One of the concerns that many would-be investors have about short term rental property is the safety aspect. The idea of renting out space to complete strangers can be daunting at best. For those using platforms such as Airbnb, this can be especially challenging. How do you go about screening prospective guests. And, just as importantly, how do you ensure that guests are kept safe during their stay?

Safety plays a major role in any effective short term rental property strategy. The DIY approach to holiday rentals can be risky for a number of reasons, particularly where safety is concerned. This is why many investors prefer to work with an experienced holiday rental property manager to ensure a higher level of safety through every transaction.

Short Term Rental Property Safety Tips

What do you need to know about keeping your short term rental property safe for your guests and for yourself as a host? Let’s take a look…

• Interact smartly when dealing with online bookings. If you decide to manage your property alone, you will need to learn how to interact smartly with potential guests. For those booking via Airbnb, make sure that they have verified profiles, with phone numbers, connected social networks and other information. Always trust your gut feeling – if something does not feel right, rather don’t take any chances.
• Make sure that your property is fully insured. You will need to protect your short term rental property against damage as well as natural disasters such as fire, flooding or building collapse. This protects your investment against any conceivable risk, giving you peace of mind in the process.
• Develop a safety strategy that is accessible to guests. This should include a list of emergency contacts, a plan for fires and other safety hazards, emergency exit roots, fire extinguisher locations, alarms (home and fire) and any other information that will help your guests know who to call, where to go and what to do in case of disaster.
• Set house rules and guidelines for guests. To make sure that your guests do not put your property or themselves in danger, it is essential to put down some ground rules. Smoking inside houses should be prohibited, drugs, weapons and other dangerous items should be prohibited, children should not be allowed to be near swimming pools unsupervised, certain areas of apartment and aparthotel complexes should be restricted and any other relevant rules that apply to guests should be clearly outlined.
• Set requirements for bookings. What criteria should be met in order to book your property? These can include things such as ID verification, security deposits, age limits on children or any other reasonable criteria that may apply.
• Ensure that your property is safe and secure. This includes alarm systems, burglar bars, security gates, key-less access, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, pool covers, non-slip floors and anything else that will make guests feel secure throughout their stay.

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The best way to make sure that both you and your guests are protected is to hire a dedicated manager who will handle all enquiries, bookings, concierge, complaints and communication. Managers know how to vet prospective guests, how to spot potential scammers and how to handle any problems that may arise. This provides peace of mind for you as a host, but also helps to keep your guests safe and happy from the moment they check in to the time that they check out.

Totalstay has ample experience within the short term rental property sector. To learn more about working with a professional holiday rental manager, contact us today to arrange an evaluation of your property.