If you’re thinking about taking a vacation with some friends and family, booking an Airbnb is an excellent way for everyone to stay together. However, think again if you’re considering renting an Airbnb to host a party! Airbnb is making its temporary “no party” rule permanent. Want to learn more about vacation rental rules for guests and property owners? Just keep reading.
Contents of This Article:
- What are Airbnb’s Latest Vacation Rental Rules for Guests?
- What Brought Airbnb to This Point?
- What do the New Vacation Rental Rules Mean for Landlords and Guests?
- How Can Landlords Protect Themselves from Unruly Guests?
- How Can Property Management Help Your Vacation Rental?
What are Airbnb’s Latest Vacation Rental Rules for Guests?
As most people know, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, many bars, restaurants, and clubs closed or had limited occupancy. As such, people needed to find a way to get together to socialize and have fun. So, many people brought their parties to Airbnb vacation rentals. Instead of going clubbing or drinking at the bar, people were coming together and throwing parties at vacation rental homes.
Unfortunately, this benefits everyone but the property owner. Property owners started seeing more damages, neighborhood complaints, and backlash for the increased spread of Covid. Ultimately, something needed to change. So, in August 2020, Airbnb placed a temporary ban on all parties and events.
At the time, the ban was in effect “until further notice.” However, as of June 28, 2022, Airbnb is codifying the ban as their new policy. The ban aims to “deter hosts who don’t operate responsibly and guests who try to throw unauthorized parties.”
What Brought Airbnb to This Point?
In the past, Airbnb let hosts use their best judgment and allow parties when appropriate and responsible for their homes and neighborhood. However, in late 2019, they tightened measures to prohibit “open-invite” parties and “chronic party houses,” which often turned into neighborhood nuisances.
The transition from bars and clubs to Airbnb rentals during the Covid-19 pandemic concerned Airbnb’s hosts and platform. After all, they were responsible for disruptive unauthorized parties and increasing the spread of the virus. Thus, Airbnb formed the party ban, putting new vacation rental rules for guests in place.
Over time, the ban became more than a public health measure and developed into a solid community policy to support hosts and guests. Ultimately, the ban has been working great for Airbnb. For instance, since the start of the ban in August 2020, there’s been a 44% year-over-year drop in the rate of reported parties.
As such, since the ban is working to limit unauthorized parties, Airbnb decided to codify the policy. Let’s discuss how it will work and what it means for property owners and guests.
What do the New Vacation Rental Rules Mean for Landlords and Guests?
Airbnb’s new vacation rental rules for guests mean that disruptive parties and events will continue to be prohibited. Additionally, homes that are specifically used as “party homes” will be prohibited as well.
Initially, the temporary party ban included a 16-person occupancy cap. However, with the updated policy, many hosts have given feedback stating that they can house over 16 people comfortably. So, for the new policy, Airbnb will remove the 16-person occupancy cap.
Several larger homes can comfortably and safely house more than 16 guests while complying with the ban on disruptive parties. Furthermore, when the temporary ban was implemented, Airbnb had plans to make exceptions for specialty and traditional hospitality venues. However, plans for these scenarios are still under consideration.
Even so, the policy will continue to enforce serious consequences for guests who try to violate the rules. The consequences may range from account suspension to complete removal from the Airbnb platform.
In 2021, over 6,600 guests got suspended from Airbnb for attempting to violate the party ban. When this happens, Airbnb works to support its hosts with property damage protection via AirCover.
Ultimately, the only way strong policies can work is with solid enforcement. Airbnb has implemented several anti-party measures over the past few years to enforce the party ban and protect vacation rental hosts. For instance, they have specific holiday anti-party measures, a 24-hour safety line, a Neighborhood Support Line, and tons of resources on repeat “party house” offenders in the US.
Next, let’s discuss how landlords can protect themselves and their rentals from unruly guests.
How Can Landlords Protect Themselves from Unruly Guests?
Property owners and Airbnb hosts inherently have some risk while renting their properties. Unfortunately, guests that throw huge parties are a massive liability for Airbnb hosts. You could end up with damaged property, neighborhood complaints, and lost profits.
However, there are some measures you can take to protect yourself and your property. Here are a few suggestions to consider.
- Ask Questions
- Inventory All Possessions
- Check Guest Reviews
- Set Clear Policies
- Require a Damage Deposit
Ask Questions
Even if you’re trying to fill vacancies in your vacation rental, it’s still important to ask a few questions before allowing someone to stay there. After all, good questions can uncover major red flags. For instance, you may want to ask about the purpose of their trip, their experience with vacation rentals, how many people they’ll have with them, and what local attractions they’re interested in.
Inventory All Possessions
Before a new guest comes to stay in your vacation rental, take inventory of all your possessions. Keep an eye on your linens, movies, electronics, books, dishes, etc. Then, once each guest leaves, verify all items are accounted for in your rental home. If you need help with these checklists, reach out to your local property management team in Northern Virginia!
Check Guest Reviews
Another great way to learn a little more about prospective guests is by checking their renter profile. Most vacation rental platforms include access to landlord reviews of guest accounts. So, you can check before accepting a reservation request to avoid a potentially bad guest in your vacation home. If they have a history of parties, property damage, or lack of payment, look the other way!
Set Clear Policies
Many vacation rental owners have clear policies and rules about the home. For instance, you may or may not allow pets, or you may have guidelines on “quiet hours” if you’re in a neighborhood. You may also include check-in and check-out policies, pricing and fees, cancellation requirements, and consequences for a damaged unit.
Require a Damage Deposit
Implementing a refundable damage deposit is a great way to protect your property and encourage guests to take care of the unit during their stay. After all, if your tenants know that they can get the damage deposit back at the end of their stay, they’re more likely to take extra care of the unit to get their money back. On the other hand, if they damage your vacation rental, you get to keep the deposit to contribute to fixing the damages.
How Can Property Management Help Your Vacation Rental?
Setting clear vacation rental rules for guests is crucial to avoid damages, neighborhood complaints, and loss of profits. However, enforcing each policy, communicating with prospective guests, and maintaining each rental unit can be challenging for one property owner. That’s why many busy property owners hire trusted property management!
Professional Property Management in Northern Virginia has the talent and expertise to manage all of your rental units while maximizing your profits. So, if you’re looking for property management services around Northern Virginia, contact PPM today!
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