FAQ

WHEN YOU BOOK

Feel Free to give us a Call (540-297-3555). Smith Mountain Lake Vacation Rentals LLC is a locally owned and operated vacation rental and property Management Company that provides privately owned homes around Smith Mountain Lake. We’ve been passionate about vacation planning for over twenty-five years. With thousands of happy customers over the years, we want to add your family and friends to our family!

Ask our advice! We are a wealth of information, and we care about helping you find your special lake place. All our homes are individually owned and furnished to each owner’s taste. Then, we add our unique and caring servicing of the property and to you, the guest.

We work to provide photos that properly represent the homes and reviews that try to provide you with details about the property to assist you with making your choice. We are happy to answer questions by phone at 540-297-3555 or email reservations@smithmountainlakerentals.com.

Our office is staffed from 9 am to 5 pm EST, Monday through Friday. We are also open on Saturdays during peak season (Memorial Day to Labor Day).  All of our homes require Summer (peak season) rentals for Saturday to Saturday weekly stays. In the Spring/Fall and Winter (off peak) seasons, nightly rentals are allowed in many of our properties, but there are nightly minimums required. Holiday stays must be three (3) nights or more, depending on the home. Prices are subject to change without notice.

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WHAT TO BRING

Linens are NOT provided in most homes. You will need to supply all sheets, pillowcases, towels, hand towels, and facecloths for your guests or reserve them through our office. The homes are equipped with bedspreads/comforters, pillows, and blankets. Please contact our office two (2) weeks before your arrival date if you would like to arrange for our linen service. If you select the linen service for your vacation rental, linens will be at the home upon your arrival and include sheets and towels for the home up to the allotted number of people the county allows for occupancy.  Make-up service is available at an extra charge.

All Paper products (toilet paper, paper towels), trash/garbage bags, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, Ziploc bags, bath toiletries, and detergents are NOT supplied, nor are hair dryers, ironing boards, etc. Dish towels are also suggested, as those do disappear. We suggest that you bring your own beach towels, beach chairs, cooler, koozie, water toys, flashlight, life vests, and any specialty items that you may require during your stay. 

Print and bring your INSTRUCTIONS FOR ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE. You will need to refer to these at check-in and out.

If your home has a fireplace or fire pit, you will need to provide your own wood. Bundles are available at local stores in the area. NEVER LEAVE FIRES UNATTENDED. Not all homes allow the use of fireplaces or fire pits. Check the amenities section of the home to see if use is available.

All homes are strictly limited to the number of occupants indicated.  Occupancy limitations are determined by Bedford County/ Franklin County and are based on the size of the home's septic system.  For this regulation, anyone over the age of two years is considered an occupant.  YOU MUST BE 25 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER TO make a reservation, and the leaseholder must occupy the property for the duration of the lease. Non-chaperoned groups are not allowed. Should a group misrepresent themselves, they will be evicted immediately without a refund.

Our rental homes are available for residential use only.  They are not to be used as a venue for parties or events. However, a few nearby ‘commercial’ lakefront locations are offered as wedding venues.  Please don’t hesitate to ask for the contact information.  We’d love to help you and your guests with nightly accommodations!

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PAYMENT PROCESS & CANCELLATION POLICY

Making a reservation is a commitment. The e-signed lease agreement is due within 72 hours.  The first payment (half) is due at the time of reservation or within 10 days if sending a check payment.  The balance will be due 30 days before your stay. We will charge the card on file unless another payment is authorized. We accept major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express), personal checks, and money orders.  A 4% fee is applied by the bank as a transaction fee if a credit card is used. Prices are subject to change without notice.

A Credit Card is required to be kept on file as a guarantee for negligent damages to the property. This card will be used for any additional services or damage beyond normal wear and tear during your rental period.  Damage not reported will be billed as stated in our Rental Agreement.

The Accidental Damage Coverage consists of a non-refundable damage fee of $75.00, which covers accidental damage. Guests will be charged for any damages to the unit, missing items, additional cleaning, carpet stains, moved furniture, late check-out, trash left in the unit, etc. Any damages exceeding the $75.00 damage fee will be charged to your credit card on file.  The units are cleaned and inspected after each departure. If the inspection finds any damage, documentation will be sent. We ask that you please inspect the unit upon your arrival and report any concerns or damages immediately.  The Accidental Damage Coverage does not cover pet-related damage. We understand that accidents happen and ask that you notify us of any damage during occupancy so we can make the home right for the next guest.

Cancellation Policy:  All cancelled reservations are subject to a $100.00 cancellation fee plus tax. All cancellations must be received in writing (email is acceptable). If a reservation is cancelled with at least 90 days’ notice, payment minus the $100.00 cancellation fee will be refunded. With notice of less than 90 days of arrival date, no refund will be given unless the dwelling is re-rented for the same amount of time and rate. Every effort is made to re-rent the home; however, if the home does not re-rent, all monies received will be forfeited. Once re-rented, all payments (less the cancellation fee) will be returned. Please note: Nonpayment of any deposits or balances due may result in reservation cancellation. 

If the home becomes unavailable, REALTOR reserves the right to substitute the home for like accommodations.

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AFTER YOU BOOK

After you reserve one of our homes, a Rental Agreement (Terms & Conditions) will be sent to you via email that will require your signature and a list of guests who will be accompanying you and children’s ages. This e-sign document is easy to fill out on any device and will auto-submit at completion. Your reservation is not secured until we receive your Rental Agreement. Our Rental Agreements are between you and the Property Owner, with Smith Mountain Lake Vacation Rentals LLC as the Agency Representative.

Internet access is available at many properties. If this option is important to you, be sure to ask; it will be listed under the home's amenities! Some homes have limits and overage charges if exceeded. Many cell phone carriers offer the ability to turn your device into a hotspot.

Amenities may change in the homes. Sometimes, this happens during mid-season, and we may not have the opportunity to get pictures of new items. If you are renting a property because of one specific feature (like the red kayak and the owner replacing it with a blue paddleboard), understand that the homes are individually owned and decorated. We do try to keep descriptions as up-to-date as possible.

Propane canisters are the renter's responsibility to refill, as there is no way for us to know when a canister will empty. We ask that you exchange for a new tank and remit the receipt to our office for a refund. There are numerous locations to exchange, including Kroger, Dollar General, and Food Lion.

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CHECK-IN & CHECK-OUT 

You will drive directly to the property you are renting and follow your arrival instructions to gain access to the house.  Five days before your arrival, you will receive an email with Arrival/Departure Instructions, which includes the Lock Box/Door Code.  Between Memorial Day and Labor Day in peak season, we ask arriving guests who are checking in to arrive no earlier than 3:00 P.M.  We need every minute of the hours between check-out at 10:00 a.m. and check-in at 3:00 p.m. to ensure the homes changing hands that day are ready for the arriving guest. These times are subject to change at off-peak times of the year.  We ask for your cooperation with this by checking in and out at the appropriate times. All homes will be cleaned and inspected prior to your check-in. If you encounter any problems after checking in, contact the office at 540-297-3555, and someone will assist you.  An after-hours emergency number is on the voicemail if needed.  Please only call the emergency number if it is a true emergency and cannot wait until normal business hours.

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BRINGING MY DOG(S) & EXPECTATIONS

We have hosted hundreds of dogs over the years. We are pet owners ourselves. We want to remain a pet-friendly company, and that requires your help. Dogs are the only pets we allow and are only allowed in pet-friendly homes with a paid fee!  This is not an extra cleaning fee. It is an entry fee for your dog (s). Bringing your dog requires you to affirm on the contract that your dog is up to date on all immunizations and has been on a flea control program (for at least 2 months prior to your visit).  You must be able to control your dog at all times. At no time should you leave your dog unattended at the property. Should your pet cause damages, you will be fully responsible for the costs.  We ask that you keep pets off furniture; if they will not obey, cover the furniture to protect it.  Don’t be afraid to use the vacuum to clean pet hair.  You will be responsible for everything your dog does at home.  POOP PATROL: Picking up after your dog is important.  A  $100 fee may be charged for poop removal.  We really don’t want to have to do it for you.

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WHILE YOU VISIT
WHEN YOU ARRIVE, CHECK IT OUT!

Your vacation experience is important to us. If we can fix something to make it better, we will. We need to know about it in order to correct issues for the stay. If you tell us when you leave, it doesn’t provide us with a fair opportunity to make things right. Walk through the house and to the dock to make sure all is well. Please call or email us if there is anything to be reported. 

All of the rental properties have use of a dock or guest slip, unless otherwise stated. Please use the dock/slip assigned to your home. A private dock is accessible only to the occupants of the home and may accommodate 1 or 2 boats depending on the size. Renters may use floating or stationary docks to tie up boats. LIFTS ARE FOR OWNER USE ONLY.  An owner’s boat may be in the lift of the covered slip but it IS NOT AVAILABLE FOR guest’s USE. Please do not disturb the owner’s boat.  OPERATION OF ELECTRIC LIFTS AT THE DOCK IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED.  Damage to a dock and/or electric lift from unauthorized use will be the sole financial responsibility of the renter. Electricity and lights at the dock are not guaranteed.

Just like in your own home, sometimes appliances fail.  If maintenance difficulties occur, our staff will make every effort to remedy these situations and correct any problems in a timely manner. However, refunds will not be issued due to malfunctioning equipment, mechanical failures, unfavorable weather, early departure, interruption of utilities, or other guest dissatisfaction.

Please be aware that the water level of Smith Mountain Lake fluctuates due to weather conditions and the flow of water through the dam, as set by American Electric Power, and this may affect the use of the docking facility.

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BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR, IT IS IMPORTANT!

You are in a community of people who live here all the time, not just for a short weekly vacation but for the entire season or year-round. Your vacation is important, but so are the rights of the people around you. Please do not do anything to impact your neighbors negatively. Please! Comply with No Wake signs and speed limit signs! Don’t be that person.  Make sure to park in your designated area for both cars and boats. Adhere to occupancy restrictions for the lease on the home. Be aware that quiet hours are from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.

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NO SMOKING OR FIREWORKS

All of our homes are smoke-free. Anyone smoking inside the property will be assessed a fee for a professional cleaning company to come in and remove the smoke damage. Smoking is allowed outside the property, but you must clean up after yourself and leave no trace.

Sorry, but No Fireworks! Our property owners do not allow fireworks at any of the homes because of liability issues. Please respect that.

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TO DO BEFORE YOU GO

We understand you are on vacation, and the last thing you want to do is clean before you leave. What we ask is that you take care of and respect this private family home as if it were your grandmother’s, that she let you borrow it and leave it the way you found it. We expect you to leave the home and yard free of clutter and trash. All trash must be removed from the property and taken to the waste collection facilities (closest location and directions are provided on your home information sheets as well as posted in the home on the refrigerator).  The dishes should be cleaned and put away, and all personal belongings removed, including any open food items. It is OK to leave unopened, non-perishable pantry items for the next guest.  Our cleaners will sanitize the kitchen and bathroom, mop all the floors, and do the deep cleaning.  Gather all personal items.

Do a final walk-through. We cannot be held responsible for items lost or left behind. Items returned to our office will be mailed for the cost of packing and postage. If a special trip is required to retrieve the item, a service charge will apply for the time involved. Items left for more than 30 days will be given to local charities.

Please be sure to turn all lights off and lock the doors.
Have a safe trip home!