When a vacation rental goes as planned, it's a mutually beneficial arrangement. As the owner, you earn passive income, and your guests get to relax and enjoy your property. When you live somewhere as stunning as Lake Worth, Florida, you'll have no trouble attracting short term renters.
Unfortunately, there are ways having a vacation home can backfire. We're seeing an increased number of scams. Thankfully, there are ways to protect yourself. Often, by screening your renters in advance, you can weed out the troublemakers.
Interested in learning more about how screening guests for vacation rentals works? Read on to learn more.
Why Is Short-Term Rental Screening So Important?
One of the most common problems you'll have with guests is that they damage the property. Of course, some damage is inevitable. Dealing with minor stains, scratches, and cracks are part of your responsibility as an owner.
But, some groups cause damage that goes well beyond the expected wear and tear. For example, groups who spend their whole vacation drinking hard liquor cocktails are more likely to cause serious damage. Given the level of mayhem drinkers can cause, you might choose not to rent to groups likely to party.
Consider Video Calling With Potential Guests
Of course, if you're planning to use a vacation home to host a massive blowout party, you're hardly going to admit it in the booking form. It often makes sense to have a short video call with potential guests. Not only is this an opportunity to provide more information about the property, you can also evaluate the character of the potential guests.
Red Flags to Be Aware Of
If you're using an online booking platform, there are some red flags you need to be aware of. If a potential guest has an incomplete or strange looking profile, it could indicate a scam. A common scam technique is to make obviously suspicious profiles. While this might seem counterintuitive, it ensures only unobservant owners engage with the scammers.
Another red flag is when the applicants try to book at the last minute. This indicates a lack of planning and foresight. Guests who are bad at planning are usually bad at following the rules as well.
Check Their Reviews From Other Hosts
Most people who book vacation homes have done so before. Generally, this means they'll have feedback from previous hosts. Checking these reviews is a great way to predict how they'll treat your property. But, bear in mind that reviews can be fabricated, so always verify and don't take them at face value.
Now You Know More About Screening Guests for Vacation Rentals
While there's a risk of scams or disrespectful guests, the majority of people booking vacation homes are trustworthy. Using these guest screening tips, you can filter out the minority who will cause you problems.
Doing tenant background checks can be a time-consuming process, and the consequences of failure can be severe. There's no wonder many homeowners in Lake Worth, Florida choose to outsource the process to a professional company. Do you need help screening guests for vacation rentals?
PMI Jewell has the expertise you need to ensure you only rent to trustworthy groups. We have decades of experience helping homeowners like you, so contact us today and let's discuss how we can help.
