Thank you for choosing my condo. It is my sincere desire to make your vacation as much fun as possible, From time to time things go missing and yet other things are neglected. What is obvious to one who lives there for a week will not be obvious to me or the cleaning service. This is a weekly rental and the traffic takes its toll on the condition of everything.

Sanitized linens are used and laundered at high temperature by a commercial vendor for your protection. Because of this, the towels and sheets are industrial quality, similar to white motel linen. The bathroom sinks and bowls are sanitized, carpets and tile are vacuumed and mopped. Counter tops, stove, tables and furniture surfaces are wiped down and dusted. The weekly cleaning service DOES NOT clean ovens, inspect dishes, utensils or the interior of cupboards and drawers.

Sliding doors and windows are professionally cleaned every other week. Because of the daily salt mist in the air, the glass may appear cloudy. Because of strong crosswinds that always occur when both the front and back doors are open, dust balls and debris may appear on the floors. This can come from under or behind, furniture, beds, appliances and the outside decks. The cleaning service DOES NOT move furniture and beds, or deep clean during weekly back to back service, complete cleans are done between seasons. CAUTION! If you expect maid service will give you a house cleaning like you might get at home, it won’t. This is a maid service.

Please advise me if things are not right. Example,  toaster, microwave doesn’t work, belt is broke on vacuum, TV remote missing. There are hundreds of things, that can be wrong, that will not be noticed by the cleaning people or by myself on a walk through. Please don’t email me letters of complaint after the fact. Call me immediately, local 978-3751, before you fester. If there is a computer furnished in the room, you’re on your own. Computer geeks or freaks may add pass words or reconfigure.

If you don’t want to be bothered wile you are there, please jot down things that you find need my attention and leave on the kitchen counter with your keys. If there is something that needs immediate attention call me first, 251-978-3751.

Three most frequent complaints!!! refrigerator doesn't cool, air conditioner doesn't cool, condo not as clean as expected. .                                                                                                                                                                                  

1.If you overload the refrigerator with cases of warm drinks, and the freezer with pizza and pops, it will take 24 to 36 hours to catch up.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        2.If you leave the entry doors open for long periods of time and condensation runs down the walls, from the air vents, the air conditioner will freeze up.

3.There are over 13,000 condos on the island and most turn over on the week end. There are to many condos compared to the available work force. Each place gets the necessary bathroom sanitization and each bedroom gets sanitized linins. The rest gets a lick and a promise. I have tried several cleaning services and have the best I can find, but it is still not the way it should be for the price paid. I routinely get complaints of food particles in seat cushions, dust balls under furniture, sand in corners, crumbs in drawers, one black hair on white tile. If you need perfection regarding cleaning, do not rent from me! Some people will not call me if conditions are not up to snuff but wait until they get home and email letters of complaint. I take immediate action when called, and  send the cleaners back, but if you wait to complain it falls on deaf ears.

Explanation of lodging sales tax

Lodging tax amount of 4% state, 2% county, 5% city for a total of 11%, is collected on the actual amount paid to rent the living unit and maid service.

Below is an explanation of the lodging sales tax you pay with your rental. It is as important to the state of Alabama, you and me, that I don’t collect tax on items that are not taxable and do collect tax on items that are. It is not as simple as it looks. As you can see by the state rules below, tax is not charged on laundry service, telephone service, and not listed below, parking.

There is no lodging or sales tax collected on outside laundry service of linens, towels, rugs, bedding, etc,  telephone service,  and parking fees.                                     

 Paul Huseby                                               updated 10/6/06

 ALABAMA DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE SALES, USE & BUSINESS TAX DIVISION LODGINGS TAX RULE

810-6-5-.13.  Persons, Firms, and Corporations Subject to Lodgings Tax.

(1) The term "lodgings tax" as used in this rule shall mean the state tax levied in Section 40-26-1(a), Code of Alabama 1975, and county and municipal taxes which parallel the state tax levy.

(2) The definition of the term "person" as used in this rule shall be the same as the definition contained in Section 40-2A-3(13), Code of Alabama 1975.

(3) The term “transient” as used in this rule means any person to whom rooms, lodgings, or other accommodations are provided for a period of less than 180 continuous days..

(4) Except as noted, lodgings tax applies to all charges made for the use of rooms, lodgings, or other accommodations, including charges for personal property used or services furnished in the rooms, lodgings, or other accommodations, by every person who is engaged in the business of renting rooms or lodgings or furnishing accommodations to transients. The tax applies regardless of whether the person occupying such rooms or lodgings or receiving such accommodations is a resident or nonresident of the area in which such rooms or lodgings are located or in which such accommodations are furnished.

(5) The lodgings tax shall be collected by all persons who operate any hotel, motel, rooming house, apartment house, lodge, inn, tourist cabin, tourist court, tourist home, camp, trailer court, marina, convention center, or any other place where rooms, apartments, cabins, sleeping accommodations, mobile home accommodations, recreational trailer parking accommodations, boat docking accommodations, or other accommodations are made available to travelers, tourists, or other transients.

(6) Where a separate charge is made for personal property furnished in rooms or other lodgings in addition to the charge for the use of the rooms or other lodgings, such separate and additional charge is subject to the lodgings tax.

(7) Where a separate charge is made for maid, porter or janitorial services furnished in rooms or other lodgings in addition to the charge for the use of the rooms or lodgings, such separate and additional charge is subject to the lodgings tax. Charges for laundry, dry cleaning, and telephone services are not subject to the tax.

(8) Charges made for the use of ball rooms, dining rooms, club rooms, sample rooms, conference rooms, wedding chapels, or other space located on the premises of any place where rooms or other accommodations are offered for the use of travelers, tourists or other transients, are subject to the lodgings tax.  The use by civic clubs or other similar organizations of banquet halls, ball rooms, or club rooms, regularly for weekly or monthly meetings will be deemed continuous occupancy of such rooms or halls by such clubs or organizations, and the taxability of the charges therefore will be determined in accordance with paragraph (11)(a) below.

(9) The state of Alabama, counties and incorporated municipalities of the state, and educational institutions and agencies of the state and the counties or incorporated municipalities of the state are not exempt from lodgings tax. Accordingly, charges for rooms, lodgings, or other accommodations furnished to these entities are taxable whether billed directly to, and paid for directly by, the entity or paid by employees of these entities with their own funds. (AGO, Graddick, June 4, 1981) (Section 40-26-1)

(10) Other states, counties and incorporated municipalities of other states, and educational institutions and agencies of other states and counties and incorporated municipalities of other states are not exempt from lodgings tax. Accordingly, charges for rooms, lodgings, or other accommodations furnished to these entities are taxable whether billed directly to, and paid for directly by, the entity or paid by employees of these entities with their own funds. (Section 40-26-1)

11) Exemptions from the lodgings tax are as follows:

(a) Charges for rooms, lodgings, or accommodations supplied for a period of 180 continuous days or more in any one place are exempt from state, county, and municipal lodgings tax. Prior to December 1, 2001, the tax did not apply to charges for rooms, lodgings, or accommodations supplied for a period of 30 continuous days or more in any one place.

(12) The lodgings tax does not apply to sales of tangible personal property which are subject to the Alabama sales tax. All of the supplies, furniture and fixtures used or consumed in operating such establishments as referenced in paragraph (4) are subject to the sales or use tax, whichever may apply, at the time of purchase for such use or consumption, including beds, bedding, carpets, shades, curtains, linens, uniforms, bathroom supplies, janitor supplies, fuel for heating and cooking, air conditioning equipment, etc.

I pay the associations for parking                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Through association fees                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Extra fees and taxes for reserved spaces                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Parking passes, I have to purchase from the association