With oil washing up on Alabama’s Gulf Coast and portions of Florida’s beaches, local residents with beach homes are experiencing a slower rental season that usual.

At least two homeowners say their rental business has slowed down a bit in recent days.

Roy Mohon’s two beach rentals in Destin, Fla., have been plagued with cancellations after news of the oil spill.

“I’ve had three cancellations and others who are sitting on the fence, waiting to see what is going to happen,” he said.

And he can’t blame them, he said.

“If I had young children, I would be hesitant if they were out in the water,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to build a vacation around that.”

Andalusia resident Sonny Steele, who has a beach house at Compass Point in Gulf Shores, said renting is a “little slower than it normally is at this time a year.”

Steele said the local management gives him a report daily on what’s going on down there.

“On the gulf side there, are tar balls washing ashore, but our place is on the little lagoon, and they have closed the pass that connects it with the gulf. So, no oil is coming in the little lagoon,” he said. “We still have some renters, but overall, it’s slower than normal.”

But, for some it hasn’t affected much.

Ken Clarke, of Andalusia, whose parents own a beach house in Gulf Shores, said it won’t affect his family’s plans that much.