Questions (FAQ's)
These questions only relate to registered users. General questions are publicly visible from the home page. Here you can ask us anything. Use the search box above to find the question you need answers. Just click on the question and the answer will appear. Click again and it disappears. Or you can click on the "Show all" bar below to display all answers.Feel free to submit new topics using the Submit Question link.
Q: Can I cancel Membership in VRA?
A:
Membership in VRA can be canceled at any time and no further dues will be charged. Fees are due when the property is submitted. There is a full 30 day money back guarantee. After that Dues and Fees become non-cancelable because members have received the services.
Other questions
Q: How will a Vacation Rental MLS help the industry?
A:
By doing what the commercial websites can not or will not. It will provide an industry wide database open to all Owners and Managers and then distribute the contents to all participants - Managers, Owners, Commercial AND Industry websites.
Q: I've lost my logon or password. What do I do?
A:
No problem. Just go to the Login Page of our website. Look for the "Forgot your Password" link. Or you can call us during business hours.
Q: Are housekeeper tips mandatory in Vacation Rentals?
A:
Tips for housekeepers at lodging accommodations of all kinds have become the sign of considerate Guests and just plain good manners. Due to their square footage and amenities, housekeeping at Vacation Rentals is back-breaking work. Considerate Guests will leave a tip of five to ten percent of the total rent. Far less than at a restaurant, but housekeepers work far harder.
Q: Are there any other fees for using the VRMLS?
A:
None that are mandatory. VRA does offer other services such as Inspections, Arbitration, etc. which members who choose to participate in.
Q: Why should I choose VRMLS instead of other websites?
A:
The VRMLS is owned by the Vacation Rental Association (www.VRA.org) the only Not-For-Profit group that serves the entire vacation rental industry. This is open-submission and open-distribution service where all Owners, Managers, Publishers and Suppliers are welcome to participate. VRMLS offers all the features of the big guys without all the cost. Better yet changes, alterations and the entire direction of the association are controlled by you the members.
Q: Who do I call about questions?
A:
Well we hope you can get pretty much everything you need on the website. And we are open Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm Pacific Standard Time. If you can't find it on the web you are welcome to call. If you have significant issues or questions our staff are available as consultants for a nominal hourly rate.
Q: So why don't you put ratings on Inspected properties?
A:
Ratings are too subjective. Cozy log cabins in the mountains might be clean, well furnished and a great buy. giant villas on the shore might be well serviced and in great demand. But both are highly desirable. So we rate furnishings, cleanliness and honesty in advertising. Guests can then choose a cottage or a village or anything in between with confidence - if it has passed the Blue Ribbon Inspection.
Q: What is a Multiple Listing System (MLS)?
A:
They have been around for decades in real estate sales. Agents shared listings to give them more exposure. The Internet allowed agents and publishers to gain even greater awareness. Cooperation helps real estate agents, Buyers and Sellers.
Q: My city is prohibiting rentals. What can I do?
A:
We've been there before. Visit the website for information and "Warnings" in other jurisdictions. Contact other Owners and Managers who are affected. VRA staff may have other resources and, if you like, are available for strategic consulting by phone or on site for a nominal hourly rate.
Q: So who are the other Publishers?
A:
Pretty much everyone with a website who subscribes to VRA.org and VRMLS.org can be a Publisher. (Some will and some will not). And new companies can enter the market by using data from VRMLS. Most will be dedicated to the purpose of advertising vacation rental homes. But we expect general lodging and travel sites to also use the service.
Q: Are there any setup fees for VRMLS?
A:
There are no setup fees. In fact, there are no additional fees to list properties on the VRMLS so long as Owners and Managers are members of the Vacation Rental Association (www.VRA.org).
Q: How is the traveling public helped?
A:
Can you imagine trying to buy real estate by going from broker to broker or website to website over and over again to find everything for sale? As inefficient as that would be, that is exactly how the vacation rental industry is currently operating. Some Guests actually do like to ferret out the perfect vacation spot. But a bigger slice of consumers stay away because buying takes too much time. It is time to make finding, comparing, evaluating and booking a private home as easy as booking a hotel room.
Q: How do I report abuse or fraud?
A:
If you get emails unrelated to properties or unsolicited commercial email through our inquiry system or from someone who got your name from our site please notify us by email. Should you be approached with fraudulent activity or be a victim of fraud it is best to report it to your local police. For abuse or fraud, should it involve a member of our website please notify also.
Q: Is your site secure?
A:
We follow industry norms for use of digital certificates and you will see a closed lock or a solid key at the bottom of your browser when you are on a page which asks you to submit a credit card number. Use of the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) is the industry standard and uses a 128-bit encryption technology security protocol.
DETAILS: We work to post all information to this website and other websites that fits with the goal of those websites. By submitting information you are authorizing the publisher to include your data which may be edited as Publisher deems necessary. Please allow a reasonable amount of time for response.Not all submissions will be included and generally notification will not be sent indicating acceptance or refusal. Once submitted requests for deletion can not be honored.