{"id":3525,"date":"2021-06-22T11:08:31","date_gmt":"2021-06-22T11:08:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.schofields.ltd.uk\/blog\/?p=3525"},"modified":"2021-06-29T08:50:57","modified_gmt":"2021-06-29T08:50:57","slug":"how-to-screen-holiday-rental-guests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.schofields.ltd.uk\/blog\/3525\/how-to-screen-holiday-rental-guests\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Screen Holiday Let Guests & Prevent Airbnb Parties"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 8<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

\"Basket<\/p>\n

Your booking requests may be flowing in, but do you accept all guests at face value, or do you screen them first?<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t screen them, you are not alone. Two-fifths of holiday home owners neglect to check their guests\u2019 credentials, even though over half claim they\u2019d been \u2018stung\u2019 by unruly guests in the past.<\/p>\n

Inviting strangers to stay at your holiday rental can turn into a nightmare if you are not careful. Even though listing sites often have some guest verification processes in place, we\u2019ve all read about\u00a0horror stories. Trashed properties, unauthorised parties<\/a>, stolen possessions, guests upsetting the neighbours, squatters<\/a>\u2026 but even if you\u2019re worried about the possibility of guests from hell, you might still be reluctant to reject a booking.<\/p>\n

The good news is that even though most reservations are made online with limited direct communication, you can avoid hosting problematic guests by taking some simple guest screening measures before accepting a booking.<\/p>\n

How to p<\/strong>rotect your <\/strong>holiday let<\/strong> from troublesome guests<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Figure out who your ideal guest is<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Spend some time thinking about what type of person would be attracted to your holiday rental. Consider the enquiries and bookings you have had so far and the kinds of enquiries you seem to get.<\/p>\n

Then, decide what sort of guests you want to attract, and who you\u2019d be prepared to accept in your holiday home (and who you wouldn\u2019t).<\/p>\n

When thinking about your ideal guest, consider the following factors:<\/p>\n

Large groups:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Decide on the maximum number of guests you\u2019re prepared to take. Remember, this is about the guests\u2019 comfort as much it is about your income. Sometimes \u2018less is more\u2019 can better ensure the right type of clientele and less wear and tear.<\/p>\n

If you are willing to consider accepting large groups, your booking form should request all the names and approximate ages of the members of the party who will occupy the property.<\/p>\n

Ages:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Consider the different needs and risks associated with various age groups. For example, maybe an 80th<\/sup> birthday family reunion is acceptable, but a group of students on prom night probably isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Is it a great place for families with young children, or could it be hiding some potential hazards?<\/p>\n

Hen and stag parties:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0This is simple. Decide where you draw the line and stick to it.<\/p>\n

Pets:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Pet-friendly holiday lets<\/a> do attract a special niche of dog-lovers and can mean more bookings \u2013 but be aware that other guests with allergies might be put off by the fact that you also cater for animals accompanying their owners.<\/p>\n

TIP:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Make these decisions crystal clear on all your marketing materials including your website and listings on holiday let portals.<\/p>\n

Set clear rules, and make them a <\/strong>condition of your booking contract<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t spend hours compiling a long, off-putting list of restrictions and rules, but do set out what is and is not acceptable when staying in your property. Rules can protect both you and the guest in the event of a dispute.<\/p>\n

Include the maximum occupancy rules and whether you allow smoking, pets, groups and any form of \u2018social gathering\u2019. A way of preventing parties from taking place at your holiday home is to make it clear to guests that only the people listed on the booking form can stay. Over occupancy and parties are strictly forbidden and breach of these terms will terminate the booking. This can act as a great deterrent for those who are secretly researching places to hold a party.<\/p>\n

TIP:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Include your house rules on your website, listing site ad and as part of your booking terms and conditions<\/a> which guests have to agree to when booking.<\/p>\n

Trust your <\/strong>instinct<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Sometimes, we just get a gut feeling that something isn\u2019t quite right and that the guests are probably going to be difficult.<\/p>\n

If you find that a potential guest is reluctant to communicate with you or is asking suspicious questions and keeps quibbling and pushing the boundaries on your rules, this is a red flag<\/strong>. And anyone who is arguing over this at this very early stage of the booking process is likely to be a problem, so think about whether renting your holiday home to this kind of guest is worth the potential aggravation.<\/p>\n

Increase your minimum stay<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Increasing your minimum stay to two or three days acts as a great deterrent for those people who may just be looking to host a \u2018pop up party\u2019 for one night. Avoid one-night bookings!<\/p>\n

A further benefit of sticking to the \u2018two\/three-night minimum stay\u2019 rule is that, with longer stays, there are fewer changeovers, so less wear and tear and cleaning costs.<\/p>\n

Take a damage deposit <\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Guests who have to pay a security deposit<\/a> will probably be less inclined to do anything which may jeopardise getting their deposit back.<\/p>\n

Think about setting a damage deposit amount that isn\u2019t too high – but high enough that the guests will take care of your property. It will also help to deter anyone who isn\u2019t serious about following your house rules.<\/p>\n

Research the guest online<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

This is possibly one of the easiest and quickest ways to identify some additional information about guests. Most people have some sort of online presence. Having a look at their Facebook or Twitter profile can say a lot about them. If you can\u2019t find them on social media, try googling their name, email and phone number.<\/p>\n

You can also use a search engine to find out where they live. Anything too close to your property could be seen as a potential red flag that someone wants to throw a party in your holiday home.<\/p>\n

Check out their previous reviews <\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Many listing sites let hosts review guests (and vice versa). Search for past reviews of the guest written by previous hosts. This will reveal whether the guest was respectful of the owner\u2019s property and house rules.<\/p>\n

Also, look at the feedback they\u2019ve left for their previous hosts too, as you can sometimes get a sense of how reasonable\/fair\/demanding your incoming guests are.<\/p>\n

Give the guests a quick phone call<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not something you probably need to do for 100% of incoming enquiries, but if you have a niggling doubt or something just doesn\u2019t sound right to you, you could have a quick phone call to ascertain their intentions.<\/p>\n

This of course could be pitched as wanting to say a \u2018quick hello\u2019 and to provide a chance for the booker to ask any questions or for any local recommendations before they come to stay. In addition to finding out the purpose of their visit, it\u2019s also a great chance to provide (genuine guests) a great insight into how they can make the most of their stay \u2013 which might also seal the booking for them!<\/p>\n

If the potential guest is dodging your calls and won\u2019t speak to you, this might be a warning sign that they are trying to stay under the radar with you because they aren\u2019t a good fit.<\/p>\n

On the positive side, conducting this kind of communication (with genuine guests) builds trust.<\/p>\n

TIP:<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0If you accept the guest, you can use the background information to help make their stay better and more enjoyable. Are they are celebrating a birthday? Then you could leave some chocolates for them or some flowers and a card. Your guests will be grateful, and you\u2019ll gain those prized \u2018host points\u2019 instantaneously.<\/p>\n

Check for local events<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Whatever time of year it is, it can be a good idea to just double-check if a booking coincides with a music festival, a sporting event, or any popular local events that are going on in your area.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s just that tiny chance that your guest could be having an after-party back at your holiday home or over occupying it.<\/p>\n

Consider installing cameras and\/or noise monitoring devices<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re renting out your holiday let pretty much all year round, it might pay for you to invest in some good quality monitoring devices; especially if you\u2019re not going to be personally located close by to your property.<\/p>\n

This kind of kit can help you to monitor and keep an eye on what\u2019s going on at your holiday home. It can give you peace of mind, but also provide valuable evidence should guests break the rules by holding a party or over occupying your rental.<\/p>\n