On September 13th, we were joined by Minut Partnerships Manager, Alondra Palomino to talk about practical and technological ways hosts can protect their properties from risky reservations. She also offered an awesome discount for Host2Host members. You can access that information on our Members Only Video resources page.

Common Myths and Facts about Hosting
Before jumping into the presentation, she took a minute to dispel common myths about the short-term rental industry. One myth that was surprising was that most short-term rentals suffer from noise issues, but the reality is that only 40% have a problem in a given month. Unfortunately, this number is still high and can impact neighbor relations. 

Did you know that overwhelmingly, most guests seek out sustainable properties and spend 40% of their overall trip expenditures in the neighborhoods where they are staying? Make friends with the local businesses near your rental and make sure they know this statistic too. Maybe there are simple ways you can increase guest visits to their small business.

Take a Practical Approach
Next, Alondra provided super practical guidance to help hosts avoid introducing a risky reservation into their rental. Before a guest arrives, take a look at their profile and ask questions about their trip that can improve the guest experience and your own hosting liabilities. Consider tools that can help screen guests like those offered by Proper Insurance and safety courses offered by Breezeway.

Take a hard look at your house manual. Does it include all the basics like maximum number of guests, parking, quiet hours, and security deposit details? Is it a physical copy or digital as is offered by Touchstay or Hostfully? To help those guests seeking sustainability, it should also include information about recycling and recommendations for local businesses in the neighborhood. 

How Tools Can Protect Hosts and Property
Finally, Alondra spent a little time introducing tools from Minut that can help hosts be vigilant about the happenings in their rentals without being intrusive to guests. Minut offers a wide variety of tools to help hosts that can be turned off or on with every new arrival. Some of these include noise monitoring, occupancy monitoring, smoke alarm monitoring, termperature detection, mold monitoring, and even cigarette smoke detection. With indoor and outdoor monitoring solutions, Minut has you covered. Their easy-to-use app keeps hosts informed without being intrusive or overtly conspicuous to guests. Make sure you’re being a good neighbor and consider a tool like Minut for your hosting toolbox.