The rental world is a vast and unknown territory for most. What follows are some basic tips to make navigating the world of rentals easier than ever before.
1. Identity.
In the rental industry, there must be trust between the client and the lessee. This trust begins with presenting some form of valid identification, the first step in meeting someone; learning her name. In my years of experience, I have excepted everything from John Smith’s driver’s license ID he obtained at the age of 16 forty years ago to the passport José acquired 1 month ago before immigrating to the United States. Present this information promptly and openly, as any questions will immediately raise red flags for whoever is working the counter. This first step is simple, but important.
2. Show trust/kindness.
From the moment you walk through the front door to the moment the last payment is made, your appearance, actions, and speech are judged on your trustworthiness. Enter the establishment respectfully. Wear clothing that suggests you take care of yourself and your belongings. This will immediately put some of the renter’s mind at ease as to what kind of care they will take with their rental item. In any rental situation, if your tone of voice, dress, or body language suggests a future threat or, as the industry dismisses, “bad debt,” the renter has the option to refuse service.
3. Wait for a deposit.
One of the most frequent problems I have encountered in my years of providing rental service to my community is that of deposits. In any rental situation, especially event, car and equipment rentals, there WILL be a deposit. The amount of that deposit varies greatly depending on how you have presented yourself to the tenant up to the time of payment. Make sure one of the first things you do, especially if you call to get a quote over the phone, is to ask what the amount of the deposit is and in what form it can be made. If you plan to pay by credit card, this deposit can be significantly less (in my rental business, we don’t even take a credit card deposit). Tenants can authorize credit cards for a significant amount of money. That means they get paid regardless of their actions, with the rest left for you to work out with the card company. If you are using cash, expect a large deposit. This is the riskiest form of payment a rental company can charge. If something happens and the rental item is damaged, they have nothing to collect, and the best course of action often ends with a run-down of your home. If you’re using a debit card, expect it to look like cash, although in some stores they work similarly to credit cards. Finally, checks can be cashed in 1 of 2 ways: in advance, with a signature and nothing else, i.e. a blank check, or in advance, completed for the same amount as a cash deposit. Understanding the deposit is always important, and being prepared is very important in the eyes of the renter.
4. Find out what you are renting.
This section is quite simple. If you don’t know how to drive a car, you probably shouldn’t rent one. However, if your intention is to rent the car to learn how to drive a car, be prepared to drive with extreme caution. Don’t rent a car with no experience and expect to drive Atlanta rush hour traffic. The same goes for equipment rental. If you have a giant bush in your backyard that needs to be picked up, don’t rent the cheap tractor and hope you can tear the world up with it. In both scenarios, you will incur damage and be expected to take responsibility for it, which leads us neatly to my next rental tip!
5. Be responsible and accept responsibility.
As I mentioned before, there is a tacit trust between a renter and a client. The worst thing you can do when you rent something is debate who is responsible for what. Understand your responsibilities before you go, and then take care to meet those responsibilities. Whether you’re filling up a car with a tank of gas or replacing a flat tire during the burial of the giant bush, be prepared to take responsibility for what has been entrusted to you, whether or not what happened was directly your fault.
6. Ask questions.
The best way to take responsibility for a rental is to ask questions and fully understand what is expected of you. When a customer walks into my store, the first thing I ask is, “what are you trying to accomplish?” This allows me to diagnose exactly what you need to rent, as opposed to what he/she may think you need. For example, a man enters a store and asks to rent a skid steer. A sales associate asks no questions and rents the equipment. When the man returns he is very frustrated with the team. “It was bumpy and bouncy and I wouldn’t level the dirt to save my life!” The manager and associate explain to the gentleman that what he really needed was a box-knife tractor. If the gentleman had asked, all this could have been avoided. Another great example is that of a lady who rents a car. After completing the rental process and driving many miles, the woman returns the car. The next day she sees a charge on her credit card for almost $100. Outraged, she calls the company to demand an explanation, only to discover that this was the company’s standard charge for refueling a vehicle. This situation could have been avoided simply by asking, “What is expected of me before returning this rental item?” Never be afraid to ask questions when renting. It is not only expected, but encouraged. Understanding what is expected from both sides saves a lot of confusion down the road. It also leaves both parties feeling positive about the experience with the other person.
7. Communicate.
This last point is by far the most important. Beyond simply asking questions, communication involves keeping in touch, asking questions, and fully answering them. Lack of communication can ruin any relationship, especially one that is totally focused on money, like a tenant-client relationship. Make sure you are clear in what you are telling the tenant, so they fully understand your intentions and meaning. When the tenant says something to you, ask them to respond to confirm what is expected of you. On longer term rentals, be sure to check in often, and if ANYTHING changes during a rental, be sure to clearly communicate this to the renter. Keeping a rental item past its expiration date is not okay and will immediately put you on a list with other untrustworthy people.
If you can implement a few of these ideas the next time you rent, it will help you significantly and hopefully make you feel good about your rental experience.
