How to Protect Your Airbnb Property from Noise Complaints

So you already know that you could be earning a significant income from your short-term rental property, but you’re worried about opening yourself up to noise complaints from cranky neighbours. We get it, we’ve been there. It’s probably not surprising to learn that noise complaints are one of the most common issues faced by owners and managers of short-term rental properties.  What many hosts don’t realise though, is that recurrent complaints can actually lead to some pretty serious consequences, including the removal of your property from listing sites - yikes! So how can you help avoid getting your property onto the naughty list?  Thankfully, it only takes a few simple steps to safeguard your property and secure your position on the neighbourhoods' ‘nice and quiet’ list instead.

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Be upfront and honest with neighbours.

If you're renting your property out for short-term vacationers, you should communicate this to your neighbours. It’s always best to be upfront about how you plan to use your rental and let them know precisely what steps you're taking to make sure guests are quiet, respectful, and well-behaved (and how they can contact you if something goes awry). If you're handing the reins to a professional property management company, it’s still a good idea to ask your property manager how they deal with noise complaints from neighbours. Work with them to come up with a plan in case anything goes wrong with a guest.

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Look into potential guests before accepting any bookings.

Owners and managers should always try to rent their properties to guests who have a shining short-term rental history and plenty of good reviews from previous hosts. This due-diligence will help ensure that you’re accommodating guests who aren’t in the habit of keeping the neighbours awake with late night sing-a-longs and early morning aerobics classes! You can also prevent noise disturbances by enforcing occupancy limits and by requiring multi-night stays - especially on holiday weekends and during events.

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Clearly explain the house rules and housekeeping policy.

As an Airbnb owner or property manager, it's important to clearly communicate the house rules of your listings and specify penalties for breaking them. 

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Instead of being seen as the party police, it’s more about setting realistic expectations. Most sites, like Airbnb or Stayz, have mandatory "house rules" sections that can be customised to suit your specific circumstances, and include rules around the properties maximum occupancy and any special event rules. These rules are viewed by the tenant before their stay begins, and form part of the agreement surrounding the use of your property.

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Take away the worry by using privacy-friendly property monitoring.

Want to enjoy peace of mind without intruding on your guests’ privacy? You can protect your property by installing smart and privacy-conscious devices like Cappsule. Cappsule uses an intelligent sensor network powered by machine learning to detect and prevent noise complaints, track valuable items and safeguard properties without using a single cameras or microphone. When it comes to noise complaints, Cappsule’s smart sensors send guests a warning when noise reaches a certain level. This allows them to take action and quiet things down before the issue gets out of hand or the property owner needs to get involved.

When just one night of noise complaint issues can cost an owner up to $2,500, it's important to be proactive about protecting your property and keeping a solid relationship with neighbours. By keeping your neighbours informed about your rental plans, thoroughly screening guests, setting clear house rules, and installing privacy-friendly monitoring systems -  you will help prevent noise complaints, property damage and maintain a harmonious relationship with your neighbours - all whilst maximising your income from your rental property!

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Sounds like a win/win to us!

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