Frequently Asked Questions - Portugal

How are you different from your competitors?

  • A highly personal guest and client service. We are here to meet the needs of you, our client, and every one of our guests. We treat your property as if it is our own and ensure our guests do the same. 
  • We pride ourselves on market-leading customer service. Our customer service team is available to owners and guests 24/7/365.
  • Our pricing is clear and transparent. We charge a set % of rental income which is clearly itemised in your monthly remittance.
  • Flexibility! Our owners can stay in their own property at whatever time the property is not booked throughout the year; and can select their own guest criteria (no kids/pets/students etc.). We can adhere to any specific instructions on housekeeping and any other preparations.
  • You will have a dedicated client account manager.
  • Our 24/7 team is always on standby and provides reports back to HQ on anything that needs replacing, guest special requests, maintenance issues, and any concerns about the guests. We have a large team of operations and maintenance professionals ready to deal with these issues.
  • We have exclusive access to several high-end partners such as Homes & Villas by Marriott International, giving you access to over 150 million Marriott Bonvoy™ members.
  • We also maintain a large database of repeat guests - our ALTIDO ambassadors.

 

Where will you market my property?

  • We use a combination of online and offline channels:
  • Direct bookings through this website - we love it when guests book directly because they save money by not paying platform fees and your slice of the income is higher.
  • We were one of the first partners of Homes & Villas by Marriott International, giving you access to over 150 million Marriott Bonvoy™ members.
  • Airbnb provides a high level of visibility on the "quality" of the guest and provides a high supply of travellers. 
  • We also use channels such as Booking.com and HomeAway as they provide access to a global market through their primary and subsidiary platforms (such as Abritel, Owners Direct and VRBO)
  • The Plum Guide is a Michelin guide to short-term rental properties. Properties have to fit strict criteria to make it onto their platform. The Plum Guide demands slightly premium prices and high-quality guests.
  • We also maintain a large database of repeat guests - our ALTIDO ambassadors.

 

How do you vet/screen the guests?

  • We adopt our own proprietary vetting system using various criteria to determine whether they can stay at your home.
  • We will request a questionnaire to be answered before a booking, which asks each guest about the purpose of their stay and references from previous stays.
  • We will often ask for evidence to support their reason for travelling, particularly for longer stays.
  • We verify each guest’s identity, taking a photograph of the main guest’s ID prior to the check-in.
  • You can set your own criteria, e.g. the number of guests, no kids, no pets etc.
  • We only allow bookings of a minimum of 4 nights (but recommend a minimum of 5 where possible).

 

Do you manage room rentals?

  • No. We manage entire homes, villas, blocks, hotels and student accommodation.

 

Can you furnish my property?

  • Yes! We can help you as much or as little as you need. We have a lot of experience and knowledge to help your property stand out.
  • We also work with several furniture rental companies who can kit out your home at reasonable rates with a quick turnaround.
  • We have also partnered with interior design companies for a more permanent solution.

 

What do you need from me?

  • 5 sets of keys, proof of ownership and the completion of our onboarding form
  • For full details of setting up for short-term lets, please refer to our helpful guide.

 

What is the ALTIDO Trust & Safety Guarantee?

  • The ALTIDO Trust & Safety Guarantee is our promise to deal with guest damages on your behalf, and endeavour to seek a positive resolution directly with the guests or through the platform. This compensation will take the form of a damage deposit or a direct claim via the Airbnb resolution centre. Our specialist short-term rental insurance covers large claims between £1,000 and £1 million.

 

What are the local regulations?

  • Our local sales manager will be happy to advise you about Portugal's regulations and will be transparent about whether your home will be suitable and compliant.

 

Do you operate outside of Lisbon?

  • Yes, we have offices in London, Edinburgh and Milan; and we provide Booking Generator services globally.

 

How/when will I receive my rental income?

  • You will have access to our online portal to see each reservation and at the end of the month will receive a monthly statement. The funds for that month less our fees will be transferred to your bank by the 15th of the next month. This is because we receive the funds up until the 15th from our OTAs (Online Travel Agent, such as Booking.com). 

 

Do I need to provide my own linen/cleaning supplies?

  • No. We take care of all linen/towels, toiletries and cleaning.

 

Can I view my bookings and block days out in my calendar?

  • Yes, of course. Either speak to your dedicated ALTIDO account manager or log in to your very own online portal to view bookings and block out dates.

 

Will I have a dedicated account manager?

  • Yes, Matteo is the Portugal client manager and is looking forward to working with you. He speaks, Portuguese, English, Italian fluently as well as understanding French and Spanish as well. 

 

Do I have to pay a set-up or onboarding fee to get started?

  • Yes. There is a 300 Euro + VAT onboarding fee which we can deduct from your first month’s rent.
  • This goes towards the cost of taking beautiful professional photos and the creation of our detailed house manuals and maintenance manuals. In addition to this, we will set up your property on the immigration portal with SEF, register your property for city tax and help you get set up with a utility company.