Pets

Hot Tub

Elevator

Pool

No-Smoking

Internet

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 $100 cancellation fee. The cost of any travel insurance is not be refundable.

Check-In 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. Check-in for Outer Banks Blue guests is after 4pm. 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. 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, place all trash in outside receptacles and leave receptacles by the road. Leave all towels in the home and if you would strip the linens from any beds that were used. Clean and reshelf all dishes or place in dishwasher and begin cleaning cycle. Clean out the refrigerator. 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 in our office lobby.

Damage Waiver

This is an optional fee; if you do not choose to purchase it, a refundable $1,000 security deposit is required for your rental home. The Damage Waiver protects you from the losses or accidental damages to include real or personal property of the home owners located within the rental property during your occupancy. ** The damage waiver option does not cover negligence or willful and wanton conduct. You must notify our office of any damages or losses during your occupancy or this plan is void! Payment for the Damage Waiver will not be accepted after a guest has occupied a home. This damage waiver fee is nonrefundable. If you have chosen a home that does not allow the Damage Waiver, the Security Deposit will be reflected on your lease.

Disclosure

**All information and descriptions are subject to daily updates and changes; information represented on the Outer Banks Blue website and Accommodations Guide are not guaranteed. 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; several 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. A $100 (plus state sales tax and local lodging tax) pest control fee will be added to your rent. 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.

Payment Policies

Once you make a booking you will have 5 days to receive a lease from us, review it, and return it with payment. Checks are accepted, and Credit Cards are accepted through a 3rd party credit card processing agent (see link on left side of this page): Visa and MasterCard, are accepted forms of payment through our processor. Be advised that the 3rd party credit card processing company does charge a $39.95 convenience fee for their services. This fee is charged by the company and is not paid to Outer Banks Blue in any way.

Hot Tubs/ Heated Pools/ Fireplaces

Hot tubs are closed from January , 2009 through February 28th.   Hot tubs are available starting March 1, 2009 and ending January 1, 2010. Heated pools are available from May 2, 2009, through June 7, 2009, and again from Sept. 12, 2009, through Oct. 4, 2009. Pool temperatures vary and degree of warmth cannot be guaranteed. Gas fireplaces are shut down from May 30, 2009, through Sept. 19, 2009.

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.

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 5/3 through 5/16, and 9/13 through 10/3 are weeks when the private pool is open and available for guest use.   If you rent a home with a private pool before 5/3 or after 10/4 then the private pool use is not included in the rental.  THIS IS NOT AN OPTIONAL POLICY.  Pools are not open before May 3rd or after October 4th.   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.

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.

Security Deposit

A security deposit is required on all homes in which the leaseholder has not purchased the Damage Waiver. Typically the security deposit is $1,000 on any rental, but you can be charged up to 2 times the rental amount for a security deposit at the owner's discretion. Security deposits protect owners' homes from abnormal wear and damage. Please report any damages that you noted upon arrival by Tuesday 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 45 days of your departure.

Terms and Conditions

Upon making your reservation, a lease will be sent requesting your advance payment, which amounts to 50% of your rent plus 6.5% Trip Insurance coverage (optional), and an admistrative fee of $100. We must receive a signed lease agreement and this payment within 5 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 front of the lease and excluding the insurance premium in your initial payment. (For coverage details, see the "Trip Insurance" section.) If payment is not received within 5 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 - 13% (6.75% state sales tax and 5 - 7% county lodging tax), and an optional $50 Damage Waiver fee (plus 7% sales 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 cashiers 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

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. The premium is 6.5% of your total booking cost, excluding the cost of the Damage Waiver. Travel insurance covers loss of rent if your reservations are interrupted due to hurricanes, travel delay, trip interruption, baggage delay, medical transportation, medical expenses, emergency medical transportation and accidental death or dismemberment. We highly recommend purchasing this coverage for your financial protection. It is especially helpful in situations where we 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, as defined by law in the North Carolina Vacation Rental Act. The agent receives a fee from this trip insurance.