How to Encourage Guests to Respect Your Airbnb
As a vacation rental host you probably have a long list of tasks to complete, so it's understandable you’d want to skip the extra task of creating house rules. However, as is commonly said in this business, communication is key.
You can’t expect visitors to follow rules that don’t exist, so it’s important you communicate your expectations of them as temporary guests in your home.
Some hosts shy away from creating house rules out of fear of turning guests away. But the truth is, if you want your vacation rental business to be successful, you have to protect your property. This starts with letting guests know what is and isn’t acceptable within and around your space.
Why is it important to include a set of house rules for guests to follow?
Of course, there’s a balance to be struck. You don’t want to come across as a killjoy who doesn't want guests to unwind and relax, but you also want your guests to treat your home with the respect it deserves.
When guests treat your space with care and consideration, your vacation rental business is much less likely to experience delays in future bookings, need untimely repairs, or receive poor reviews from subsequent guests.
So, how do you make sure guests follow your house rules without putting them off?
The answer is in your delivery.
Think of your Airbnb house rules as more of a welcome letter, expressing gratitude for your guests’ stay and desire for them to enjoy themselves. In your welcome letter you can include gentle reminders of how to keep your home safe, orderly, and comfortable.
Your specific house rules will depend on what kind of vacation rental you have, where it’s located, and how long guests will be staying. However, the three points mentioned below will help guide you in an effective delivery of those house rules. Make sure your house rules are well-received among guests by:
Sending house rules before booking and right before check-in
Explaining house rules in a simple form and warm tone
Letting guests know what will happen if they do break the rules
Send house rules at the right time
Guests should know what house rules to follow before booking a stay with you. This encourages transparency and establishes a sense of trust between host and guest.
If your rental comes with a kitchen, but the kitchen is off limits, you should make this clear from the very beginning. Guidelines like this become especially important in long-term stays where guests may be expecting to cook at least some of their meals at home.
Although this disclosure may cause a potential guest to consider another rental, it's best to be open and upfront about what you can offer as an Airbnb host.
You also want to send the house rules right before check-in. This gives guests an opportunity to review the house rules in more detail and ask any questions before their stay begins.
Pro Tip: Leaving a physical copy of house rules on the kitchen table of your vacation rental property is also a good idea. While a digital copy may be more convenient to share, a physical copy is easily accessible in the environment it is needed.
Explain house rules in the right way
The best way to deliver house rules is in a concise format and friendly tone. Guests are much more likely to read through your house rules if they are easy to understand and respectfully introduced.
You want to start off your Vrbo house rules with something like:
“Thank you for deciding to book with us! We’ve prepared our home for your arrival and are confident you’ll have a wonderful time. Below you’ll find a list of house rules that’ll help guide you throughout your stay:...”
Keep the list of house rules short and sweet by listing only the must-haves. You can leave helpful tips around the property such as in the bathroom, on the fridge, or at the entrance. They don’t need to be included in the house rules.
If you’re wondering how to word house rules in a way that’s direct but friendly, consider explaining the reason behind certain rules. This makes guests much more likely to respect them and make a genuine effort to follow through on them.
Instead of instructing guests to: “No shoes in the house. Take your shoes off before coming in. ” You can write something to the tune of “Please take your shoes off before coming in. In our culture it’s a sign of respect to the home.”
Pro Tip: Using humor can also lighten the mood to a serious request. If noise control is often an issue with your neighbors you can tell guests, “Don’t play loud music after midnight. The neighbors' kids get jealous if we have too much fun.”
Let guests know what happens if they do break the rules
As welcoming and understanding as you want to come across, it's still your property. Airbnb hosting requires you to take good care of your guests as well as your space. Make sure guests have a good idea of what could happen should they decide to blow off your house rules.
Even if you have no real intention of punishing your guests, it's worth mentioning the consequences of their actions. Mention this towards the end of the house rules in your closing lines. You can say something like, “Be advised that we may have to ask you to leave the property if house rules are consistently neglected.”
Ultimately, use your discretion
In spite of all your efforts to make sure guests follow your house rules to the T, the day will come where a guest doesn’t. Depending on the severity of their infraction, you can choose to either hold them responsible for it or let it slide.
A mug that was broken while cleaning up after breakfast is different from a vase that was shattered at a party that wasn’t supposed to be happening. Obviously, guests shouldn’t be damaging your property, however accidents do happen. At the end of the day it’s up to you whether or not the accident is worth punishing.
If you’re interested in outsourcing any aspect of your vacation rental business, don’t hesitate to reach out to MB Experiences. We’re a full-service property management company helping hosts run highly successful vacation rentals. Call us today to get started!
