Rental Policies
Cancellation Policy
All cancellations or reservation changes (including changing dates or switching homes) must be made in writing (email is fine). The guest is responsible for verifying that Seaside Getaways has received the cancellation letter/note. Once your reservation is confirmed (i.e. money secured), any cancellations, changes of dates or switching of homes will invoke the cancellation policy. On most properties, the owner will refund your deposit if cancellation is made more than 60 days in advance of the arrival date (exceptions will be noted in specific rental agreements). If a cancellation occurs with less than 60 days notice, no refund will be issued unless unit is re-rented. We make every effort to rebook your home; however, if the home is not rebooked, you forfeit all monies paid. If a cancellation is successfully re-rented, all the rent and taxes will be refunded, less a $85 cancellation fee. The cost of any travel insurance will not be refunded.
Check-In Time
Seaside Getaways has two check-in days: Saturday and Sunday. Your vacation home’s individual write-up and the front of your lease will specify the check-in day that applies to your stay. Check-in for Seaside Getaways’ guests is after 4pm. With the size and complexity of our homes, the housekeepers need every minute to ensure that your vacation home is clean. Please do not interfere with their work or pressure our subcontractors to allow you entry before 4pm. It’s a large job, and we all do our best to get you into a clean and inviting home. For security reasons, DO NOT USE ANY PRIVATE POOL OR HOT TUB UNTIL AFTER 4PM. Do not plan on buying groceries before check-in. We do not provide refrigeration facilities. In unusual circumstances it may be necessary to delay occupancy beyond 4 p.m. Harbor and Fripp Islands have 24 hour security at the entrance gate, so you can arrive at any time. Hunting Island’s gate locks at 6pm during the months of December – February and 9pm during the months of March – November. If you plan to arrive after these times, you must get a gate key from Seaside prior to arrival.
Cleaning
Our homes are cleaned after each guest. Please call our office immediately upon arrival if the home is not cleaned to your satisfaction. Cleaning crews are on standby Saturdays and Sundays to take care of any reported problems. The morning of departure, place all trash in outside receptacles. Clean and reshelve all dishes or place in dishwasher and begin cleaning cycle. Clean out the refrigerator. Close and lock all windows and doors. Account for all beach chairs. Before you leave, read and follow the check-out procedures found in your Welcome Letter and posted on bulletin board/refrigerator and above. It is very important that you lock all doors and windows. Return keys to our lockbox.
Disclosure
All information and descriptions are subject to daily updates and changes; information represented on the Seaside Getaways website is not guaranteed. To assure website information accuracy call your Reservation Representative at 843-838-8001.
Pet Policy
There is no need to leave your pet in a cramped kennel for a week; several Seaside Getaways homes allow your pet to vacation with you. Contact us to get a list of Pet Friendly homes. Homes allowing pets have a limit of two domestic, housebroken pets with a weight limit of 50 pounds each, unless otherwise noted within the home’s description. A $100-$150 non-refundable pet fee per pet will be added to your rent. Let us know when making your reservation if your furry friends are coming along. Pets in non-pet friendly homes are strictly forbidden and will result in your eviction and a $300 pet fee on your bill.
General Policies
Credit Cards are Accepted (Visa, MasterCard) only on specific properties. Please look on the “Rates” page under the property you are interested in renting to see if the Owner/Property Manager accepts credit card payments. Otherwise, please send a personal check, money order, or cashiers check for payment.
Heated Pools/ Fireplaces
Heated Pools are available from April 1 through the end of May and again from September through the end of November. Pool temperatures vary and degree of warmth cannot be guaranteed. Gas fireplaces are available for use from October 1 through the end of April.
Leaseholder Responsibilities
Many of you will vacation with other family members, although only one member of your party will sign the lease. THE LEASEHOLDER MUST BE 25 YEARS OF AGE. The leaseholder is responsible for payment, deposits or other responsibilities as detailed in the lease. Please read your lease carefully. OCCUPANCY IS RESTRICTED TO FAMILY GROUPS ONLY.
Lost and Found
If you leave something behind, call us and we will make every effort to locate and return it to you. We will ship items for the cost of postage and a $15 handling fee. Items unclaimed after 30 days will be donated to a local charity. We are not responsible for items left behind.
Occupancy
The occupancy limitation of each resort home is designated in the individual cottage descriptions. This number, as it appears on the website and on your rental agreement, is the MAXIMUM total occupancy. Children are counted in total occupancy unless they are under age two and normally sleep in a crib. Over-occupancy is a violation of your vacation rental agreement.
Parking
Parking capacity of our rental properties never exceeds the number of bedrooms in the property (never to exceed five). For example, a three-bedroom would typically have enough parking for three average size vehicles; a four bedroom would have parking for four, etc. Please keep in mind that condominiums usually only have enough parking for two vehicles per individual condo. Please note that parking restrictions are STRICTLY ENFORCED. Do not park on the street or lawn in front of your rental property or risk being towed or ticketed. Local ordinances prohibit the connection of RVs for transit only to property. Certain subdivisions also prohibit the parking of RV’s in the driveway of the property. Please call our office for further details.
Holiday Rules
During the holiday weeks, we rent weekly only.
Taxes
Taxes as required by South Carolina include the collection of 5% Sales and Use Tax and a 3% Accommodation tax. Also, there is a Local Accommodation Tax (Beaufort County at 3%) on the rental rate, for a total rate of 11%. Taxes are subject to change.
Repairs
We pride ourselves on our maintenance staff. They are here to help you and provide timely service. Please respect the fact that emergencies take precedence! If you have an emergency or non-emergency during non-business hours, call the contact noted on your Welcome Letter and leave a message including your name, phone number to reach you at, house number and a brief description of the problem. If you do not get a response within 1 hour, contact Greta at Seaside Getaways at 843-476-1310 (cell). We will schedule a staff member to handle your request. The sand, salt and wind of our coastal environment are very hard on mechanical systems. Environmental stress combined with heavy guest use can cause equipment to malfunction or fail. There are no refunds due to appliance or HVAC failure. If you experience any problems with equipment during your stay, please CALL US IMMEDIATELY, and be patient while we work to solve your problem as quickly as possible. We are committed to making sure your vacation is the best it can be! We have trained technicians in the field and a competent staff in the office to help with any unexpected occurrences.
Security Deposit
Check with your vacation specialist for the amount required. Security deposits protect owners’ homes from abnormal wear and damage. Please report any damages that you noted upon arrival by Monday to avoid possible security deposit losses. If any damages occur during your stay, please notify us immediately. If any check-out procedures are not followed, deductions will be made from your security deposit. We inspect every home after each party’s departure; if damage is reported after your stay appropriate deductions will be made from your security deposit. Security deposits are returned within 30 days of your departure. On most homes, we collect a non-refundable damage waiver. This protects you and the owner from accidental breakage. It does not cover negligence. Please remember to report any item needing repair as soon as possible so that we can fix it right away.
Terms and Conditions
Upon making your reservation, a rental agreement will be sent requesting your advance payment, which amounts to 50% of your rent plus an option to purchase Trip Insurance coverage. We must receive this payment within 7 days of the date you made your reservation. If you DO NOT wish to purchase Trip Insurance coverage, you may initial where indicated on the lease and exclude the insurance premium in your initial payment. (For coverage details, see the “Trip Insurance” section.) If payment is not received within 7 days, your reservation is canceled without notice. We rent to family groups only. In-season reservations can be made for weekly increments only. Please read the lease carefully, sign it and return the lease along with your check made payable to Owner/Property Manager as indicated on the agreement within the 7-day limit. The rights and obligations of the parties to this agreement are defined by South Carolina law. Your signature on this agreement, or payment of money or taking possession of the property after receipt of the agreement is evidence of your acceptance of the agreement and your intent to use this property for a vacation rental. Seaside Getaways as Property Manager: All checks are deposited in the Agent’s trust account until disbursement to Owner. When making your remittance, include the leaseholder’s name on your check or money order, along with the dates of stay. The total cost is broken down for you on the customer invoice, to include taxes of 11% (8% state sales and accommodation tax and 3% county lodging tax), $85 reservation/damage waiver fee and the optional trip insurance (7% of rent). Please mark this on your calendar, as NO INVOICE IS SENT FOR THE FINAL PAYMENT. Reservations made less than 60 days prior to your check-in date require full payment by credit card OR cashiers check, certified check or money order mailed Priority Mail. We cannot accept personal checks at check-in. Many of you will vacation with other family members or friends, although only one member of your party will sign the lease. The leaseholder is responsible for payment, deposits or other responsibilities as detailed in the lease. Please read your lease carefully. The occupancy limitation of each resort home is designated in the individual cottage descriptions.
Trip Insurance/Cancellation
Seaside Getaways offers optional vacation insurance from Travel Guard. If you wish to purchase vacation insurance, you must include payment for the premium along with your signed lease agreement within 7 days of making your reservation. The premium is 7% of your total booking cost. The insurance covers loss of rent if your reservations are interrupted due to hurricanes, delay, trip interruption, baggage delay, medical transportation, medical expenses, and emergency medical transportation. We highly recommend purchasing this coverage if you are concerned about issues such as listed above. It also covers your deposits paid if you have worked with the same company for the past 5 years and lose you job prior to your arrival and you therefore have to cancel your trip. It is especially helpful in situations where you would be unable to recoup your advance rent payment if you needed to cancel your reservation, or in the event of a mandatory storm evacuation. Without travel insurance, you will not receive a refund in the event of a mandatory hurricane evacuation. The agent receives a fee from this trip insurance.
