When I started my short-term rental journey in early 2018, my House Rules were quite basic, focusing on occupancy, smoking, parties, pets, and noise. Over time, I learned the importance of having comprehensive House Rules and have gradually expanded them to cover various situations.
The Evolution of My House Rules
Initially, I was quite naive about guests’ behavior and their respect for my property. I assumed guests would always treat my house with the same care and respect I would. This misconception was shattered when I walked into my house after my first guests had left to find it far from what I expected.
Additionally, I misunderstood how short-term rental (STR) platforms handle House Rules. If a specific action is not expressly prohibited, and a guest engages in that action, STR platforms may not support the host in seeking reimbursement or in evicting the guest. Thus, House Rules serve as a crucial protective measure for hosts, safeguarding against both undesirable guest behavior and the potential limitations of STR platform support.
The Importance of House Rules
House Rules are fundamental in establishing clear expectations. Just as boundaries are essential in any relationship, the dynamic between guest and host is no different. It is imperative that these rules are firmly in place at the time of booking, ensuring that guests read and understand them. Both Airbnb and VRBO require guests to confirm their agreement to House Rules upon making a reservation.
Guests want to feel welcome and appreciated, so be aware of your tone of voice when writing your short-term rental guidelines. Ideally, you’ll come across as warm and friendly, but not at the expense of clarity.
While protecting your property is your first priority, hosts must be careful not to be too heavy-handed or excessive. Too many house rules and hosts come off as controlling and angry. If you feel like you are walking a tight rope in navigating which rules to include, try a little humor. That’s why one of my House Rules is “No glitter. No glitter. No glitter. Have I mentioned No Glitter?” Guests may be less reluctant to see the host as a party pooper if they can smile a bit while reading your long list of do’s and don’ts.
Keep your wording simple and don’t over complicate your explanations. Be sure to give a consequence to your rules. My most important rules have a pretty severe penalty – eviction. But, if I am honest, most of the rules are just suggestions for good behavior that keep the house in order and more manageable for the cleaning crew.
Crafting Effective House Rules
- Simplicity and Clarity: Keep your wording straightforward and avoid overly complicated explanations. Clearly state the consequences of rule violations. For critical rules, such as those concerning safety or legal compliance, the consequence may be eviction. Other rules might suggest best practices to maintain order and facilitate cleaning.
- Consequences: Clearly outline the repercussions for breaking the rules. For instance, serious infractions may result in immediate eviction, while others might incur additional fees.
In Part One of this blog, we will cover the basic House Rules and I will give you the first part of my House Rules. You’re welcome to cut and paste.
The Basics
Your first rules should always be “No Parties or Events.” Airbnb and VRBO both don’t allow parties, so this rules seems self-evident. A party or event at your rental is a huge liability in terms of potential damage to not only your furnishings and dwelling but it also risks alienating your neighbors. The consequence of breaking this rule is always eviction. Be sure to add “with no refund or credit for days used or unused.” There also might be an additional cleaning fee assessed. To protect yourself if a guest has a party or event, ALWAYS call Airbnb and VRBO and explain the situation. Ask the platform to cancel the reservation. Keep all security video and noise monitor data available to back up your claim.
The following rules apply to most rentals and are not necessarily in any order:
The second rule is about smoking. I don’t allow it anywhere on my property. The consequence: guests will be charged an extra cleaning fee of at least $150 in addition to the normal cleaning fee.
My third rule is about my maximum occupancy. It’s 12 for my 4-bedroom house and I explain that Nashville mandates that limit. It’d also best to explain what occupancy means – in my case it means there are no more than 12 people in the house. Not staying the night, not there until 7pm. 12 people max at all times.
I could lose my permit for allowing more than 12 people so this is a hard and fast rule. The consequence is eviction without any refund for nights used or unused.
My fourth rule is about being respectful to the neighbors. I let the guest know what the Quiet Hours in my city are and what that entails: no one can be outside making noise during Quiet Hours. I live in a residential area with neighbors on both sides of my house and those neighbors deserve peace in their own homes. My noise monitors are outside and send me an alarm when the decibel level gets too high. I text the guest if this happens and I haven’t had an instance yet where the guest doesn’t lower the volume. (Guests might not understand how loud just talking can be during the evening outside on the deck so I am generally understanding if a reminder is needed.) The consequence to noise is usually just a text, but if the police are called about noise, I am strict and eviction can be an option.
My fifth rule is about criminal activity. It’s obviously not allowed. All zoning, local, and state laws must be adhered to. This rule came about after I read a facebook post about a host complaining that Airbnb would not tell a guest to move his truck from the rental lawn.
My House Rules
By making a reservation, you agree to the following house rules:
This almost two-million-dollar home includes upscale furnishings from high-end retailers. We expect you to be responsible and treat the house well. It is not a frat house– it’s not the sort of house you play beer pong on the dining room table. With all due respect, if you don’t understand what this means, please do not book the house.
No parties or events. Only guests in the booking party are allowed in the house. No other people are allowed into the house, even for a short time. The reservation will be cancelled with no credit for used or unused nights if more than 12 people are on the property. There are no exceptions to this.
The guest who books the house is financially and legally responsible for the behavior of all of the guests in the house. Please share a copy of the rules of the house with all of the guests in the house.
While our house is much larger than the typical Nashville short term rental — about twice as big as many — Nashville imposes a maximum occupancy on all short term rentals of 12 people for a house with 4 bedrooms. We have more than 12 sleeping spaces so guests who are not comfortable sharing a bed have another option, but we are not authorized to accept more than 12 people. To be more clear: the house is only permitted to sleep 12. If you have more than 12 people in the house, the group will be evicted with no refunds for nights used or unused.
We are in a residential area. People live all around us, and we respect their right to peace and privacy. Quiet Hours are mandated by Nashville law between 10pm and 7am. You must not be on the outside spaces making noise during this time. Nashville takes its Noise Ordinance very seriously, and if a police car drives by and hears noise, you may be cited and face sizable fines.
If police or another governmental agency are called because of disturbances in the house or noise levels, you will be immediately evicted with no refunds for nights used or unused.
Smoking and vaping are not allowed anywhere on the property (which includes the decks and porches and grassy areas) except on the bench at the very back of the house. If there is evidence of smoking or a smoke smell in the house when the cleaning crew comes, you will be charged an extra cleaning fee of at least $300.
No illegal substances or criminal activity allowed on the property. Illegal activity will be grounds for eviction with no refunds for nights used or unused. Guest must comply with all zoning, municipal, county, state and federal laws. Remember that marijuana – either medical or recreational – is not legal in Tennessee.
Conclusion
Establishing and communicating clear House Rules is essential for a smooth and respectful hosting experience. By setting clear expectations and consequences, you protect your property and ensure a pleasant stay for all guests. In the next part of this blog, I will delve deeper into additional House Rules and provide examples you can adapt for your own rental.
Barb is the president of NASTRA and has spent her professional career in hospitality and real estate. After acquiring her first short-term rental in 2018, Barb moved her focus to legal advocacy after she sued the city of Nashville over a permit issue. Over the last three years, she has mentored more than 2,800 new STR hosts and is the Community Leader for Airbnb in Nashville, as well as an Airbnb “Ask a Superhost” Ambassador. Barb has appeared on numerous radio broadcasts, television shows, and podcasts to talk about her love of hosting. She also manages and co-hosts a number of short term rentals across Tennessee and Arkansas. Barb and her husband Pat own a hotel brokerage, development and consulting company. Look for her upcoming podcast series, “Women of Airbnb.”