Renting out your home, apartment, or guest room can be equal parts exciting and daunting for those new to this industry. Questions about the type of people who might stay there, whether or not they will like the decor, or if the bed is comfortable enough may be top of mind, but one of the most important things for you to do is make sure that both your home and your guests will be safe with you gone. See our tips below to learn how to make your rental safe for guests.
Have a First Aid Kit Handy
One of the easiest ways to make sure your guests are safe is by having a first aid kit available in case they need to use it. Accidents happen, so have this handy so they are able to fix any cuts, scrapes, burns, or bruises that may occur.
Our recommendations:
299 Piece All-Purpose First Aid Kit - $15.87
First Aid Kit Hard Red Case 326 - $34.99
Create a House Rules Manual
The second item to have at your rental is a house rules guidebook that contains any important information your guests need to know. This will include rules such as non-smoking areas, whether or not guests can have visitors over, and any areas that you want to keep off-limits to whoever is staying there.
We also recommend that you have a list of emergency numbers for your guests to call in the event that something happens, such as the nearest hospital, veterinarian, etc. Ask that they read the rules before agreeing to stay at your rental, and have a printed copy at the rental as well. That way all parties are aware of what is and is not allowed.
Have Proper Lighting
Another safety tip that is often overlooked is the importance of having proper lighting both inside and outside the property. As far as inside lights go, you will want to make sure all hallways, stairwells, entryways, etc. are well lit at night so that no one gets hurt walking around in the dark. For inside lighting, nightlights will be your biggest tool as they are both affordable and easy to place. Find some that can sense motion in areas such as the bathroom, and for the rest of the house stick with ones that are programmed to turn on only at night.
Our recommendations:
Sycees Plug-in LED Night Light - $14.99
As far as outdoor lighting goes, we recommend you place lights both in the front and back of your property. It is up to you to decide whether you want the lights to remain on all night or if you want them to be motion activated. Either way, keeping the areas surrounding your home well lit will help deter theft, and help your guests feel safe while staying at your rental.
Our recommendations:
Ring Floodlight Camera Motion-Activated - $249.00 *Doubles as a security system!*
Make Sure There are Locks on All Doors & Entry Points
Another way to ensure your guests feel secure while staying at your residence is by making sure that all points of entry are properly locked. Deadbolts, keypads, and chain links are all different types of locks you can use to secure the residence, and most are fairly simple to install.
Our recommendation:
Get a Home Security System
Taking our previous tip even further, the best way to ensure everyone’s safety and security is by installing a home security system. However, before you install any type of security or surveillance system make sure that you are aware of the Airbnb security policies (as well as those of any other rental listing service) to avoid any legal implications, and avoid placing cameras in the guest rooms.
Some of the areas where you may want to place security cameras include the front and back doors of the residence, and near the garage or car-port if you have one. If you are in an area with a risk of theft, then make sure your system monitors all windows as well so that you and your guests can be alerted if a break-in occurs.
Our recommendation:
Ensuring that your rental is as safe as possible will give you peace of mind while away from your property, as well as help your guests feel more secure when staying there. Just follow these tips and you will feel comfortable knowing that your rental is as ready as it can be for any situation.