It is understandable when many owners feel discouraged about listing their properties on any of the existing platforms (Airbnb, Booking.com, TripAdvisor, and many more). Indeed, there are many myths surrounding this activity and, let’s be honest, parties could be terrifying when are undesirable or you are not part of them. However, if you are thinking of getting into the short-term rental market the good news is that incidents like that are very rare.
Then, it is not only enough with knowing that is not likely that your property could be used as discotheque but you need to take additional measures to make sure the chances are even lower. Previously, we talked about filters, now, let’s talk about communication.
..."the good news is that incidents like that are very rare"...
It is vital that your listing includes the rules of your house and what kind of behaviour you are expecting from guests. Certainly, our experience has shown that, in many cases, people do not like rules but they follow them when they are effectively communicated. For instance, it is possible that someone does not like traffic signals as they could be quite inconvenient, worst when in a rush, but people do the right thing not only considering the consequences of not doing it but because it is the right thing. Therefore, our first advice in terms of communication is to let the guest know your expectations, after all, we are talking about your place (and your mental health).
..."our experience has shown that, in many cases, people do not like rules but they follow them when they are effectively communicated"...
On the other hand, we are well aware that many guests do not read all the information that hosts include in their listings so a friendly on-site reminder could be a useful tool as well. Certainly, this is not about sticking warning notes all over your place but make your expectations (rules) clear and accessible at any time without damaging the look of your property.
Hosts won’t need advice until they need it. Well, do not wait until something like that happens to take further action for the next time, we are a great option to manage your short-term rental.