As a first time owner renting your RV or travel trailer out on RVshare, it can be quite intimidating releasing your unit to a person you met online. We want our owners to be comfortable and confident when going into a reservation with a new renter, which is why we wanted to offer some assistance on how to communicate and vet potential renters!
Practice Good Customer Service
It is beneficial to build a good rapport with the renter, because if they enjoy their rental experience they are likely to keep coming back for any future vacations. You should also be patient with first time renters, as they may be a bit overwhelmed with trying to find a unit that is best suited for their needs. Kindness will go a long way when you are renting your unit out, but it doesn’t hurt to also be direct in your communication. You are running a business after all and being thorough in discussing the rental terms and conditions is also important.
Update Rules & Policies on Your Listing
Do not hesitate to set guidelines on your listing and discuss these with the renter. You will be releasing your personal property to the renter and want to ensure that the renter maintains it while out on the road. It is important to discuss with the renter any common knowledge an RV owner might have that a renter may not. Such as if they’re taking your Class A on a cross-country road trip that it might need the oil serviced after a certain mileage.Or if your travel trailer requires a certain type of hitch to be able to tow it, make the renter aware of this. Open communication is key to achieving a successful reservation.
Get to Know Your Renters
When it comes time for a renter reaching out with an inquiry to book your unit, many will already include their travel details within their first message. If that’s not the case, then it never hurts to create a list of questions to get a better understanding of the renter’s travel details. Getting the basic details of their trip is best, as you don’t want to ask too many questions in fear of scaring them off. Some questions to help with vetting a potential renter could be:
- How many travelers will there be? What is the general age range of those traveling?
- It is helpful for renters to know what sleeping accommodations your unit has, whether it can fit four adults or two adults and four children. Being open on how many people can sleep in your unit ultimately helps the renter in the long run.
- Will there be any pets traveling with you?
- People love being able to take their furry four-legged friends on vacation with them, but if you have an allergy or aren’t a big fan of pets, it’s okay to express your concern surrounding that.
- Have they ever traveled in an RV or towed a travel trailer before?
- Learning the renter’s experience levels will be beneficial when it comes time for them to pick up the unit and what key points will need to be reviewed before you release the unit to them. We suggest letting the renter know ahead of time that it is ideal to set an hour aside before and after the trip to review details of the unit. The Departure and Return Forms are in place to assist with this process.
- What inspired them to rent a unit through RVshare? Where will they be traveling on their RV trip, and what made them choose that destination?
- While this seems like a fun, light-hearted question, it does give you the chance to know where the renter plans to go and what their intentions are with your unit.
Double Check the Renter is Verified
While all communication is kept to the RVshare platform prior to booking, once your unit has been booked, then the personal contact information of both parties will be available. However, if the renter has not yet gone through RVshare’s ID verification process, then their information will not become available until they do so. You are able to review if the renter has been ID verified through your RVshare Dashboard Inbox messages with the renter. There will be a green checkmark next to the renter’s name showing they have been verified.
RVshare will require all its users to go through our secure ID verification process to ensure the authenticity of the account. Should the owner, or renter, choose to pursue further background checks, it is the users prerogative to do so with the consent of the other user. This is simply another way to vet your renter and have a better background knowledge of who they are. RVshare wants to bring forth a peace of mind by protecting its users at all costs and wants our owners to feel comfortable renting their unit through RVshare.
Have fun with getting to know your potential renters! Do not be afraid to ask the necessary questions to gain better understanding of where your unit will be traveling. In return, don’t be afraid to open yourself up for any questions the renter may have prior to their departure. For many renters this is their first time experiencing traveling in an RV or with a travel trailer and they want to make sure they are doing everything correctly to ensure the safe return of your unit.
