to verify the receipt of your request. Remember the calendar is always changing. Certain holiday weeks change, as a repeat guest your are given the right to request the same dates as you are staying in the home. You are not quaranteed the holiday will be included in your repeat week.
All reservations taken in advance are tentative and subject to change. They are not guaranteed. We will send you notification when your reservation request is approved by the homeowner. Once you receive the approval form and a rental agreement, your deposit is requested. The deposit will be due no later than December 1st. Look on your rental agreement for the deposit amount due.
What if we are planning to come the Outer Banks area for the first time and we are planning our vacation well in advance of our travel date?
You can call us at 800-552-6257 as early as one year in advance. You can also book online. Weekly Rental rates will not show online until the homeowners have approved the weekly rental rate and released the weeks for the upcoming year.
All reservations taken in advance are tentative and subject to change. They are not guaranteed. We will send you notification when your reservation request is approved by the homeowner. Once you receive the approval form and a rental agreement, your deposit is requested. The deposit will be due no later than December 1st of any given year. Look on your rental agreement for the deposit amount due.
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