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Guarantee Secure Renting Every Time

How To Stop Your Property Becoming an All-Night Rave  

We’ve all heard the horror stories of a property destroyed by errant guests who have long since vanished. People who use the upfront payment and the relative anonymity of vacation rental booking to live a few days of irresponsible destruction at your expense. It can keep new hosts up at night and be a lingering a worry for even experienced property managers. This is because it can happen...

There was a story that caught our eye in which a host couple in Calgary returned home to discover that the quiet quartet they thought they were booking to, turned out to be all-night rave, to which guests were shepherded back and forth in what a neighbor referred to as a ‘Luxury Party Bus’. Security, credit card verification, and identity checks have all but eradicated the days of rock star style room destructions and TVs being flung from the windows in hotels, however, vacation rentals could still be vulnerable. And, what’s more, every property is someone’s home, and part of someone’s business. Could your business cope if you were part of the minority that suffered this sort of damage and had to clean it up? It plays on the minds of even the most secure property managers, but thankfully it’s rare. It made us consider exactly what can you do to ensure that your properties are secure.

One of the best ways to discourage less than reputable guests and ensure security is to verify your customer’s identity and use a payment that allows credit card rather than cash. Cash leaves no trail and is the waster’s dream ticket. Credit card payment leaves information, names and addresses and proof of payment.Simple things like checking email addresses in Google should bring information about your guests such as social media accounts and other parts of their online footprint. A recently created email address with no links to the person’s identity should not be a red flag, but this can be a handy tip to give you a little more peace of mind if you are ever unsure about a potential guest.

As well as these stories of destruction, recently there has been news of property managers receiving last minute availability requests. Whilst there is nothing out of the ordinary about this, there have been instances of opportunistic thieves using this technique to check if properties will be empty over the next few days. They then target the empty properties, knowing they will have free reign over an empty vacation rental home. How can you combat criminal enterprise like this?

One tip is to keep your exact address out of your listing until booking has been confirmed. Guests will only need to know the neighborhood and the local area before booking, keep all pertinent details until your booking is confirmed and you know the identity of our guests. Regular checks of your property, especially when it is vacant for periods of time are also key to the security. Befriend your neighbors and give them the means to contact you if there is any disturbance.

Instant book requirements are another point of contention when it comes to safety and security. Do you want more information from your guests before you allow them to book your property? After all, this is not a hotel, there are no staff to monitor or help in the event of an emergency. You are basically entrusting your property to the hands of strangers without even a few emails or any sort of verification.

A security deposit is a must, especially for cash transactions, and a comprehensive inventory of your flat will cover any minor breakages. But the most effective security you can have is signed and comprehensive rental agreement. Kigo Esignature allows you to send and sign secure rental agreements that will protect you and your guests from costly misunderstandings. Your rental agreement can enforce the rules of your property and establish proper liability if anything does ever go wrong. It gives you proper legal recourse to take action if a guest damages your property, peace of mind, as well as safety and security.

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