The short term rental has been in the headlines a lot lately, and unfortunately, not for good reasons. Scottsdale has had numerous problems with party houses and bad AirBnB owners. They have assembled a task force specifically for dealing with this issue. Phoenix passed an ordinance in 2020 to crack down on problematic properties. Both Dallas and Las Vegas are considering proposals to either heavily restrict or ban vacation rentals outright. Many HOAs have passed regulations to limit new vacation rentals from entering their community.

Finally, AirBnB itself has solidified and made permanent its ban on party houses. They have set up a neighborhood safety line for residents to call in case of trouble, as well as additional policies to hold owners accountable. Residents are rightfully upset at their neighborhoods becoming havens for illicit, disruptive activity. 

It’s causing many a headache for vacation rental owners, most of whom are just trying to maximize their investment or earn a little money on the side. With the housing market finally starting to cool off, selling may or may not be a wise option depending on where you live. 

So what’s a short term rental owner to do? 

Be the best neighbor possible! 

Get to know the neighborhood residents.

Introduce yourself to your neighbors. Give them an open line of communication and an emergency contact point. Make note of any and all concerns they may have, and take them seriously. Try to put yourself in their shoes. Living next door to a house that has a revolving door of strangers is enough to make a lot of people feel uncomfortable and unsafe. Answer any questions they may have regarding your rental. Make sure to communicate your guest policies to them to help put them at ease. Show your neighbors that you’re willing to work with them. They may also be willing to help you in the rare case a bad guest makes trouble. 

Set clear, concise policies and do not allow parties.

Allowing parties makes you a bad neighbor. It compromises the safety of the surrounding residents. It also violates AirBnB’s permanent party ban. Make sure your policies regarding parties, quiet hours, and any fines or consequences that may result from violations are spelled out very clearly in your listing. Make sure those same policies are also displayed in the home binder. Send them to your guests upon booking. If a guest violates any of your policies, be sure to mention it in your guest review. This not only helps other hosts down the line, but helps Airbnb enforce their policy as well. 

Vet your short term rental guests.

While you can’t run a criminal background check on every guest, you can do some recon work beforehand. Check their rental history and the reviews that other hosts have left. Do they leave the properties they rent in good shape? Or do they have a history of trashing the place on their way out? Ask them their reason for booking our property. If they give you a straightforward answer that’s easy to verify, you should be good to go. If they avoid the question or they give you a vague answer, your best bet may be to cancel the reservation.

Price accordingly and do not accept instant bookings.

Allowing instant bookings puts you at a disadvantage when you are vetting your guests. Potential guests looking for places to throw parties and commit illicit activities often take advantage of instant bookings. This is purposefully done in the hopes that the host will not have enough time to vet them before they check in.

While it might be tempting to get a leg up on the competition by lowering your prices, be aware that pricing too low also attracts unsavory activity.

Determine your target market and proceed accordingly.

The best preemptive strike you can take to make sure your guests are above board and respectful to your property lies in marketing. Families and people traveling for business are far less likely to trash your property and throw parties then, say, younger college students. Furnish your listing and market according to the needs of your target market. Partiers will be more likely to look elsewhere. 

Limit the amount of beds in your short term rental. 

“More beds, more heads!” is a common practice we see in the short-term rental industry, and we don’t like it. Cramming lots of beds into a home causes a litany of problems. Max guest counts on these types of properties often violate local housing occupancy ordinances. The multiple vehicles that come with large groups clog the streets of the community and cause parking problems. Groups this large will inevitably be disruptive based on sheer numbers alone. If you are furnishing one of your bedrooms specifically for children, limit it to one bunk bed or two twin beds.

These simple steps will help you get ahead of the game and help ensure that both your and your neighbors are happy!

Short Term Rental Manager has over 15 years of vacation rental management experience. Our in-house team maintenance team, in-home assistants, and communications team take care of everything. From bookings to cleanings to amenities and repairs, we have the tools and the staff to ensure a five-star experience for guests. We work hard to maximize your return on investment. Visit our website to learn more or book a stay at one of our 30+ properties across the valley.