Here are samples of questions you may want to ask when interviewing a potential new management company. Once you have their management pack and information, take your time to go through the information they’ve sent you and see if these questions are answered.

Unanswered questions should be asked during a phone or an in person interview. That way you’ll get a better feeling of how they respond to your questions! If you send them these questions without reviewing the information they have already sent you. They may not be too impressed about having you as a homeowner, if most of the answers are readily accessed in the information pack they’ve sent!

Here’s a big clue for you if you feel that you have to hire another company to make sure your management company does right by you….you’re with the wrong company. There are tips we can share with you on how to ensure your MC is being on the level with you without hiring and paying a secondary company to watch over the first one. Here are some vital questions that you should know the answers to when hiring a MC

•Who owns this company is it corporate, partners or family.
•Is person who is interviewing with you an employee or owner?
•How long has the company or the owners been in the STR business
•What are the normal business hours
•Who is on call 24/7 in case of emergencies
•Is it a yearly management contract
•Does their MC contract automatically renew?
•What is their cancellation policy?
•If you email you questions how soon will you reply?
•Will they get back to you to let me know your queries are in hand if they are waiting for further information?
•If you phone how soon will your questions be answered
•Have they ever been party to a lawsuit with a disgruntled homeowner?
•Do they have a list of all items billed with the agreement?
•Will they help you set up bill pay for utilities?
•Do they send you bills they’ve paid for with your statement?
•Is it an advantage to pay my own utility bills?
•How often do they send statements?
•What is the minimum escrowed amount?
•Who do you contact with queries relating to accounts?
•How often do they raise their fees?
•Who do you contact if you have any booking queries?
•How are bookings allocated?
•How do guests check in and or register?
•How do guests obtain the keys to our home?
•Do they work with Tour Operators?
•What are their booking cancellation policies and fees?
•Do they take direct reservations?
•Do they set a rate you will pay me for bookings?
•Do they take a commission from bookings?
•Do they pay all rental taxes on your bookings?
•Will they pay rental taxes on my behalf on my owner bookings?
•Are all there reservations for typical homes?
•What are there expectations of me regarding bookings?
•How do they feel about owner bookings?
•How do I make an owner booking?
•Will they be happy managing my home if I do all the bookings?
•If they do all the bookings in the home how many can I expect?
•If a guest calls with a problem how soon willit be check out?
•Do you take a damage deposit from guests?
•Will my home have a dedicated housekeeper?
•How do they find out if something is missing or damaged after guests leave?
•How do they get repairs or replacements money from the guest?
•Do they check the background of the people that will be working in my home?
•Do they have set hourly & call out rate maintenance fees?
•What am I likely to be charged for a routine call out?
•What am I likely to be charged for an out of hours call out?
•Will you have a designated home inspector for my home?
•How often would my inventory be checked?
•How often would my home checked for maintenance issues?
•What is included in the regular cleaning of my home?
•What is included in the spring cleaning of my home?
•Will they show you a couple homes that they currently manage?
•What is there company procedure for hurricanes and tornadoes?
•Do you they like each home to have lots of extras?
•Do they prefer the homes all to be the same?
•What type of long distance phone services do they offer?
•Do they offer attraction tickets?
•Do they offer full guest services?
•Do they offer any other services that the guests might want?