Frequently Asked Questions

PAYOUTS & COMMISSION

• What is RedAwning’s commission on my bookings?

Our commission is 10% on booking revenue, along with a standard 3% credit card processing fee. This amount will be deducted from the rent and fees before you receive your payout. Commissions are not charged on taxes.

• What about commissions or listing fees paid to websites like Booking.com, HomeAway/VRBO, etc.?

Commissions to the website channels vary, however RedAwning ensures that the appropriate channels receive their commission. You are never charged for channel commissions or listing fees.

• How and when do I get paid?

We pay all of our individual owners via ACH direct deposit. Our payment servicing tool is Bill.com, and your Bill.com is set up during the on-boarding process. RedAwning pays you via Bill.com the day after guest check-in. After three successful bookings, it is optional for you to receive payments 15-days prior to guest check-in. When payments are made, you will receive an email notification.

• When a booking is made for my property, do I receive a breakdown of revenue, commission and credit card fees?

Yes. Your booking confirmation email will display all payments for that specific booking, including rental charges, cleaning fee, miscellaneous fees (pet, extra guest, etc.), RedAwning commission, credit card fee deductions, and total amount payable to you.

• What is the tax rate, and how is it collected and paid?

During the On-boarding process we gather from you what local, city, and state taxes are required for Vacation Rentals in your location. RedAwning collects taxes on each booking and remits them to you, along with your booking revenue. You will receive an itemized breakdown for each booking with the revenue, fees and taxes. Tax payments are made by the owner directly to each tax entity.

SETTING RATES

• Will my property’s rates be the same on all channels?

RedAwning will ensure rate parity for your rental on all websites and channels.

• How do I make changes to my rates?

You will receive a login to our Smart Portal during on-boarding for managing your rates, booking calendar, and property details. You can make changes to your rates from any computer, tablet or smartphone. The rates will automatically update on all channels via a live API connection.

• Can I run promotions or specials, and if yes, how do I do this?

Absolutely! Let your Account Manager know you would like to do this. You can discount your rates in the Smart Portal. We can send an email about your special to our mailing list, post it on Facebook or other social media channels or include it in our newsletter.

• How do I charge for extras or incidentals (i.e. pet fees)?

When you build your listing in the Smart Portal, there is a section where you can add additional charges or fees, such as resort fees or cleaning fees. Optional fees (Pet Fees, Pool Heating, etc) can also be added during On-Boarding, and RedAwning will ensure the guest is informed and charged accordingly.

DAMAGE WAIVER/INSURANCE

• What’s the RedAwning Damage Waiver?

RedAwning provides a damage waiver that covers accidental damage up to $3,000 with every booking. The guest pays a $50 damage waiver fee per booking. Claims are submitted by the homeowner via a single-page claim form, along with any invoices or photos for repairs. Reimbursements are made via check, and guests are never disturbed.

• In the past I have required a refundable damage deposit. Do I still have this?

Because of our required Damage Waiver, security deposits are no longer needed. We have found that guests prefer this, and it improves conversion to booking rates.

• What if a guest causes accidental damage over $3000?

In our experience this is very rare, however, if this happens, we would pay you $3,000, and you would have to submit a claim to your Homeowner’s Insurance for the remainder.

• Who covers the cost of damages should a guest instigate a chargeback dispute?

As merchant of record, RedAwning handles all chargeback disputes on the owners behalf.

• Does RedAwning offer travel insurance?

We offer guests the option to purchase travel insurance at the time of booking.

ONBOARDING (GETTING YOUR LISTING ON ALL OUR CHANNEL PARTNER SITES)

• How long until I’m up and running?

We strive to get your property listing on all channels within 2 weeks after your RedAwning listing goes live. For a channel such as HomeAway, we’re able to get your listing published within 24-48 hrs. Expedia and Booking.com will likely take 2 weeks.

• Can I get a list of the links to my property on each site?

Absolutely! Your Account Manager will send you links to your live listings once they are ready.

GUESTS

• How do I send information to my guests? Is that through you or do I send it directly?

You will receive guest contact information from RedAwning for every reservation you receive. If you would like, you can contact your guests directly. Remember that RedAwning’s Guest Services Team will handle questions from guests for you. We will also email your guests check-in instructions 5-7 days prior to their check-in date.

• Can I screen guests before approving them?

When we send you a booking, we consider it a confirmed and valid booking. However, if you discover guests do not meet certain criteria, you are free to contact us and request a cancellation. Please note that in order to book through us, guests must be 25 years or older.

• Will guests see my picture or my name and contact information on my listing?

Some channels do not allow this, so your listing will be branded as RedAwning.

• When will I receive notice of a booking?

RedAwning's policy is to remove the ability to book a property if it is within 48 hours of the arrival date. This is to give owners enough time to prepare for their guests. If a booking comes in greater than 48 hours to arrival date, an owner will receive a notice the day the booking is made.

• Will I know which channels my guests booked through?

As an Owner, you can request monthly or quarterly reports to view which channels your guests used to book your property.

• When the guest makes a reservation, do they pay in full?

Guests are required to pay 50% at the time of booking. The remaining 50% is due either 30 or 60 days prior to their heck-in date. This will depend on which cancellation policy you select during on-boarding. After three successful rentals, you have the option to receive payment 15-days prior to guest check-in via ACH transfer to a Bill.com account. There are no fees associated with using or transferring funds from your Bill.com account.

CANCELLATIONS

• What is my cancellation policy?

All properties in our Owner Program can offer either a 30 or 60 Day Free Cancel policy. Cancellations by guests made either 30 or 60 days prior to check-in are fully refundable. Guest cancellations made within 30 or 60 days are non-refundable, and owners will receive the full amount of the booking.

• I’m not sure I understand why a Free Cancel policy helps me?

Guests love the flexibility of Free Cancel, but for a property owner, it can sound a little counterintuitive to offer the ability to cancel with no penalty. However, listings with Free Cancel consistently perform better because of this flexibility. Guests have the freedom to cancel outside of 30 or 60 days, so they feel fewer inhibitions about booking the property. We see a large majority of guests proceed with their original booking. Our network of top travel websites has seen a substantial increase in performance of Free Cancel listings and place these higher in search results.

CALENDARS

• Can I block my property’s calendar for the times I plan to be there?

Yes. You can block owner or friends/family use by logging into the RedAwning Smart Portal. The calendar has a live feed to all channel websites, and your dates will automatically be blocked. We discourage blocking calendars unless it is absolutely necessary. Calendars should be open at least 6-12 months with accurate rates to yield the best ranking and conversion rates.

UPDATES OR CHANGES

• How can I add more photos or change my property description?

You can change rates, calendars, minimum nights and fees in the Smart Portal. For changes or updates to everything else (photos, descriptions, amenities, pet fees, etc.), please notify us by emailing propertyowners@redawning.com.

Any other questions not answered here? Feel free to contact us at propertyowners@redawning.com