Guest Guidelines and Policies

Here at Blue Hill Bay Property Rentals we have found that providing guidelines and policies to our guests allows for all involved to be on the same page.We anticipate and hope that our guests will always use common sense, respect the owners’ properties, and always put safety first, while having a wonderful vacation in our beautiful area.

In most cases blatant disregard of these policies by our guests will incur additional fees and potentially forced eviction (and we prefer not to have to do this).

• The arrival and departure times need to be followed because we have just a few hours to prepare the cottage for your visit and we will charge you a fee for early arrival or late departure if prior permission from us has not been given.We’re happy to accommodate when we can.
• The maximum occupancy for each property is specified in the property listing descriptions on our website and in the Rental Agreement. This is the maximum total overnight occupancy. Children and infants are counted in total occupancy.Over-occupancy of a property may force eviction and an additional $200 fee for each additional person. With that said we know you may want to host friends and family during daytime hours and as long as there are no more than 1.5 times the maximum occupancy (you can round up if the number includes a fraction) it is not a problem.It is also important that visitors not bring pets to a pet-free property.
• We love our dogs and cats!Reasons that a property does not permit dogs (and other animals) may be because: 1) the owner has had bad experiences with pet owners in the past and will not allow them any longer, 2) the owner has allergies that necessitates the policy, and 3) the owner’s insurance will not cover pets.For these reasons we are very careful to screen guests and their dogs and, if we feel it necessary, to check in with guests during their stay (which we prefer not to do).We do our best to not give owners a reason to stop allowing dogs and hope our guests will do the same.
• You will be staying in a private property and not a hotel.It is expected that, upon departure, you will clean up spills and other types of grime, remove trash using secured, leak-free trash bags, keep up with laundry if a washer/dryer are present, place all furniture and other items back where found, clean the grill after each use, and remove all food items.Spices, sugar, oils, vinegars, condiments, coffee, tea, cocoa and ice can be left behind.
• Internet, cable and satellite services are generally reliable however please remember that you are visiting a rural area and these services will be occasionally affected by weather and terrain.Many of our cottages are located off the main road.So, if you absolutely require internet access to work remotely, or have to watch your favorite TV channels, please let us know so that we can help you find an appropriate property.We hate to disappoint or worse, anger, our guests because these services are not working, not working consistently, or are absent all-together, especially if we cannot do anything about it immediately.
• …Which brings us to the topic of cell phone service.We find that US Cellular and AT&T provide the most reliable service in the area and some people successfully use Verizon. While we locals are used to contending with areas where a signal is not present, we understand that some guests find it inconvenient, as well as stressful, if this happens.
• We ask that you not build a fire pit if one is not present as the owner may charge you to return the area to the way it was.For properties with beaches, it is okay to build a fire in the intertidal area (below high tide).Please remember to be very careful and make sure the fire area is well doused with water before you leave the immediate area.We don’t want the volunteer fire department to be called by a concerned neighbor, as not only will it be a problem for you but we too will have to answer to the emergency personnel (and owner)!
• Please park in designated parking areas and not on lawns. Sometimes part of the septic system may be under the lawn and pipes can get crushed, or the area may be wet and tires will leave ruts (you get the point).
• If you want to bring an RV please let us know so that we can assist you with parking.Additional people cannot stay on the property in an RV or tent.
• A few of our properties may be for sale and it will either be noted in the listing on our website or we will contact you if it happens after you book.Worst case scenario is that you’ll be given 24 hours’ notice to leave the property for an hour if a real estate showing needs to take place during your stay and not during a period when the property is not rented. The owners will do everything they can to not intrude on their valued guests but there may be times when it is unavoidable.
• Do we need to also mention that fireworks aren’t allowed?If so, they aren’t, and it is a Maine state regulation.