Do you own a property in Italy that you would like to rent?

Renting your home can be a lot of fun. You will meet a number of interesting people throughout the year. Clients who vacation in rental properties tend to be travelers, not tourists. There is a difference.

In order to consider offering your home for rental, you must have a reliable caretaker – a person who will greet guests at 4 PM on Saturday (arrival day), collect their voucher and security deposit and help them get acclimated to the property. On departure day (Saturday at 10 AM), the caretaker must return to the property to inspect it, tabulate the usage of utilities and return the security deposit. Should you decide to offer cleaning and meal services, your caretaker would take care of facilitating these services and collecting payment from the guests. Once the clients leave, your caretaker must thoroughly clean the home, empty all the cupboards and the fridge and change all the linens and towels in order to prepare for and await the arrival of the new guests at 4 PM.

This person should speak a modicum of English and be reachable during the week in the event of any unforeseen circumstance. Should a maintenance problem occur at the property, such as a faulty boiler, leaks, etc., the caretaker must resolve it immediately. If they are unable to resolve the problem or are unreachable, the client has no choice but to contact his Italian Parker Company representative, who will then assist with moving the clients to a more suitable location. In such an occurrence, the original owner is not paid for the rental. For accidental breakages caused by the clients, the security deposit is on hand to cover it.

The vast majority of our clients are very appreciative of the fact that they are occupying someone else's home and generally leave the home as they found it. Among the most important requirements in order to work with Parker: your home is clean, it has comfortable and good quality furnishings including firm mattresses, all plumbing works and offers enough hot water for normal use, kitchens are well equipped for meal preparation and you have a regular program and budget for maintenance. We are aware that energy costs are very expensive in Italy, and unless you otherwise request it, the cost of heating is paid based on consumption by the guest in cash Euro. This can be deducted from the security deposit that the guest must give upon arrival.

Prior to accepting your property, we (our Italian office and ourselves) must visit the property first to determine its appeal to our market and to meet with you and your caretaker. We visit Italy a number of times throughout the year and within any 90-day window someone from our US staff is in Italy. Rentals are a one-week minimum.

Guests are always searching for more than just a house. If someone can offer a meal, additional maid service, cooking classes, small tours and other such interesting add-ons it certainly enhances the appeal of your property. A flower, a small bottle of mineral water or some fresh fruit on arrival is also very welcome. It costs very little and can go a long way in helping your guests settle in. But most of all, you will meet interesting people from all walks of life that have a keen interest in Italy and its culture and are willing to exchange ideas and friendship with their foreign hosts.

If you would like to learn more about renting your Italian home exclusively through The Parker Company, please call our Genova office at 010 984 5333. We speak fluent Italian and English and can communicate in the language of your choice.