Thousands of RV owners rent out their rigs when they’re not using them. It’s a great way for them to make some money and for others to experience a taste of RV life. However, these rental services are only mutually beneficial when both parties hold up their end of the agreement. When Vicki and Mike LeBlanc discovered they had rented their RV to the self-proclaimed ‘True Queen of Canada,’ they knew they had made a mistake.
So who is this self-proclaimed queen, and why was this rental a nightmare for the LeBlancs? Keep reading and find out!
Who Is the Self-Proclaimed ‘True Queen of Canada?’
The self-proclaimed ‘True Queen of Canada’ is Romana Didulo. According to her website, she claims to have emigrated to Canada from the Philippines when she was 15. That was supposedly shortly after her parents passed away.
She is a conspiracy theorist who lives in British Columbia, Canada, and started creating video content in 2020. However, in 2021, she was endorsed by another popular conspiracy network, QAnon, and quickly rose to fame in the community. The long silence from “Q” during 2021 created the perfect environment for the hungry conspiracy theorists looking for something juicy.
In 2022, Didulo began traveling throughout Canada with a small legion of followers. She received large donations to help fund her trips and spread the theories across Canada. Those who traveled with her and threw in the towel frequently got death threats. Many believe Didulo exhibits behaviors that resemble that of cult leaders.
What Is Didulo Known For?
Many know Didulo as a very outspoken voice against the Canadian government, and many believe she’s a major disseminator of misinformation. She made headlines in November 2021 when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police subjected her to a psychiatric evaluation for encouraging violence and deadly acts against medical professionals.
Much of Didulo’s notoriety revolves around the pandemic and her verbal opposition to vaccines. She has made many large claims against the healthcare industry and government officials with minimal amounts of evidence to support her claims. In addition, she has made claims of being an extraterrestrial with special healing powers.
Though we can go out on a limb and say Didulo is not an extraterrestrial, some of her ideas and behaviors are certainly out of this world.
Why Did Didulo Rent a Couple’s RV and What Happened to It?
Didulo embarked on a cross-country trip to spread her theories and meet with followers. She encouraged her most devoted followers to join her on her adventure and had a convoy of RVs following her.
The LeBlancs rented out their RV to Didulo for several weeks. Everything went relatively smoothly until a payment dispute occurred when the RV needed a new set of tires.
Didulo went on to post the family’s personal information online to her massive following to intimidate the family. She then cut off all communication with the family, and the LeBlancs threatened to file a report with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police that Didulo stole their RV.
Luckily, the silence between Didulo and the family broke when they received a text from a random phone number. The text indicated that the group parked their RV at a gas station approximately 120 miles from their home. Unfortunately, when the LeBlancs arrived at their RV, they realized their nightmare wasn’t over.
Dibulo and her followers had trashed it. They had broken hardware, food was everywhere, and there was noticeable damage to the suspension. The LeBlancs are now deciding whether to go after Didulo for the damages or to count their losses and move on with life.
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What Should You Be Aware of Before Renting Your RV?
While there are many positive rental experiences, it’s not always pleasant. When renting out your RV, you should always know who is renting your rig and where they plan to take it. You have to have confidence that you can trust the individuals to take care of your RV and, if not, that they will take responsibility for any damages.
Before renting your rig, you should know your insurance policy. Some policies may decline insurance claims or even cancel your policy altogether if they discover you’re renting out the unit. Know your coverages and the proper channels for addressing any damages that might occur.
You must be aware of how to protect yourself from a financial disaster. You don’t want to be on the hook for thousands of dollars of damages like the LeBlancs appear to be. Be aware of the documents you need to have and the agreements that should take place between the two parties to protect everyone involved.
What Are the Benefits of Renting an RV?
Renting an RV for both the owner and the renter has many benefits. In some instances, an RV owner can make a sizable amount of money while their RV would otherwise be sitting in storage. This could be enough to pay for camping fees or their RV payment and allow them to minimize the cost of their RVing adventures.
For the person renting the RV, it can be a great opportunity to experience RVing without the massive financial burden. Many individuals have purchased an RV and quickly discovered they hate it and that RVing isn’t for them.
However, RVs depreciate incredibly fast, which can be a major financial mistake. This allows them to effectively experiment with RVing without being on the hook for a major financial burden.
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What Are the Disadvantages of Renting an RV?
While renting an RV can be beneficial for both parties, it also has some potential major disadvantages for both parties too. For the owner, the increase in wear and tear on the RV the more it gets used is unavoidable. Even if an individual takes care of the rig, the lifespan of the various components gets shortened the more they get used.
The owner also will have to worry about the potential for more than incidental damages. Some people have no respect for other people’s property.
Even if the renter is on the hook for the damages, it would still mean the RV is out of commission while it gets repaired. They may have to cancel their own trips due to the disrespect of the renter.
For the renter, the cost of renting an RV can be incredibly expensive. When you factor in the nightly fees, cleaning fees, and other extra fees that get tacked on, these can be much more expensive than hotels. It might not always be the cheapest or most cost-effective solution.
In addition, RVs are notorious for having issues. Even if the renter is careful, things can break, and they may be held responsible if something were to break while renting it, whether it’s their fault or not.
Which Companies Allow You to List Your RV for Rent?
A few reputable RV rental companies make the entire process incredibly easy. Whether renting your rig or looking to rent a rig, take the time to read reviews and do some research. You don’t want to trust your RV in the hands of just anyone, and you don’t want to rent just any rig.
If you do, you could find yourself renting to someone like the “True Queen of Canada” or worse.
RVezy
RVezy, as its name implies, makes it easy to list your RV and start renting it. They offer 100% insurance coverage and 24/7 roadside assistance for guests to use during their rental. In addition, all guests are pre-screen through a background check system and have a minimum of eight years of driving history. This helps ensure that your RV returns to you in the same condition it left.
Owners can accept or decline bookings on a case-by-case basis. There’s even a departure inspection in the RVezy app to make the entire process as efficient as possible.
Outdoorsy
When you rent your RV through Outdoorsy, every trip is covered with a $1 million liability insurance policy and free roadside assistance. You’re in charge of when you rent your RV and the rates.
Their comprehensive driver verification provides the comfort that you know exactly who you’re renting your RV to and that it is in good hands. You’ll receive payment for each rental within 24 to 48 hours of a trip’s departure. Some RV owners make upwards of $50,000 annually by renting their RV through Outdoorsy.
RVShare is one of the most popular RV rental companies. Every listing gets served to millions of people looking to find the perfect RV for their adventures. Some owners have made upwards of $40,000 by renting their rig while not using it through RVShare.
The team at RVShare can walk you through the process to help set up your listing and answer any questions you might have. RVShare verifies the renter of every transaction, handles payments, and offers insurance and roadside assistance.
Is Renting Your RV Worth It?
Renting your RV can be worth it, but you need to proceed with caution. Always have a clear agreement between you and the person renting the unit. Communicate with them the expectations for the rental and ask plenty of questions to get a feel for them and their experience with RVs.
Don’t proceed with renting out your rig if you detect any sense of dishonesty or that they’re hiding information. It’s your RV, and you ultimately have the final say in who rents it.
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