Homeowner FAQs

Get some answers to commonly asked questions from homeowners!

• I want to rent my home for the summer, what is my first step?

  First, Leighton Rentals needs to see your home and assess the rental potential. Contact us to coordinate a walk-through of your home where we will confirm your amenities and offer suggestions to maximize rental income.

• What rate should I charge?

  Leighton Rentals will view and assess the property, then offer suggestions for pricing during prime weeks, shoulder weeks and off-season weeks.

• What is the typical rental season?

  We rent from end of May to end of September, but the prime months are July & August.

• What type of insurance do I need?

  Massachusetts regulations now require that homeowners have a $1,000,000 liability policy which can be covered through your primary umbrella policy, as long as the rental property address is listed.

• What other documentation do you need to comply with the Massachusetts Occupancy tax law?

  You are required to obtain a Mass. Rental Occupancy tax certificate number. This number is required for Leighton Rentals to collect and charge the necessary occupancy taxes to the tenants. Instructions will be provided.

• What part does the homeowner play in charging and submitting the taxes collected?

  You as the homeowner are not involved. Leighton Rentals collects the necessary taxes and submits them to the appropriate departments as required by law.

• Do I need to offer the whole season for rental availability?

  No, you do not need to offer Leighton Rentals the whole season. We accept vacation rentals with only a few weeks available, and you will be able to block weeks as needed (as long as we haven’t rented!).

• When do I receive notification of week(s) booked?

  When the tenant completes their reservation, they are required to pay the first half as the initial deposit. As we are emailing the lease requirements to the tenant, we are simultaneously emailing you a notice of the reservation.

• What documents do you require to begin renting my home?

  Leighton Rentals will require you to complete a contract, contact information sheet, amenity sheet, short term insurance disclosure form, copy of your Mass. Tax Certificate, W9 Form, Direct Deposit Form and keys.

• Do you take photos of my property?

  We take great pride in our photos and have a special camera for taking high quality pictures. However, if you have any digital photos of your home that you would like to include (such as a spring/summer photo), we will do our best to resize your photos in order for them to be compatible with the many sites your property will be listed on.

• Do you create a virtual tour of my property?

  Yes, we take the virtual tour at the same time as the photos.

• How do you market my home?

  In addition to being marketed on our website www.LeightonRentals.com, your home will be submitted to Vrbo/HomeAway, HomeToGo, FindRentals and other sites (subject to change) to guarantee maximum exposure. We also advertise on social media and have consistent monthly email campaigns to our database of 1,000s of our past vacation tenants.

• What if there is damage to my house during the tenant’s stay.

  Leighton Rentals offers accidental damage protection for up to $1,000 for each reservation. We ask that we receive notification along with photos no more than 48 hours after the tenant’s departure.

• When does the homeowner get paid?

  We submit payments to homeowners once a month during the off-season and twice a month during the summer season as follows:
  
  • First ½ of rent, less ½ of company commission, to be paid to owner with next accounting date after renter has signed lease/made required payments.
  • Second ½ of rent, less ½ of company commission and any outstanding expenses, to be paid to owner with next accounting date after tenant departure.

• How involved does the homeowner need to be for summer tenant issues?

  We are here to make your life easier. We have a trusted handyman. If there is a need, we are here to resolve any issues. We keep an inventory of commonly needed items such as: coffee pots, toasters, toaster ovens, fans, silverware, pots/pans, brooms, etc.