Thinking Of Becoming A Temporary Landlord For The Pope's Visit To Philly? Here Are Some Things You Should Know First
By John McDevitt
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- The Archdiocese of Philadelphia is continuing to urge visitors coming to Philadelphia for the World Meeting Of Families to find alternative housing -- asking Catholics and the generous to rent a room or property at a reasonable fee.
Many people are thinking of making some quick money during the Papal visit in September by renting their home or a room, and KYW's John McDevitt spoke with a local expert on advice for temporary landlords.
Before you open your doors to strangers, you should know how to protect yourself and your assets, says Jim Lardear, a spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
"The most important thing is to probably talk first, to find out if its appropriate and if your covered to have strangers live in your house."
To look for quality renters, he says, "Probably the safest way to really do that is to use a real estate agent or a broker that can assist in this process, and they will help you do the necessary background and credit checks as well."
Lardear says to make sure you have enough liability coverage to include any incidents and to get a security deposit and lock up or remove valuables from the home.
When your guest leaves, don't forget to change the locks.
