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Importance & Implementation of a Standard of Care for Vacation Rentals

Uncategorized Sep 12, 2024

Think nothing can go wrong when you rent out your property? Think again — there’s a reason why Airbnb insures hosts up to $1 million in damages.

The truth is that anytime you rent your vacation rental property to a guest, you open your property to risks that could impact your guests’ experience and revenue, whether it’s a faulty lock, a broken step, or even an electric shock from damaged wiring.

Here at Safer VRs, we educate vacation rental owners and managers like you on what and how to best protect your guests, property, and, in turn, your investment. One way to do that is through a standard of care for your vacation home.

What is a Standard of Care for Rental Property Owners?

A standard of care describes a person or company’s obligation to keep their customers or operations safe, as well as how to maintain those safety standards.

You might have heard the term “standard of care” in a medical setting. A standard of care might dictate the medication used for patients with a certain illness, or policies for visitation during a pandemic.

While standards of care help keep people safe, they also reduce the risk of liability, accidents, and vulnerability to lawsuits on the business. Meaning? Standards of care protect medical businesses, and they can protect your vacation rental business, too.

Why Does Your Vacation Rental Management Business Need a Standard of Care?

There aren’t many statistics showing the number of safety incidents that take place in vacation rental properties. However, a little observation of the news reveals growing occurrences of incidents in short-term rental properties, like:

Pool drownings: The CPSC found that child drownings in household pools increased significantly from 2020 to 2021. On top of the horrible tragedy, legal experts assert that if such an event were to take place on your vacation rental property, you could be liable.
Crime: The American Journal of Crime and Justice saw a positive correlation between certain crimes like burglary and substance abuse and vacation rentals within the Austin neighborhood.
Poisoning: We’re mainly talking about carbon monoxide poisoning, as Yahoo points out that Airbnb rentals saw 19 deaths in the last ten years.

Of course, these aren’t everyday occurrences.

But imagine a pool drowning took place on your property?

…A violent crime?

….A poisoning due to a faulty carbon monoxide detector?

Any of these events would be enough to seriously harm your business, be it through exorbitant legal fees to defend liability or lack of interest and bookings after negative press.

A standard of care helps you maintain responsible, operational practices to minimize the risks that come with operating a business for vacation properties.

So, what should your standard of care include?

5 Components for a Vacation Rental Management Business’s Standard of Care

Here’s what your standard of care should include.

1. Guest Screening

Most of your guests just want to get away from the day-to-day hustle and enjoy a vacation. However, the quality of renters in your unit can impact your property and revenue. For example, criminals might rely on short-term rentals because they wouldn’t pass a long-term rental agreement screening. Fraud is also a growing risk in the rental industry, as some renters might carry out charge-backs to avoid paying for their stay.

But beyond criminals, perfectly law-abiding guests can still hurt your vacation rental business. This might look like a March break group of college students throwing a party, who damages much of your furniture. Or, a crabby guest might look for any and all opportunities to get out of paying for their stay.

You might note guest screening best practices like:

Confirm ID and credit card information for all guests.
Train staff on signs of human trafficking.
Avoid third-party bookings.
Check reviews for the guest on all platforms
Research guests or conduct a criminal background check.

2. Hot Tub and Swimming Pool Safety

We mentioned that pool drownings have increased recently — let your standard of care mitigate the chance! Here are some safety procedures you might include in this section of your standard of care:

Signs for maximum occupancy and hours of use
Limit guests or enforce an adult-to-child ratio for properties with pools
Require all guests to shower before using the pool or hot tub.
Regularly maintain the pool a set number of times each year or month.
Conduct regular inspections and checks on the pool and hot tub to prevent electrical incidents.
Install a pool alarm to keep guests aware when someone uses the pool (Especially if there are children).

3. Slip and Fall Prevention

Was your new hardwood so smooth that it caused guests to slip and fall? Unfortunately, you could be liable for damages. The trick to reducing the risk of slips and falls is to maintain safe stairs and handrails.

Consider these slip-and-fall safety measures for your standard of care:

Regularly test all railings and guard rails for stability and stick to a regular schedule.
Repair or modify stairs to meet local codes for safety.
Ensure a minimum tread depth of 9 inches from the stair’s lip.
Inspect rails and stairways for hazards like sharp edges or slippery sections.
Purchase rugs and carpets with anti-slip backings.
Check outdoor areas regularly for potential holes and bumps and repair them as necessary.
Examine walkways for popped-out nails, irregularities, separated concrete, and other risks.
Place signs to inform guests of any areas where they might have increased risks of falling.

4. Guest Communications

Guest communications might feel tedious at times, but your guest must be able to reach someone in your business at all times within a timely manner.

Here are some tips for guest communication protocols in your standard of care:

Enforce a strict 1-hour response time across your staff.
Always enable notifications on your devices for potential communication channels.
Include emergency contact information in your welcome packet and request the same in return.
Train staff on customer service to ensure your guests feel taken care of.
Ensure your property has an on-site phone and a strong Wi-Fi connection.
Have guests sign a contract highlighting house rules for safety before allowing them to rent your property.

5. Fire Safety and Prevention

Fires are devastating to both people and property. Protect your vacation rental management business with these fire safety procedures:

Put up signs to instruct safe plugging in/out practices, like unplugging hair dryers when not in use.
Update electronic devices like toasters, hair dryers, and ovens to prevent malfunction and potential fire risks.
Make fire extinguishers easily accessible throughout the property
Place smoke alarms in each bedroom, in other rooms and on each level of the home
Regularly inspect and replace propane tanks and the O-rings in the supply hose connections.
Change smoke alarm batteries every year or more.
Regularly conduct smoke alarm drills to test effectiveness.
Keep BBQ grills and fire pits a fair distance, at least 10 feet, from every structure.
Align your fire prevention tips with local rules and regulations.

6. Property Cleanliness and Cleaning Procedures

Cleanliness is a common complaint among guests who leave poor reviews for vacation properties. You want to ensure your property is clean as a whistle — but not at the risk of toxic poisoning to children, liability from improper labeling, or spills.

The best way to ensure a consistently clean space in a safe manner is to follow these cleaning procedures:

Always leave a few hours between each scheduled cleaning time and the next guest to account for delays.
Ensure ample ventilation wherever cleaning supplies are stored.
Clearly label any cleaning supplies and keep them in spots out of reach of small children.
Always seal cleaning product bottles securely.
Childproof by locking cabinets with cleaning supplies.
Discard unlabeled cleaning products.

7. Guest Access

Some areas on your rental property might not be fully safe for guests to access. This might include unfinished basements, messy garages, or certain parts of a forest that fall within your property line. Consider safety risks by including protocols for guest access in your standard of care:

Restrict guest access to basements and garages to promote guest safety.
Limit guest entry to any areas you use for storage.
Lock closets with valuable items to prevent theft.
Ensure easy guest access to and from the property with directions and safe entryways.

Protect Your Vacation Rental Business with Safer VRs!

Bottom line? A standard of care is a key component of a successful, safe, and revenue-generating vacation rental business. Plus, it offers peace of mind that your guests’ stay will be safe and smooth.

But while it’s a strong start, you can always go further to protect your guests. Safer VRs offers a variety of courses for vacation homeowners about how to keep their properties safe, whether through security protocols, considerations for children.

Eric Thibodeaux brings 21 years of experience as a vacation rental manager and is currently a partner in two property management companies. He filled a gap in the industry when he decided to offer resources to rental owners on safety and loss prevention education.