Policies & Procedures
- Monday – Friday 8 am to 4 pm
- Saturday 10am to 2pm
- Sunday by appointment or text
*Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas days
24-hour online reservations are available at www.OfflakeRentals.com. Should you submit an online reservation, you will receive a confirmation call within 2 hours or the next business day if after hours.
Check-in & Check-out:
Offlake Rentals offers ‘self-check in’ at most homes. Upon payment of your reservation total in full you will receive an email with directions to your vacation home, a unique 4-digit lock code, and our after hour’s emergency phone & text #. All homes have either an electronic door lock or a lockbox next to the entrance door. The directions to your vacation home have been fine-tuned over the years and it is rare that a guest has any difficulties finding their home. You are free to arrive any time after 4 PM and must depart by 11 AM. This 5 hour window is critical for our inspectors (who check the house condition, leave your starter bag [yours to keep], and set your door code). If you anticipate arriving after 7 PM we ask that you to inform our office so that we can leave lighting on at your home to ease your access. While GPS is quite convenient, it can let you down in Garrett County as many of our roads do not appear or are incorrectly labeled on mapping software and the directions from GPS can lead you astray – please only use GPS as a backup to our fine written directions that we provide.
Minimum Age:
The minimum age for the guest who signs the license agreement and will be staying in the house is 24 years of age. With a valid military ID & unit contact info we are able to offer our homes to 21 year olds.
Occupancy:
Each of our vacation rental properties has a designated ‘max-occupancy’ that has been set by either the fire marshal or the homeowner. This occupancy level does not apply to children 4 years of age or younger. If overcrowding occurs during any time of the reservation immediate eviction is probable with no refund due.
Family Policy:
The licensee (person who makes the reservation and is legally liable for the care of the home) must be 24 or older and must be a part of the lodging guests. We do require a copy of the driver’s license to be on file verifying age. We generally rent to family groups only. Fraternities, Sororities, Bachelor parties, unless previously approved in writing by the manager, are prohibited from renting our homes. If manager approves such a group there is likely to be a security deposit and an inspection planned on day of guest departure with guest present. It is after this joint inspection is completed that a return of the security deposit is made.
Pet Friendly:
The only pets permitted in our pet-friendly homes are dogs. There is a limitation to 2 dogs and the non-refundable pet fee is $65 ($25 for designated ‘Glamping’ properties). Houses are inspected closely on day of departure and any evidence of pet damage is promptly submitted to an outgoing guest and financial remedies are the responsibility of the guest. Guest acknowledges that they are solely responsible for their pets during their stay and that the neither the homeowner nor Offlake Realty & Rentals are responsible for your pet. It is the responsibility of the guest to inspect the house and grounds for any potential dangers to their pets and to remedy any hazards as they see fit. Guest is responsible for removal of all pet excrement. Pets are prohibited from sitting on any furniture throughout the house. Guests shall ensure that their pets do not have fleas prior to travelling. Pets must be under the control of guest and not permitted to run freely, affecting neighbors use and enjoyment of their homes. No excessive barking will be tolerated. We are Offlake Rentals own and love our dogs; we simply ask that you respect the property owner’s home and the neighborhood, along with subsequent guests, in maintaining your dog(s).
Holiday Weekends: While holiday weekends are a great time to visit Deep Creek Lake, we do generally require a 3-night minimum stay and holiday pricing may be subject to a price-bump at the time of reservation. We reserve the right to waive these standards for last minute reservations.
Payment:
1/3 to 1/2 (depends on cost of rental and how far in advance that you book) of your total reservation amount is due at the time of booking. The balance of your reservation total is due when your arrival is within 30 days. We offer a convenient lay-a-way plan for most homes that permits you to make $50+ payments, with no interest, until your reservation is paid – final payment must adhere to the 30-day policy. All vacation rentals are subject to 6% Maryland & 8% Garrett County tax. We accept all major credit cards & checks; we also offer electronic check processing for your convenience. NSF fee for returned checks is $35. In the event of a returned check, we will then require payment to be made by certified funds. We are happy to arrange for multiple-payers of your reservation total and can collect monies from various group members
Cancellations and Changes:
Any cancellation request must be made in writing – email is fine. The guest is responsible for obtaining from Offlake Rentals written confirmation of their cancellation request.
- Cancellation Request: 31+ days from arrival – a full refund of monies paid will be issued
- Cancellation Request: 5-30 days from arrival – all but $75 of paid monies will be refunded to the guest promptly upon written notification. Guest can choose to leave payment on file to book the same home at a later date and the $75 cancellation fee may be waived. This is subject to Manager and homeowner approval and written documentation provided to that effect with any limitations.
- Cancellation Request: less than 5 days from arrival – Offlake Rentals, upon receiving written request of cancellation, will make the house available for alternate guest reservation. Should the house be rented for the same dates and the same amount as the cancelled reservation, guest is entitled to a refund of all but $75 of their paid amounts. If house is not re-rented for the same amount, guest shall receive a refund of the prorated amount that reflects the difference of the lower rental rate. House or Date changes are treated the same as the cancellation policy. If a guest chooses to leave the paid monies on file for a future reservation at the same house they shall receive a credit for 1/2 of all monies on file and the $75 cancellation fee is waived. If the property is not re-rented the guest may choose to activate their cancelled reservation and still travel ‘ with the approval of Offlake Rentals office.
Refunds:
Your reservation and signed Vacation License Agreement binds you to a specific home and specific dates. The house is unavailable to any others during your approved License terms. There is a certain amount of risk that a guest makes in renting a home – our staff will do everything possible to ensure that our homes meet guest expectations of their rental property. If you are disappointed we cannot simply move you or cancel your reservation as each of our homes is privately owned.
Refund Requests – Complaint must be noted via text or email prior to guest departure to allow Offlake Rentals the opportunity to make a problem right. Any refund requests made after guest departure (that lack a matching written complaint filed during guest stay) will likely NOT be honored as the guest failed to allow Offlake to address the problem during guest stay. Unlike a hotel where there are multiple rooms in the same building, our privately owned homes are each unique in their own way. If you find a house function inoperable or it breaks during your stay (TV’s, Grills, game tables, hot tubs, internet, furniture, dishwasher, washer/dryer, air conditioning, etc) please notify our office and we will make every effort to promptly remedy a problem. We cannot fix the problem unless we know of it; therefore it is important to notify our office at the earliest opportunity rather than waiting until your vacation is over. If it is a matter you only wish to notify us of but don’t want your vacation interrupted for repair we shall schedule repair for after your stay; otherwise we will make every effort to ensure that your property is in prime, operating condition prior to and during your visit.
What we provide:
Our inspector leaves a “”goodie bag, yours to keep””starter bag” containing most of whats needed for the average stay (toilet paper/paper towels/launchy and dish soaps, trash bags/etc…). All of our vacation homes offer equipped kitchens similar to what you have in your home (coffee maker, stove, fridge, pots, pans, plates, glasses, cooking utensils, etc.); however if you have a specialty item you care to use you may wish to bring that. You will might need more paper products than initially supplied, which most folks purchase when they buy groceries. While some condiments may be in the kitchen you will likely need to purchase/bring more. We ensure Grills have gas, if appropriate. However we do not supply charcoal for charcoal grills. We do not guarantee firewood for fire pits or wood fireplaces; however generally you will find some available. If you care to have a bundle of wood delivered for your convenience please notify our reservationist at least 7 days in advance and they will have a bundle delivered to your front door for $5 per bundle. (not available during Covid Era. Updated 5/14/2020)
Should you run out of propane for the grill during your stay, you are free to either visit our office and bring your empty tank and we will exchange it for you or you can visit any nearby vendor and exchange the tank ‘ giving our office a copy of your receipt for reimbursement. Please make sure that the valve is open on the tank before assuming that the tank is empty.
What to Bring:
While we may supply some of these items, it is wise to consider bringing along: paper towels, toilet paper, garbage bags, aluminum foil, plastic bags, dish soap, bath soap, condiments you desire, beach towels for the lake or hot tub visits.
Linens/Towels:
‘Linen Ready’ homes will have the beds dressed and towels and washcloths supplied for the max occupancy.
‘Linen Optional’ homes will have blankets & pillows; however other linens will not be present unless linen option purchased (already included in advertised price). As long as linens are not waived all necessary linens will be at your house upon arrival, set in the appropriate places. There will be bath mats, hand towels, and a kitchen dish set provided as well. If you select the ‘Romance Linen Option’ you will be left with linens for 1 bed and 2 people.
Hot Tubs: Hot Tubs are serviced by a separate, licensed service company. They will have a note in the hot tub area certifying their service date and that all is verified safe and operational. Our inspector confirms this tag is updated prior to guest stay. If you find that the hot tub seems to not operate correctly a very good troubleshooting technique is to simply turn off the power at the disconnect breaker found near the hot tub, wait 2 minutes, then turn it on again. If this does not resolve your problem please call/text our office and we will notify the hot tub service company of a need for a service visit, if applicable.
Air Conditioning: For those homes that offer Air Conditioning (many do not as our Summer ‘heat’ is around 80* and it often gets down to the 50*’s at night), please confirm the type of AC service and that it will suffice for your needs when booking your home.
Construction
Deep Creek Lake continues to grow as a resort area and it possible that new constructions can occur without our being aware of this. Said construction could affect your view, cause additional noise, or other concerns. While we will make every effort to know of any ongoing construction that could affect your vacation ‘ and to notify you in advance of this, we cannot know about all ongoing construction. No refunds or moves can be honored due to construction.
Lake Access and Docks:
Docks may be private or shared dock slips. Lake access points may be private or shared. We do not guarantee docks between Labor Day and Memorial Day. If this is important to you please confirm availability during these times. Maryland DNR requires all docks to be removed from the lake by December 1st of each year. Please have a good time if your home offers dockage or lake access and respect other vacationer’s as well.
‘..Quite simply, our Policy is for you to have all of your questions answered before your arrival, you arrive ‘Stress Free’ (very nice going directly to your vacation home and not wasting time finding a rental office or standing in line), and for you to contact our office with any questions or concerns. Our inspector will preview your home on your day of arrival to mitigate any problems prior to your arrival’.
‘Be our guest once, you’ll be our guest forever!’
*Offlake Realty & Rentals cannot be responsible for errors or omissions within this website. While we make every effort to be as accurate as possible you should check with our staff to assure yourself of any specific concerns that you have.
