How to Craft Safety Guidelines for Your Rentals
When booking a vacation rental, visitors usually have one thing on their mind: they’re interested in some much-needed rest and relaxation away from the stresses of home.
The last thing they need to worry about on their vacation is safety.
This is why you, as a responsible property owner or manager, should take every step to ensure your guest’s peace of mind during their trip. This includes crafting a helpful set of safety tips and guidelines detailing the measures you’ve taken to ensure their wellbeing while enjoying your property during their trip.
Here at SaferVRS, we pride ourselves on helping our customers mitigate losses and protect their guests and their real estate investments.
To guide you through this sometimes complicated process, we’ve created this quick guide detailing what safety guidelines should look like, what they should include, and the absolute best way to convey this important information to your valued guests.
The Importance of Safety Guidelines as a Rental Owner
As a rental owner or manager, prioritizing safety guidelines is not only a means to protect yourself from legal action, but it is also an ethical responsibility. You have a duty to protect the health and safety of your renters by ensuring your rental property meets the safety standards specified in housing regulations and local laws.
Legal Implications
Legally, you are required to provide tenants with a safe property free of potential safety hazards that could cause harm or injury. This means you need to ensure that your rental unit is in good condition, has met all building codes, occupancy laws, fire safety regulations, and is up to code on all local health standards.
Ethical Responsibilities
Ethically, your duties are to provide a habitable and secure rental property that prioritizes tenant safety and health. Having specific safety guidelines in place is the best way to ensure you fulfill all your duties as a property owner.
Guest Experience
Safety guidelines help to enhance the satisfaction of your guests and ensure they will book with you again. When visitors feel safe and secure in your rental property, they are more likely to rent from you again and explore your other rental options.
Providing them with a well-maintained and safe vacation rental goes a long way toward building a positive relationship. Failing to do so can lead to guest dissatisfaction, complaints, and, even worse, potential litigation.
Sections to Include in Your Comprehensive Safety Manual
Writing a comprehensive safety manual is a crucial step to protecting your guests and your property. Educating them on the safety measures you’ve taken to ensure their well-being and empowering them to be aware of how to address situations that may arise goes a long way toward making them feel safe and secure in your rental property.
When crafting your safety manual, you should be sure to include several sections. Here are some suggested topics to cover.
Emergency Procedures
Always outline procedures for responding to various emergencies including: medical emergencies, fires, natural disaster and evacuation procedures. Be sure to include contact information for all emergency services including local hospitals and relevant authorities. Ensure your guests know how to access all emergency supplies such as first aid kits, flashlights and fire extinguishers.
Maintenance Protocols
Educate your guests on the various maintenance schedules that you follow so that they can be confident the property they are dwelling in undergoes regular inspections. Be sure to provide them with instruction for reporting any maintenance issues that may arise during their stay. Always include guidelines for the safe use of appliances and electrical systems that are on the property.
Fire Safety Measures
In addition to making guests aware of the location of the fire extinguisher, you should also let them know the other measures you’ve taken to protect them from a fire emergency.
Note any potential fire hazards on the property and where smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors can be found. Be sure to detail what to do in the event of a fire emergency and provide instructions on how to use fire fighting equipment in case it’s necessary.
Security Measures
Be sure to include a section about the security measures you’ve taken to ensure your guests safety and peace of mind. Include information about alarm systems, security cameras and motion lights to ensure the property is well-lit.
Educate guests on how to secure their personal belongings and properly arm security systems, lock doors and deadbolts and secure windows to prevent theft. Additionally, ensure your guests know how to report suspicious activities and how to handle emergency situations such as break-ins or intrusions.
Health and Sanitation Guidelines
Including health and sanitation guidelines helps to ensure a safe and hygienic living environment for all guests, current and future. Be sure to let your guests know how the property is cleaned before their stay, and make them aware of their cleaning responsibilities during their stay.
This may include trash disposal, and the clean up procedures for checkout. Be sure to make them aware of the location of cleaning materials and educate them on how to dispose of any hazardous materials they may use during their stay.
5 Tips to Crafting an Effective Safety Manual
When creating your safety manual, there are several things to keep in mind.
1. Use Clear and Concise Language
Be sure to use clear and concise language throughout the manual. No one wants to spend a ton of time reading through safety guidelines. However, it’s important that your guests take the time to familiarize themselves with this content.
2. Include Visuals
Representing information in a visual manner can be helpful for your guests. When possible, compile information in visual aids and charts. This can speed up the process of digesting this important information, as well as aid in overall comprehension and understanding.
3. Make Your Contact Information Easy to Find
Be sure to make sure guests can easily access all the contact numbers they may need during this trip. This includes numbers for emergency services, maintenance and property managers.
You should also be sure to explain how to report property damage, safety concerns and health hazards should they arise during the stay. It is also helpful to display an extra copy of contact information on a central location like the refrigerator.
4. Regularly Review It
Throughout the year, things can change many times. It is important to establish a routine for regularly reviewing your safety manual and making any necessary updates. Be sure to include the most recent dates for regular maintenance procedures and property inspections as well.
5. Place It Somewhere Obvious
Be sure to place the safety manual in an easy to access common area. The kitchen and living room are great options. Ensure it’s on a counter or somewhere accessible to everyone, including tenants who may have disabilities.
Also, consider offering the safety guide online so guests can access it anywhere, anytime. Emailing a copy to guests along with their lease agreement can be very useful.
Empower your Guests to have a Safe Stay in your Rental
Preparation is one of the greatest gifts you can give your guests, from what to do if a smoke detector malfunctions to the steps to take in the event of a true emergency. By preparing a comprehensive set of safety guidelines for your guests, you can empower them to feel safe and secure while staying on your vacation property.
While safety guidelines are essential, there are many other factors to consider as a property owner. At SaferVRS, we can walk you through these and help you protect both your guests and your investments.
Contact us today to learn more about our range of courses and guides, as well as consultation services, that are designed to take the confusion out of safety and loss prevention and make your life easier!