About the Vacation Rental Management Association

It is the policy of VRMA, and it is the responsibility of every VRMA member, to comply in all respects with the antitrust laws. VRMA and in particular VRMA meetings and other functions shall not be used as a means of pursuing anti-competitive practices, including:

a) setting prices or other customer charges;

b) ensuring parallel contract terms and conditions;

c) agreeing not to compete, including allocation of territories or markets; and

d) refusing to do business with any supplier, vendor, or customer.

PREAMBLE

The Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) exists to serve as an international vehicle to increase public awareness of vacation rental lodging and to enhance members’ businesses through education, professional standards, marketing, political involvement, and industry networking. Accepting this standard, VRMA members aspire to observe its spirit in all of their activities and to conduct their businesses ethically in accordance with the Articles set forth below. These Articles establish guidelines or ideals that all VRMA members shall strive to attain in an effort to raise the level of professionalism and value of service within the vacation rental industry.

ARTICLE 1 In justice to those who place their interests in a VRMA member’s care, VRMA members should endeavor to become and to remain informed on matters affecting the vacation rental industry in their community, state, and nation.

ARTICLE 2 In the interest of promotion cooperation and enhancing the professional image, VRMA members should refrain from making false or misleading statements or unsolicited criticism of other individuals or companies working within the vacation rental industry and, if an opinion is sought about another vacation rental practitioner its business or its business practices, any comments should be offered in an objective, professional manner.

ARTICLE 3 VRMA members should endeavor to eliminate in their communities any practices which may be damaging to the public or may bring discredit to the vacation rental industry.

ARTICLE 4 VRMA members should endeavor to set a positive example for the industry by scrupulously abiding by all state and local laws and regulations and professional standards governing vacation rentals and the conduct of the vacation rental industry. Members are to be proactive regarding establishment and improvement of policies and procedures regulating the vacation rental industry at the local, state, and national level.

ARTICLE 5 VRMA members should endeavor to share their experiences with other members of the vacation rental industry with the express goal of elevating the overall level of service performed and the resultant public awareness and recognition of the value of the industry overall.

ARTICLE 6 VRMA members should not seek unfair advantage over competitors and should conduct their businesses so as to avoid controversies with others in the vacation rental industry.

ARTICLE 7 VRMA members should protect and promote the interests of their owners/clients by treating their tenants/customers honestly and fairly.

ARTICLE 8 VRMA members should not exaggerate, misrepresent, or conceal pertinent facts relating to a specific property to all affected parties, including actual or potential owner/client and tenant/customers.

ARTICLE 9 VRMA members should not deny equal professional services to any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. Members should not make discriminatory decisions based upon the above criteria or that of any other protected class.

ARTICLE 10 VRMA members should maintain a level of competent service in keeping with the highest standards of the vacation rental industry. Members should not present themselves as having expertise in fields beyond their abilities and should not undertake to provide professional services concerning a property or its value where they have a present or contemplated interest unless such interest is specifically disclosed to all affected parties.

ARTICLE 11 VRMA members should not recommend or suggest to a client or customer the use of services of another organization or business in which they have a direct interest or in which they receive a fee without disclosing such interest at the time of recommendation. having expertise in fields beyond their abilities and should not engage in business activities where they have a present or contemplated interest unless such interest is specifically disclosed to all affected parties.

ARTICLE 12 VRMA members should present an accurate picture of rental offerings in all advertising and representations to the public, and should not advertise specific properties without authorization by the owner.

ARTICLE 13 For the protection of all parties, VRMA members should assure that all financial obligations to owners and tenants be in writing in a form which expresses the exact agreement, including any terms or conditions. A copy of each agreement should be provided to the respective party upon signature of such agreement.

ARTICLE 14 Signs giving notice of property available for lease or rent should not be placed on a property without consent of the owner. Sign design and placement should be in compliance with local zoning, requirements, and any applicable Association rules and regulations.

ARTICLE 15 VRMA members, prior to entering into a relationship with a property owner, should make a reasonable effort to determine whether the prospective client is subject to a current, valid exclusive agreement with another rental management firm to provide the same type of rental services.

NOTE VRMA is committed to ensuring that members are held to high ethical standards. If you believe a member company has acted inappropriately you should seek a remedy from local and state regulatory agencies first. The VRMA Board of Directors may act on ethics complaints against member companies after an investigation and/or remedy from the appropriate agency has concluded.

At times, fraudulent companies have been known to contact our members, attendees, and exhibitors. They claim to represent VRMA or a VRMA conference (and/or leave out important information so that it is ambiguous whether they represent the Vacation Rental Management Association), offering attendee lists or VRMA contact lists.

VRMA does not sell membership or conference attendee email contact information. No company is authorized to distribute or sell any lists for our events. VRMA does not rent, share, or sell attendee contact information to third parties.

Scammers offering to sell these lists often aggregate information based on web crawler or email “scraper” programs searching for the “@” sign in email addresses posted on various websites (including LinkedIn and Facebook). While this is illegal in most countries, it does not prevent scammers from doing so. The best way to prevent yourself from receiving these emails is to protect your information, and if at all possible, do not post your email address online (or post it in an obscured way, such as an image or by not using the “@”) sign.

Please do not engage with and/or acquire or purchase any list from any company claiming to have use of the VRMA conference and/or Vacation Rental Management Association database, attendees, or contact information. Responding to these emails (even to “unsubscribe”) confirms to them that they have reached a valid email address.

Exhibitor List for Official VRMA Vendors: Any contact information shared with our official vendors is done so exclusively for the purposes of conducting business. These vendors are prohibited from and do not release this information elsewhere, nor do we or our vendors share exhibitor or attendee email contact info.

Attendee Contact List: VRMA sponsors are provided with an International Conference attendee list via a direct email. Attendees are fully able to opt-out of being included. Sponsors are prohibiting from sharing, distributing, or selling any list gained through attendance at the VRMA International Conference or any Vacation Rental Management Association event. Violations may result in immediate termination of membership, sponsorship, and possible legal action.

Exhibitor Lead Retrieval “Badge Scanners” at the Conference: Exhibitors at the conference may purchase badge scanning lead retrieval units that collect contact information for those attendees who verbally consent to having their badge scanned at an exhibitor’s booth. Exhibitors may not scan any badge without first having received verbal consent from the attendee confirming it is acceptable to do so. “Badge-sharing” and “badge-swapping” are strictly prohibited.

Don’t be misled! If you are contacted by anyone asking to sell you a list, or if you receive a suspicious request via email, please gather as much information as you can and pass it on to us at vrma@vrma.org.

VRMA and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies and agencies and each of their respective officers, board, employees, representatives, and agents (collectively, the “related parties”) shall not be liable, and disclaim any liability, for any claim, loss, or damage, direct or indirect, including without limitation, compensatory, consequential, incidental, special, exemplary, or punitive damages of any kind whatsoever in connection with, as a result of, or arising out of any promotion, the awarding, delivery, or use of any prize or any actions or omissions of the exhibitor or any third-party in connection with any promotion. The exhibitor shall defend, indemnify, and hold the related parties harmless against any and all costs or liability for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind, resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, misuse, or use of the prize, or participation in or exclusion from any promotion or in any promotion-related activity, or any actions or omissions of the exhibitor in connection with the promotion.

VRMA sponsors, exhibitors, and supplier members may promote their own events to VRMA membership and event attendees through their purchased booth space, advertisements, or presentations. VRMA prohibits promotion of other industry events via sponsored emails sent to VRMA membership. Only official VRMA events and events in which VRMA is a partner may be promoted via emails from VRMA headquarters.

VRMA's success and growth is due, in part, to our commitment to the organization's mission, values, and standards of business ethics. While a variety of opportunities are provided for business development to our members, overt solicitation, use of the membership directory for business development or marketing, or sharing of member information with non-members without the prior approval of VRMA is strictly prohibited.

VRMA has developed the following guidelines on member behavior in regards to solicitation:

• There are no list rental opportunities, as we don't make our member information available for purchase; we will distribute sponsored emails on behalf of companies interested in reaching our membership electronically. VRMA has final approval of content in emails, and we will not distribute vendor surveys.
• It is contrary to the purpose for which VRMA was founded for any member or to realize a monetary gain through business transactions, by virtue of their membership.
• Members and guests shall conduct themselves in a professional manner at all VRMA events. Mass solicitation and solicitation during events is prohibited unless authorized in advance by VRMA. This prohibited solicitation includes, but is not limited to, the following:
  • It is not appropriate to distribute business cards to everyone with whom you come in contact, or to approach another member for the specific purpose of marketing or selling a service/product.
  • Members and guests are not to leave promotional materials on meeting tables or openly distribute such during events without prior approval from VRMA.
  • Members and guests are not permitted to record video or audio footage, or to solicit other members and guests to participate in video or audio recording, without VRMA's consent which may be denied or revoked at any time.
  • Any member whose invited guest engages in unwanted solicitation or obtains names of other members without VRMA's consent for future solicitation for the purpose of realizing a monetary gain is in violation of this policy.
• Members and guests are not to use the names in the membership directory for solicitation.
  • Newsletters and similar marketing or educational materials should only be sent to members with whom you have established a direct relationship. VRMA does not permit the surveying of members or the distribution of surveys to collect information from members.
• Acceptable solicitation behaviors:
  • Building relationships, working on committees, and lending your expertise to projects and programs. Through professional support, you can better understand the needs of VRMA members, and through networking, they can understand what you have to offer.
  • Becoming a VRMA sponsor. Please contact Kevin McDonnell at +1 (202) 367-1259 or kmcdonnell@vrma.org for more information.

Members are encouraged to report violations of VRMA’s non-solicitation policy in writing to vrma@vrma.org. VRMA’s policy is to investigate any complaint fully and, when in doubt, to err on the side of ensuring that its non-solicitation policy is fully adhered to by all of its members. Violation of this policy could result in immediate cancellation of your membership, without refund, and loss of all rights and privileges. Self-Regulation and Code of Ethics from “Antitrust Guide for Association Members” by Arthur Herold

Eligibility is restricted to established journalists and media representatives who:

• Have reported on vacation rental issues for at least four months from the time of request, or
• Are working for or contracted by a media organization or platform with evidence of a history of reporting on issues related to vacation rentals.

Procedure

• Each journalist or writer submits a letter of accreditation of media personnel on official letterhead of a media organization, signed by the publisher or assignment editor with their contact information. The letter should include the duration of the assignment and reach of the media (print circulation, radio, TV audience numbers, and statistical hits for websites or blogs).
• For those who are self-employed, not currently employed by a media organization, or are their own editors, a letter written by oneself is acceptable. The letter should include the name or the project, post, or assignment, its duration, and the name of the media organization or platform to which the report or investigation will be submitted. The letter should state the reach of the media in which the piece will be featured or will be submitted for review (print circulation, radio, TV audience numbers, and statistical hits for websites or blogs).

Supporting Documentation Required

• A copy of a recognized proof of identity with photo—driver’s license, passport, identity card, etc.
• One of the following:
  • Independent media, broadcast, or film production companies and writers must provide a letter from a broadcast organization, film distributor, or web platform which states its commitment to air or distribute the work.
  • Print reporter must submit at least one by-lined article published within the past four months and a copy of the publication; for those writers who have yet to have a by-lined publication on the topic of vacation rentals, the writer must submit at minimum two articles within the last year on the topic of education from the print media in which the work will be published. The writer should also include a copy of the publication.
  • Radio and TV media must submit at least one recording of report broadcast that has aired within the past four months on the topic of vacation rentals.
  • Photographers must submit original tear sheets or photos with credits of the issuing organization.
  • Online media (subject to all other criteria, online media may include news outlets, blogs, vlogs, and others) must meet the following requirements, in addition to those above:
  • The website must belong to a recognized media organization and have a specific, verifiable street address and a telephone number.
  • The website must have at least 60% original news content or commentary or analysis, including coverage of vacation rentals.
  • Media representatives are required to submit two by-lined articles within the past month that were posted on the website.
  • The website must be updated at a minimum of twice a week.

Restrictions

• Outlets that are a direct communications outreach, personal blogs, competitive in nature, sales materials, or industry education do not qualify for media accreditation.
• To ensure the best possible conditions for open exchange and debate among its membership, VRMA reserves the right to limit or restrict press access at its events.
• VRMA reserves the right to revoke and deny press credentials to anyone at any time..

1. LinkedIn and Slack

• The purpose of our LinkedIn and Slack groups is to actively share information and engage in conversations related to the vacation rental industry. VRMA welcomes and encourages participation in discussions. However, we also reserve the right to remove inappropriate or offensive posts, along with those that may violate privacy laws. We ask you to use the following guidelines:
• Please do not use offensive or hurtful language. Be respectful of other points of view, even if they differ from your own
• Refrain from posting self-promotional products or services such as solicitation of funds, promotion of commercial entities, or engaging in other commercial activity.
• Self-promoting, pandering, abusive, or sales-focused posts will result in a warning from the social media community manager and repeated abuses will result in the member being blocked.
• VRMA intends to share information that is useful to professionals in the industry. The information shared on the VRMA group contains personal opinions and views of individuals. It is not necessarily condoned, approved, or reflective of the official views of VRMA. VRMA reserves the right to remove inappropriate or offensive posts, along with those that may violate privacy guidelines.

2. Facebook
   • The purpose of our Facebook page is to actively share information and engage in conversations related to the vacation rental industry. VRMA welcomes and encourages participation in discussions. However, we also reserve the right to remove inappropriate or offensive posts, along with those that may violate privacy laws. We ask you to use the following guidelines:
   • Please do not use offensive or hurtful language. Be respectful of other points of view, even if they differ from your own.
   • Refrain from posting self-promotional products or services.
   • VRMA intends to share information that is useful to professionals in in the industry. The information shared on the VRMA page contains personal opinions and views of individuals. It is not necessarily condoned, approved, or reflective of the official views of VRMA. VRMA reserves the right to remove inappropriate or offensive posts, along with those that may violate privacy guidelines.
3. Twitter
   • The purpose of our Twitter page is to actively share information and engage in conversations related to the vacation rental industry. VRMA welcomes and encourages participation in discussions. However, we also reserve the right to remove inappropriate or offensive posts, along with those that may violate privacy laws. We ask you to use the following guidelines:
   • Please do not use offensive or hurtful language. Be respectful of other points of view, even if they differ from your own.
   • Refrain from posting self-promotional products or services.
   • VRMA intends to share information that is useful to professionals in in the industry. The information shared on the VRMA page contains personal opinions and views of individuals. It is not necessarily condoned, approved, or reflective of the official views of VRMA. VRMA reserves the right to remove inappropriate or offensive posts, along with those that may violate privacy guidelines.
4. Instagram
   • The purpose of our Instagram page is to actively share images and information and engage in conversations related to the vacation rental industry. VRMA welcomes and encourages participation. However, we also reserve the right to remove inappropriate or offensive posts, along with those that may violate privacy laws. We ask you to use the following guidelines:
   • Please do not use offensive or hurtful images and language. Be respectful of other points of view, even if they differ from your own.
   • Refrain from posting self-promotional products or services.
   • Self-promoting, pandering, abusive, or sales-focused posts will result in a warning from the social media community manager and repeated abuses will result in the member being blocked.
   • VRMA intends to share information that is useful to professionals in the industry. The information shared on the VRMA page contains personal opinions and views of individuals. It is not necessarily condoned, approved, or reflective of the official views of VRMA. VRMA reserves the right to remove inappropriate or offensive posts, along with those that may violate privacy guidelines.