"I want to view your property before I book". Have you been asked for a pre-reservation viewing? If not you should expect this question to come in an email to you before too long. How you handle the requests could determine whether or not you lose a booking.

In the past few months several articles have been published in newspapers, magazines and blogs advising would-be renters how to ensure the property they want to rent is genuine. One of the recommendations common to most of the articles is to ask to view the property prior to booking, and many owners are being bombarded with these requests. Aside from being time- consuming, property owners are finding themselves subject to no-shows and obvious tire-kickers out to break up a weekend drive in the country with a few house viewings. Having a plan to deal with the requests will make it easier to respond and reduce the stress involved; Here are a few options you can take.

It's fine to say no to a viewing providing you have ample photographs on your listing, or can forward more pictures showing every room. Having a video or virtual tour is even better. Make sure you have testimonials from previous guests available to send to enquirers as well. Most people simply want reassurance that your property actually exists since there have been several well publicized scams recently where guests have booked a property online and arrived to find the address was bogus.

Where guests want to book for several weeks, it's more reasonable for them to want to see the place before they commit, and you may want to agree to a viewing if you want to secure the reservation. However, if you are going to hold the dates for them until they see the property; you'll risk losing other potential bookings, if they subsequently decide not to take it. It's not unusual for a viewing arrangement to be made with a hold put on the dates, then the day of the viewing arrives and nobody turns up. This happened to one owner three times before she decided it was not worth the time she took in arranging to be at the cottage, and the risk of losing other bookings.

A solution to this is to offer a viewing if it is convenient, but to make it clear to the potential guest that the dates will not be held. Let the renter take the risk of losing their chosen dates if it is so important to them to view the property before they book.

Don't let this exchange be solely on email. Call the renter and ask how you can reassure them it is the right property for them. Create a connection and you may find that is all they need to book without needing a personal preview.

Have you been asked for a viewing? How did you deal with it? Do you think it is a necessary part of the booking process? We'd love to hear what you think.




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