Once the World Health Organization (WHO) declared about the COVID-19, a strain of coronavirus, the world went into a sudden lockdown. Businesses had to be closed, schools were stopped, and holidays were not celebrated. As travel restrictions are placed, people moving from one country to another was also prohibited.
Because of these changes, the economy is significantly affected. The pandemic has struck each section of the economy very differently; likewise, even the tourist and traveling industry are experiencing its fair share of struggles. Many countries have been restricted from visiting the United States; travelers worldwide are directly canceling their trips. The worldwide travel reduction has inescapably strained vacation rental companies, real estate professionals, and property managers, and the airline and shipping industries, among others.
The real estate industry which focuses on travel rentals are one of the hardest hit. Rather than having the luxury of travel, many are now kept locked down in their homes, even in quarantine. Almost all of the brokers-in-charge and rental property investors now have to understand their duties and obligations in terms of cancellation and offering the tenants with the proper reimbursement. On regular circumstances, these may not have been allowable, but because of this situation that no one and no industry was really prepared for, adjustments have to be made.
The deposits they made while pre-booking the vacation rentals are now subject to returns. The financial capacities of these businesses are then severely affected.
Understandably, the industry is confused for various reasons because South Carolina Vacation Rental Act is unique in many ways. The act offers protection to the tenants, but it also makes sure that both the landlord and property manager are protected.
That said, let us understand the whole Charleston SC rental policies in depth. This will give you more clarity about what has to be done with tenants who cancelled, as well as with vacation rental owners who are losing so much in expected profits.
1. When it comes to hurricane or disaster events, the South Carolina Vacation Rental Act states that tenants must comply with mandatory evacuation orders implemented by state or local authorities. Still, it does not impose if landlords or property managers must offer deposited money. Like hurricane events, the South Carolina Vacation Rental Act does not entitle the landlords or property managers to reimburse deposits in the case of viral outbreaks like COVID-19. Also, the act does not offer any default protections to the tenants in events like Force Majeure unless the vacation rental agreement self specifies it.
2. As a landlord, you must be aware that state statutes typically govern vacation rental agreements. You can access information regarding tenant rights on online firms for free; however, it is important to note that it generally is not evaluated by the licensed South Caroline attorney. Plus, the travel insurance sold to tenants may directly impact the landlord’s obligations. Thus, you must review deposit obligations and travel insurance prerequisites before refusing or releasing any duties stated in the vacation rental agreement. This agreement should also be made clear to the tenants who might insist on getting their release as soon as possible when it’s still in the works for compliance with legalities.
3. A few vacation rental agreements in South Carolina mentions about indemnification provisions, which implies that a management agreement or rental agreement requires a landlord to be responsible for the cleanliness of a rental unit. Similarly, landlords and property managers should take precautions to reduce the likelihood of tenant civil actions claiming that a Landlord’s negligence gave rise to COVID-19 related damages.
Currently, the federal government recommends the rental owners or property managers to connect with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to gain more information on the virus and guidelines for controlling the transmission. Even all the staff and contractors offering services on the rental owner’s behalf is supposed to acquire proper knowledge on the CDC guidelines.
4. As a traveler, you can protect your vacation by filing travel insurance that gets offered with every reservation. With travel insurance, you can get proper coverage on situations where you or either party gets ill due to viruses like COVID-19.
You can even claim for reimbursement with proper terms. All these apply to whatever form of vacation rentals there is in South Carolina, timeshare rental setups included.
What Measures Are Vacation Rentals Taking While Traveling Is Restricted?
- Since the travel has been restricted, there are equal to zero check-ins. However, rentals are using this period wisely and are working with their cleaning crews to follow more extensive cleaning protocols.
- As per the CDC’s guidelines, the focus has been increased to possible transmission sources like door handles, light pulls, and countertops. Each of these spaces gets thoroughly sanitized.
- During the cleaning and inspection process, the housekeeping staff ensures to clean all high-touch contact points throughout the property using EPA approved sterilization solutions.
- The landlords and property managers are also working with their suppliers to keep the housekeeping staff well equipped with disinfectants, sanitizers, and other cleaning tools to follow the heightened cleaning protocols.
- The vacation rentals will also ensure that hygiene and cleanliness remain their top priority throughout the operation.
Bottom Line
With the current uncertainties, it is harder to pinpoint when things go back to normal exactly, and the traveling process will start without any hindrance. The best way to tackle this situation is by staying vigilant and offering support and sensible precautions. That way, once the travel industry booms right back again, problems during the pandemic may have already been addressed and now the focus can be on starting over. Although we have offered information on how the Charleston SC rental policies work, many rental vacations are taking a step forward to provide better customer services by canceling most reservations for now and pre-booking for the future. It may accrue losses, but it’s essential for everyone’s health and safety. To know more about the current rental bookings or to pre-book your vacation rental for when the things get back to normal, connect with ESPM Vacation Rentals now!