I can't speak for the amount you'll charge, but let me recommend the following.
1. ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS have a lease in place! It doesn't matter if someone stays for a day or a decade; both parties NEED to have a document in place specifying their respective rights and responsibilities. Failing to do so WILL lead to problems if something goes wrong down the road.
HOW you get your rent (up front or monthly) is up to you. But have that written and signed lease in place no matter what you decide!
2. ALWAYS get a security deposit. You don't need a full year to damage a place. Three months (hell, merely three DAYS!) is WAY more than enough to cause significant trouble if they're those types!
3. You may want to consider the time of year when their lease ends. Three months from 11/01/09 is 02/01/10. How much harder will it be to get the place rented in February? (Or is winter in your area not as much of a block to finding good tenants than it is here in WI?)
Take care,
Mike
Edited: 06/26/2010 at 10:09AM
by Michael Kwiatkowski