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Property & rentals 2 signers 3 pages 28 blanks to fill in

Vacation Rental Agreement Template

Take direct bookings for your holiday home with the dates, price, deposit, cancellation terms and house rules signed before the guest arrives.

Use This Template — Free See the Agreement Signers don’t need an account
Vacation rental agreement
The blanks in brackets are what you fill in. VergeHR adds each signer’s signature and date boxes.
Vacation rental agreement — page 1 of 3
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Vacation rental agreement — page 2 of 3
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Vacation rental agreement — page 3 of 3
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Use This Template Fill in the blanks, name who signs, and send — from VergeHR eSignature.

What is a vacation rental agreement?

A vacation rental agreement is the contract between a holiday-home host and the guest who books it — for a beach house, cabin, apartment or cottage let by the night or week. Booking platforms have their own terms, but when a guest books directly with you, by phone or email or through your own website, this is what sets out the rules of the stay.

The template covers the property and what is included, check-in and check-out times, a maximum number of overnight guests, the total price and payment schedule, an optional damage deposit with a return deadline you choose, a cancellation policy (a full refund up to a number of days you set, then no refund, 50% or a refund only if the dates are re-booked), house rules on parties, pets, smoking and quiet hours, host access, damage and liability, and check-out tasks. It makes clear the stay is a short licence, not a tenancy.

Best for
Direct bookings of holiday homes, cabins, cottages and apartments
Signed by
The host and the lead guest
Cancellation
Full refund up to your chosen number of days, then your choice of policy
Length
3 pages, initialled on every page

When to Use a vacation rental agreement

  • A guest books your holiday home directly instead of through a platform
  • Repeat guests or friends of friends renting your cabin for a week
  • A family reunion or group booking where you want a clear guest limit and no-party rule
  • A property manager renting holiday homes on behalf of owners
  • A longer seasonal stay where a damage deposit and payment schedule matter

What You Fill In

28 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: host, guest.

1 The parties

  • Host (your business or name)*
  • Host phone or email during the stay*
  • Guest's full name*
  • Guest's home address

2 The property

  • Property name
  • Property address*
  • What is included

3 The stay

  • Arrival date*
  • Check-in from*
  • Departure date*
  • Check-out by*
  • Maximum number of guests*
  • Names of the other guests

4 Price and payment

  • Currency*
  • Total price of the stay*
  • The total price includes
  • Payment schedule*
  • How to pay
  • Damage deposit
  • Deposit returned within (days after departure)

5 Cancellation

  • Full refund if the Guest cancels at least (days before arrival)*
  • If the Guest cancels later than that* no refund · a refund of 50% of the price · a refund only if the dates are re-booked

6 House rules

  • Pets* Not allowed · Allowed with the Host's approval before arrival
  • Smoking and vaping* Not allowed anywhere on the property · Allowed outdoors only, away from doors and windows
  • Quiet hours
  • Other house rules
  • Check-out tasks

7 Other terms

  • Governing law*

8 Who signs

  • Host signature and date, initials on every page · The owner or manager renting out the property.
  • Guest signature and date, initials on every page · The adult who books the stay and is responsible for the whole group.

What the vacation rental agreement Covers

  1. The property
  2. The stay
  3. Price and payment
  4. Damage deposit
  5. Cancellation
  6. House rules
  7. Access by the Host
  8. Damage and liability
  9. Check-out
  10. General

Using the vacation rental agreement, step by step

1 Describe the property and stay

Add the property name and address, what is included (bedrooms, linen, parking, hot tub), the arrival and departure dates, check-in and check-out times and the maximum number of overnight guests.

2 Set the price and payment schedule

Enter the total price and say what it includes — cleaning fee, local occupancy or tourist tax. Describe the schedule, for example 50% on signing and the balance 30 days before arrival. Add a damage deposit if you take one.

3 Choose your cancellation policy

Set how many days before arrival a guest can cancel for a full refund, and what happens after that. If you have to cancel, the template refunds the guest in full.

4 Add house rules and send

Choose the pet and smoking rules, quiet hours, any other house rules and the check-out tasks. Then send it to the lead guest to sign — they are responsible for everyone in their group.

Tips Before You Send It

  • Short-term rentals are regulated in many cities and regions — registration, permits, occupancy limits and taxes. Check yours before you take bookings.
  • Send your arrival instructions and emergency contacts separately, close to the date.
  • Photograph the property before each stay so you can show the condition if you need to deduct from the deposit.
  • Tell guests about any outdoor security cameras before they book, and never place cameras inside.

Sign It Online In Minutes

  1. Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
  2. Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. VergeHR builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
  3. Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in Files and emailed to everyone.
Use the vacation rental agreement Template — It’s Free

Vacation rental agreement: frequently asked questions

Is a vacation rental a tenancy?

The template treats it as a short licence to stay for the agreed dates, not a tenancy, and says the guest has no right to stay on afterwards. Whether local tenancy law could still apply, especially to longer stays, depends on where the property is.

When do I have to return the damage deposit?

Within the number of days after departure that you set (14 by default), less the reasonable cost of damage, missing items or extra cleaning, with a written explanation and photos where possible. Some places set their own rules for deposits, which apply where they do.

What if the guest brings more people than agreed?

The guest limit covers everyone staying overnight, including children, and parties need your written consent. If the guest seriously breaks the house rules, the template lets you end the stay after a warning where reasonable, with no refund except as the law requires.

Is a rental agreement signed online valid?

In most countries, including the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the UK, the EU (eIDAS) and Canada, an electronic signature is generally valid for an ordinary contract like a holiday rental. VergeHR keeps an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion with the signed PDF.

Is this template free?

Yes. The template is free to use with the eSignature app in VergeHR, and your guest doesn't need a VergeHR login to sign.

Use This Template — Free