Terms & Conditions

Guest Rental Agreement

1. Reservations

   The attached confirmation contains the agreed upon dates and total fees for this reservation. Reservations are encouraged and will be accepted up to one year in advance at our discretion. When you book your reservation the exact unit you rented will be assigned and blocked for your dates. No unit is completely guaranteed indefinitely as RealJoy Vacations does reserve the right to change unit assignments under extreme or otherwise warranted circumstances, such as, but not limited to, previous hurricane or other weather and water damage as to make the unit uninhabitable or an owner of a property cancelling their unit’s participation in the rental program. These are extremely rare, but must be considered and we will do our best to provide a similar unit or give you a refund without penalty if the unit you rented becomes unavailable.

2. Keys/Wristbands/Key Cards/Beach Passes

   Items such as wristbands or key cards required at some properties for restricted entry will be treated as keys and must be returned at check-out. If any of the above named items are lost or not returned, a fee of $25.00 - $200.00 per missing item will apply depending on unit and type of item lost.

3. Advance Rental Payment

   A payment of 30% of the total reservation is required to secure your reservation dates and must be received immediately if you are booking online. If you have booked online and we do not receive payment within 24 hours, your reservation may be cancelled. If a reservationist has given you permission to pay via check, then you will have 7 days to get the check to us or your reservation may be cancelled. You may not pay by check if your trip begins in less than 30 days. Advance rental payments will be applied to your rental balance. We do not hold reservations and all rentals are rented on a first come, first served basis as it relates to payments.

4. Rates

   Rates are based on location, features and seasons, and are subject to change without notice. The rates you agree to at the time of booking, including any specials, are the fees you will be charged. If rates go up or down in the future your reservation will not be changed. Future specials cannot be applied to you agreed upon rental once you secure a unit and it is blocked from being rented by other people at agreed upon terms. Cleaning fees which vary by property, sales tax and a one-time administration fee will be added to all reservations. You may add nights and insurance products to your reservation after you book based on prevailing costs and availability at the time you choose to add those items.

5. Rental Payment

   The rental payment is due in full 30 days before the day of check in. Reservations made less than 30 days before arrival must be paid in full immediately to be secured and are not refundable. Bank money order, check, or Visa/Master Card/Discover or American Express will be accepted as payment. Your final payment will be charged automatically 30 days before your reservation date. If you elect to pay by check, you must notify us when you book the reservation, and the check must arrive by the due date, which is 30 days before your reservation date. If your final payment check is more than 5 days late we reserve the right to cancel your reservation without refund. Optional services provided by outside agencies such as car, nannies or furniture rentals must be pre-arranged and paid for by guest through the agency of their choice.

6. Cancellation of Reservation

   If you have to cancel your reservation for any reason, you will forfeit the 30% advance payment. If you cancel your reservation less than 30 days before your trip, you will lose the full rental amount paid. No Exceptions.
   Once you have booked your dates, they will be locked in. We cannot accommodate date changes or reduce your length of stay.
   WE RECOMMEND YOU PURCHASE TRAVEL INSURANCE TO COVER UNFORSEEN DIFFICULTIES.
   No refunds will be given unless there is a “Hurricane Warning” issued by the National Weather Service and mandatory evacuation orders issued by County officials for the county your unit is located in. In such case a prorated amount will be refunded or credited if a stay is interrupted. If unit is not available due to any reason including hurricane damage, guest agrees to be moved to any other unit in our inventory based on sleeping capacity alone, NOT AMENITIES. If such unit is not available then a refund of advance payment will apply. All such refunds will be determined AFTER the entire weather condition has passed. This is for administrative and legal reasons so that we have clear knowledge of exactly when the storm affected your condo and we are back in full operational capacity to execute such refunds. It is strongly recommended that you procure trip insurance from a third party.

7. Damages

   We require a valid credit card to be on file to cover any losses or damages that may occur during your stay. Your credit card may be charged without your prior notification if we find damages that weren’t present when you arrived and you didn’t report before you departed, although we will make every effort to contact you prior to charging your card. If extra cleaning or repairs are required as a result of your stay, we reserve the right to apply the full amount of those costs to your credit card, plus all applicable taxes and fees and any costs as quoted and attested to by a certified contractor in addition to the total rental amount plus taxes/fees that you originally paid to offset the additional incurred expenses as a result of your stay.
   CREDIT CARD AUTHORIZATION: I understand and consent to the use of the credit card provided without original signature on the charge slip, that an email of this agreement will serve as an original, and that this Credit Card Authorization cannot be revoked and will not terminate until 90 days after the rental is vacated. Additional charges may include: unauthorized long distance telephone and satellite TV charges; excessive cleaning fees; damages beyond normal wear and tear and unreturned keys. If the listed card is declined, expired, or otherwise I agree to allow RealJoy Vacations to charge a card that was used to make any rental payment for my reservation. When your final payment is due, 30 days before your reservation, your credit card will be charged automatically for the balance due.

8. Check In/Check Out

   Check-In is 4:00 P.M. CST or later. Due to our high standard of cleanliness, there is a possibility that your vacation rental may not be ready at 4:00 P.M. especially during peak seasons. Please do not enter the unit prior to the 4pm check in time unless approved by Realjoy. Failure to do so may result in a fee. Check-Out time is promptly by 10:00 A.M. To avoid an extra cleaning charge; please wash the dishes, take out the trash, and leave the property in a neat and orderly condition.

9. Late Night Arrivals

   Please be considerate of your neighbors if making a late night arrival. Please ensure you have all necessary directions, door codes, parking passes, and/or security gate combinations. If you have trouble with the codes, call 850.424.1224 and leave message for on-call manager.

10. Housekeeping

    You will be responsible for the cleaning of your unit during your stay and for leaving the unit in good condition at checkout. A separate housekeeping/cleaning charge will be included when you book. This is a one-time linen/towel set up and cleaning service ONLY at the time of departure. We request that you remember you are staying in someone’s home during your vacation; please treat it with the care as you would your own. If unit is left unusually messy (extra unusual cleaning, unwashed dishes, food or garbage left in unit) or left damaged (damages/stains on carpet or furniture or to walls and floors), we reserve the right to apply credit card charges as part of our damage deposit policy for these expenses.
    Additional Housekeeping: RealJoy takes great pride in the maintenance of our homes. If any garbage is found on the lawn or around the exterior of one of our homes (this includes cigarette butts and bottle caps), the guest will be assessed a $50 charge to cover the cost of RealJoy hiring a maintenance crew for cleanup. This will also apply to balconies or the exteriors of condominiums.

11. Linens/Towels/Supplies

    Units are fully equipped. Although linens are provided, please bring your own beach towels, beach blankets and your own personal toiletries. An initial set up of trash liners, bathroom paper and facial soap is provided upon arrival. Extra supplies needed (including cleaning supplies) are the responsibility of the guest. Upon departure, please place all soiled linens in the tub for house cleaning, place all dirty dishes in dishwasher and run machine. If you leave unit in unusually messy condition, you will be charged an extra cleaning fee outside the normal prepaid cleaning. Moving any items or furnishings from one unit to another is not permitted.

12. Smoking & Pets

    ALL units are NON-SMOKING units and absolutely NO PETS are allowed. NO EXCEPTIONS!!! Guests found in violation of this agreement will be asked to leave and full stay rent charge will be due including deposit amount without refund. Smoking in the units will also result in a $250 charge for ozone cleaning of the unit. Pets in the unit will also result in a MINIMUM fine of $250.

13. Family Rental Only

    No units will be rented to anyone under the age of 25 unaccompanied by a responsible parent or guardian in the unit for the entire stay. Any reservation made under false pretense may be subject to forfeiture of advance rental payment/rental payments or security deposit.

14. Good Neighbor Policy

    Many of our rentals are located in multi-unit buildings that include short and long term guests and year round residents. All guest and owners are subject to conform to the rules and regulations of the properties. Guest(s) causing excessive noise or disturbances will be asked to check out immediately and full stay rent charge will be due including deposit amount with NO REFUNDS. Parking will only be for two vehicles unless stated. If you are bringing a boat/watercraft or RV, you must verify that there is appropriate parking on site before arriving.

15. Guest Acknowledges

    Guest also acknowledges that RealJoy Property Management is the agent of the property owner and will be paid by the owner. In some cases, it is necessary that Agent move guest reservation to a like unit (Like unit being a similar unit matching sleeping capacity and not necessarily amenities) at Agent’s discretion. Agent will not be held responsible for the acts of theft, vandalism or other damages to the guest’s personal property or items left in unit. All reservations are not completely guaranteed and prices are subject to change without notice.

16. In Case of Emergency

    Please call 850-424-1224. Your call will be returned as soon as possible. PLEASE NOTE: In the event you are locked out of your unit after business hours, follow emergency procedures after calling number listed above. An agent will return your call and meet you at the main office or at the unit. A charge of $25.00 for office meeting or $50.00 for unit meeting will apply and must be paid at time of event.

17. Parking

    Please do NOT bring a trailer unless our management allows you to do so, many of the properties cannot accommodate them. You will be subject to all parking rules, regulations and fines that are in place at the location you are renting.