The weather is set fair, you’ve been given an unexpected week of vacation, or you’ve just decided that you’d rather spend your holiday fishing and swimming, than repainting the kitchen. Renting a cottage sounds a great way of taking a week of relaxation so how do you go about finding one?
Most cottages have been booked up for months, particularly those with prime waterfront on the popular Muskoka Lakes. However there are often new cottages coming onto the rental market and most of the rental agencies and private owner websites have last minute listings. There’s a lot of people looking for late availability so here’s a few tips to help:
Don’t ask for a discount or a deal for a prime week.
I’m getting around 50 enquiries a day at the moment for last minute rentals mainly for the last week of July and first week of August. There is just too much demand for an owner to offer a deal, and unless the cottage is still vacant a few days before the week starts, I wouldn’t hold out much hope that you’d get one. There is also a risk that you offend the cottage owner which doesn’t do much good.
Be straight with your numbers
When the owner or agency asks you how many people you have in your group, don’t hesitate and say you are not sure yet. This sounds immediate alarm bells in the owners mind that you might just be planning a party at his cottage. Be honest about the number of adults and children in the group. And, yes, children do count! The maximum number a cottage will accommodate is usually determined by the capacity of a septic system to support usage over the week and is not negotiable.
Don’t be too choosy
At this late stage, you might have to abandon some of your criteria such as wanting air conditioning, or a sandy beach. There is very limited choice and the cottages that remain are often the last to go for a reason. Perhaps there is a short walk to the water, or a shared beach; there may be close neighbours, or limited facilities. You need to be decisive at this time, so know what you are prepared to sacrifice to get a cottage for the week you want.
Mention the dog!
Pet friendly properties are usually the first to be rented, so you may find it more of a challenge if you have a pet you want to take with you, as many cottages will not accept them. When you are speaking with an owner or agency, mention any animals at the outset. Don’t leave it until you are ready to make payment to tell them Fido is coming.
Pay promptly
An agency will normally ask for a credit card payment on booking, however a private owner may not accept credit card bookings and you’ll need to send a cheque by Express Post. Don’t expect a cottage to be held for you if your payment is delayed – there are plenty of other people waiting to take the week you want.
