Outer Banks Vacation Home Rules & Regulations

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations or reservation changes (including changing dates or switching homes) must be made in writing. The guest is responsible for verifying that Outer Banks Blue has received their cancellation letter. We cannot refund any advance payment for a canceled reservation unless the home is re-rented for the entire period and prepayment has cleared. We make every effort to rebook your home; however, if the home is not rebooked, you forfeit all monies paid. Once your reservation is confirmed (i.e. money deposited in the owners account), any cancellations, changes of dates or switching of homes will invoke the cancellation policy. If a cancellation is successfully re-rented, all the rent and taxes will be refunded, less a $250 cancellation fee. The cost of any travel insurance is not be refundable.

Arrival Time

Outer Banks Blue has three check-in days: Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Your home's individual description and the front of your lease will specify the check-in day that applies to your house. Access to your home is between 4-6pm on day of check-in. With the size and complexity of our homes, our housekeepers need every minute to ensure that your vacation home is clean. Please do not interfere with their work or pressure our staff 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 ENTER THE HOME OR USE THE POOL OR HOT TUB UNTIL AFTER 4PM. Do not plan on buying groceries before check-in. We do not provide refrigeration facilities.

Cleaning

Our homes are cleaned after every guest departure. Please call our Housekeeping Department immediately upon arrival if the home is not cleaned to our guidelines as listed in the property. The evening prior to departure, remove all trash from the home and place in outside receptacles then leave receptacles by the road for pick up. Leave all towels on the bathroom floor in the home. Clean and reshelf all dishes. Clean out the refrigerator and make sure the coolness setting is placed in the middle. Close and lock all windows and doors and depart by 10 AM. Before you leave, it is very important that you lock all doors and windows. You may contribute to our food pantry by leaving any unopened, non-perishable items on the counter in the home.

Disclosure

**All information and descriptions are subject to daily updates and changes; information represented on the Outer Banks Blue website. To assure website information accuracy call your Reservation Representative at (888) ob3-blue.

Distance to the Beach (DTB)

Distance to the Beach (DTB) is determined by measuring, in feet, from the driveway of the vacation home to the nearest community beach access for Oceanside properties only. This information is approximate and is not deemed to be a true source of accuracy.

Dog Policy

There is no need to leave your dog in a cramped kennel for a week, as many Outer Banks Blue homes allow your dog to vacation with you! Homes allowing dogs have a limit of two domestic, housebroken dogs with a weight limit of 75 pounds each, unless otherwise noted within the home's description. Let us know when making your reservation if your four legged friends are coming along. Dogs in non-dog homes are strictly forbidden and will result in your eviction.

*Dogs are welcome in pet-friendly homes at no additional cost to the guest*

Grills & Fryers

Outer Banks Blue properties provide a charcoal or gas grill for our guests to use while occupying the home for their vacation week (see listing for each property to see which is provided). Guests are responsible for cleaning and removing the remnants from around and on the grill after usage. Grills are not permitted to be moved or placed on the wooden decks of the house due to the hazard of fire. These rules also apply to large propane deep fryers. The heat and grease can cause extensive damage to screens, wood & siding on the home as a result of being placed or left too close and of course also present a fire hazard.

Hot Tubs/ Heated Pools/ Fireplaces

Hot tubs are closed from January 1, 2013 until March 2, 2013. Hot tubs are available starting March 2, 2013 and ending January 1, 2014. Heated pools are available from April 13, 2013 until June 1, 2013, and again from Sept. 7, 2013, until Oct. 12, 2013. Pool temperatures vary and degree of warmth cannot be guaranteed. Occasionally, some pools in Dare & Currituck Counties may experience a mild ground current. Generally, this is not caused by a pool defect or the household electrical system, but appears as a result of the earth’s own natural electrical current. Certain properties may be affected more than others and the current tends to be intermittent in nature. Please be advised, however, that this may affect the operation of pace makers and other similar devices; Gas fireplaces are shut down from May 25, 2013, until Sept. 14, 2013.

Internet & Cable Television

Outer Banks Blue is not responsible for any cable and/or internet connectivity or speed. Please report this to our office and we will contact the vendor to report the problems.

Items left on the beach

Please remove your personal & rental items each day from the beach, not to be left over night. Outer Banks Blue is not responsible for any personal or rental items left on the beach over night. The Outer Banks is enforcing a new policy in 2013 to permanently remove items left on the beach overnight, not to be recovered.

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 24 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.

***No firearms or fireworks are allowed on the premises.***

Leasholder is financially responsible for damage done to the property beyond normal wear and tear. Outer Banks Blue reserves the right to run a credit card authorization to cover any damages to the propery. You will be notified of any excessive cleaning charges or damages made and the amount that will be charged to your credit card IF necessary.

Occupancy

The occupancy limitation of each resort home is designated in the individual house descriptions. This number 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 and will cause an expedited eviction as allowed by the Vacation Rental Act of North Carolina.

Off-Season W/Private Pools

Homes with private pools have two off season rates posted on our web site. The rental rates noted for the weeks of 4/13 until 5/11, and 9/7 until 10/12 are weeks when the private pool is open and available for guest use. If you rent a home with a private pool before 4/13 or after 10/12 then the private pool use is not included in the rental. THIS IS NOT AN OPTIONAL POLICY. Pools are not open before April 13th or after October 12th. Please keep this in mind as you select your rental home.

Parking

Parking capacity of our rental properties is typically one vehicle per bedroom with a maximum of five vehicles (no matter how many bedrooms are in the property). 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 in many areas of the Outer Banks. Do not park on the street 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, and several subdivisions have very strict with regard to use of any trailers (i.e. motorcycle trailers, boat trailers, jet ski trailers). Please call our Reservations Department for further details.

Payment Policies

Checks are accepted through the mail and e-checks can be submitted on a secure server on our web site (see link for Make Payment on top of page under Vacation Rentals ). We accept (only via phone in our local office) Visa, MasterCard and Discover cards 9am-5pm for a processing fee of $39.95 per transaction.

Rates

Taxes as required by North Carolina include the collection of 6.75% Sales and Use Tax for all fees, goods and services charged to tenants. Also, there is a Local Lodging Tax (Currituck County at 6%, Dare County at 5%) on the gross lodging costs. Taxes are subject to change. Taxes will be disbursed upon termination of tenancy or a material breach of this Lease Agreement.

Terms and Conditions

Upon making your reservation, a link will be sent requesting your advance payment, which amounts to 50% of your rent plus 7% Trip Insurance coverage (optional). We must receive a signed lease agreement and this payment within 2 days of the date you made your reservation. If you DO NOT wish to purchase Trip Insurance coverage, you may delete the charge by initialing where indicated on the lease and excluding the insurance premium in your initial payment. (For coverage details, see the "Trip Insurance" section on the Guest Web link). If payment is not received within 48 hours (2 days), your reservation is canceled without notice. We rent to family groups only and not to undergraduates. In-season reservations can be made for weekly increments only.

The lease is a vacation rental agreement under the North Carolina Vacation Rental Act. The rights and obligations of the parties to this agreement are defined by law and include unique provisions permitting the disbursement of rent prior to tenancy and expedited eviction of tenants. 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.

All checks are deposited in the agent's interest-bearing account with interest paid to the agent until disbursement. When making your remittance, include the leaseholder's name on your check or money order, along with the folio number. Your balance, including taxes of 12 - 14% (6.75% state sales tax and 5 - 7% county lodging tax), is due 30 days prior to your arrival date. Reservations made less than 30 days prior to your check-in date require full payment by cashier check, certified check or money order mailed overnight. 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.

Travel Delay/Cancellation for 2013 Reservations

Outer Banks Blue offers optional vacation insurance. If you wish to purchase vacation insurance, you must include payment for the premium along with your signed lease agreement within 5 days of making your reservation. Travel Insurance is offered on all lease agreements. Insurance includes coverage for medical emergencies and cancellation insurance for a mandatory evacuation. This insurance covers the rental rate and taxes paid for the home you reserve. The total cost is included in your initial balance due, but you may decline the travel insurance coverage. The initial balance due would then be the amount indicated on your lease, less the exact cost of this coverage (also indicated on your lease). We strongly urge you to purchase this coverage to protect your vacation investment, as no refunds will be offered, even in the case of a mandatory evacuation. If you have questions, please contact Red Sky Travel Insurance Guard at 1-866 621 2070. You may read details on their website 24 hours a day- Red Sky Travel Insurance