Why Inspections Matter
When entrusting your property to a vacation rental management company an owner is first and foremost, entering into a partnership to ensure proper care for the investment. The only way for a VRM to properly care for the property is to be consistent in reviewing the status of the property before and after every guest stay. Additionally, guests have a level of expectation that the property will be in the condition it is advertised when they are booking. Radiant Resort Properties has a three-point inspection process in place to maintain the highest level of care for each property on its program.
Post-Departure Inspection
Post-Clean Inspection
Pre-Arrival Inspection
Post-Departure Inspection
Although most guests treat the property with the utmost care during their stay, there are occasions where damage to the property happens (knowingly or unknowingly). Radiant’s post-departure inspection is in place to note any damage to the property and be sure the property is ready for the cleaners' arrival.
What good is noting the damage at this point? There is a two-fold response that is activated if the damage is noted during the post-departure inspection. First, we can hit the ground running to correct any damage before the next guest. If the damage is significant enough that it will take time for work to be completed we can communicate this to any incoming guest so they are not blindsided by a change in the property or with the need for vendors to access the property during their stay. Secondly, with proper notice and documentation, Radiant can bill the departing guest for the damage found after their stay.
When this inspection is properly completed there is no argument about who the responsible party is for the damage. Per our rental policy with guests they can and will be held accountable for the damage. By inspecting the property promptly after the guest departs (and before any cleaners arrive) the chain of evidence remains intact and any credit card disputes stemming from a damage charge are generally won with ease.
Post-Clean Inspection
Having operated in vacation rental management for over 15 years, the Radiant team has seen that completed cleans don’t always mean that the property is up to the standard we expect for our owners and guests. Housekeeping at the beach is one of the trickiest cogs in the rental management wheel. Since housekeeping will be subcontracted out by Radiant we believe a post-clean inspection is vital to ensuring our standards are met. When the vendors know they will be held accountable, they work at their highest level to ensure they are not called back to re-clean. As an added precaution, the post-clean inspector is always equipped with light cleaning supplies to handle minor misses and avoid check-in delays.
Pre-Arrival Inspection
At the height of the busy Summer season, a pre-arrival inspection and post-clean inspection will be completed at the same time given time constraints between guests. This inspection is designed to safeguard that the property is in showroom-ready condition for the incoming guests. If a property has been open for more than 48 hours after the post-clean inspection, a pre-arrival inspection will be scheduled separately on the day of the next guest’s arrival. Again, this inspection is to be 100% sure that the property is in tip-top shape for our inbound guests!
The Radiant team has seen firsthand how vital inspections are to protecting the property for owners and ensuring an enjoyable experience for guests. The proper inspection of properties is still not yet an industry norm in our area. As an industry, we are seeing progress in this area as many companies are now employing inspectors during the busy season. This movement is in the right direction, but unfortunately still well below what we at Radiant would consider an appropriate standard. Radiant Resort Properties strives to be at the forefront of any processes that can better protect our homeowner’s assets and create lasting, enjoyable memories for every one of our guests!