Protecting your vacation rental home and its guests is an essential part of getting the most out of your real estate investment. But sometimes you need to protect your home from guests who fail to abide by your house rules.
Holiday homes near Disney are becoming a popular choice for travelers who want to visit the area’s popular attractions. Limiting unwanted visitors can keep guests from taking advantage of you and your home.
Establish a Policy for Guests
Some guests bring additional people with them during their stay without informing the host because they don’t want to pay for an extra guest, or they are trying to get around a maximum occupancy rate of guests that the host has established. The first step to limiting extra visitors is to make it clear in your house rules. Make sure that your guests understand the rules related to having unauthorized people in your home.
House rules can outline the number of people allowed in your home as well as answer questions related to pets, smoking, parking, and noise levels. Establish a limit on occupancy so that guests don’t assume they can just invite extra people to stay at your home without informing you.
Your house rules can be enforced on your own website, and on any other travel site your vacation home is listed on, such as HomeAway or Airbnb. Having a signed agreement in place ensures that both parties understand your rules, and what the penalties are should those rules be broken.
Use Security Deposits to Prevent Unwanted Guests in Your Home
Security deposits are typically used to prevent damage to your property or its contents. But you can also use them as a measure to keep guests from breaking any of your established house rules.
Holding a refundable deposit creates a financial incentive for guests to follow your rules and occupancy limits. As a host, you can also offer the option of paying a fee for any additional guests.
Monitor Your Short-Term Rental Home to Check for Extra Visitors
You can keep an eye on your property during a guest’s stay to make sure that they aren’t bringing unauthorized visitors.
Home surveillance cameras and smart doorbells can keep homes and their occupants safe. But you can use these tools to monitor who goes into your home. If you’re going to use video tools to monitor your home, let your guests know. This can discourage them from bringing unwanted visitors.
If you have a property manager who helps guests check in and out, make sure that they understand the occupancy rules. They can be a valuable resource for making sure that guests don’t bring along any extra visitors. Your neighbors can also be a helpful resource to monitor your property. Give your neighbors a schedule of when your home will be occupied, and when it’s empty so they will know which days to keep an eye out for unscheduled visitors.
Team Donovan helps today’s home investors buy and sell holiday homes near Disney and the surrounding areas. We can help you find a home that appeals to short-term rental guests while making sure that you get the most out of your home investment.
If you’d like to learn more, contact us at (407) 705-2616 to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation today.
Image by Angella Dagenhart from Pixabay Posted by Team Donovan on