Guest Trouble? How To Evict A Troublesome Guest.
How to Evict Guests from Your Short-Term Rental
If you're the owner of a short-term rental property, the very last thing you ever want to think about is having to evict one of your guests. However, if they don't follow the rules laid out in your rental agreement, there are only so many other solutions you can provide before eviction becomes a sad reality. In this article, we’ll help you learn how you can avoid the situation from happening and what steps you need to take to evict your guests from your short-term rental.
Why Would I Need To Evict My Short-Term Rental Guests?
One of the most common reasons an owner must consider eviction is when a guest stays past their check-out date without approval for a stay extension. This can pose a huge problem, especially if they have been on your property long enough to gain tenant rights.
Many short-term rental owners don't think about reading up on landlord/tenant laws before renting their spaces out. One of the most common misconceptions about short-term rentals is that you don't have to worry about tenant issues. However, if you allow a guest to stay too long on your property, they can develop tenant rights.
The laws regarding tenant rights vary from state to state, but in general, if someone develops these rights, it becomes much more difficult and expensive to evict them from the property correctly. If they have tenant rights, you'll have to start the formal eviction process, which can tie up your property for months and cost you thousands of your dollars. This is why it’s essential to immediately take action if this situation is happening to you.
What Resolution Options Do I Have?
When eviction seems to be the only solution to your problem, there are a few ways you can tackle the issue if they don’t already fall within tenant rights issues. This includes:
Provide Written Notice: The first and easiest way to evict your short-term guests is to provide a written or oral notice of eviction. It is best to do it in writing and keep a copy if they fail to comply with your request. If you're lucky, this can solve the issue quickly and without further problems.
Stage A Lock-Out: The second solution is a simple lock-out. As long as your short-term renters do not have tenant rights, you can lock them out of the property. This poses a potential liability issue for holding their property and personal belongings.
Call The Police: The third and most extreme option - call the local police. Before considering this, make sure you have all of the papers and proof of eviction. You will need the information of their booking, your lease agreement, and evidence that the property is a short-term rental. You can then request the police to remove the renters if they refuse to leave by request.
4 Steps You Can Take To Avoid The Situation
Eviction is genuinely the last thing any short-term rental owner wants to face. But thankfully, you can take a few steps to avoid the situation or make it at least where you are not losing any profit as a result.
1 - State The Rules
The easiest way to avoid these situations is to ensure the rules are clearly stated in your rental agreement. Your listing should be clear and concise on what is and is not allowed, as well as having your rules written out in multiple places to ensure they have been viewed by your guest. To be sure they’re aware of your rules, you can even remind them of your policy during your check-in message, reminding them of the check-out date, fees for overstaying, and informing them that you cannot extend their stay without approval from the host.
2 - Keep A Close Eye On Length Of Stay Limits
You have to be careful when allowing longer bookings. For example, if your local laws give tenant rights after 15 days, allowing an 8-day booking followed by a 7-day booking can cause an issue if it's brought into court. To avoid this, you can limit extensions on exceptionally long bookings or only approve long-term rentals to verified renters
3 - Invest In Smart Locks And Security Cameras
These are a double bonus for most properties. First, smart locks are very convenient for guests checking in, and secondly it gives you extra security by allowing you to lock the listing without physically being there. Exterior security cameras can also ensure that your guests are following your rules and will not cause any issues. However, it’s important to remember that security cameras have to be disclosed on your listing.
4 - Get Short-Term Vacation Rental Insurance
Insurance is something that all short-term rental owners should always have for their property. Short-term vacation rental insurance can help you in a multitude of ways. While it helps protect your property from expenses such as home appliance breakdown and natural disaster damage, they can also help you with loss of income due to guests who won't leave your property.
Conclusion
In situations like this, having a good insurance company that understands the issues you may be facing can truly make the difference. No one wants to lose income, mainly because of someone failing to follow the rules. Companies such as VIFO can help ensure that your property AND your money are safe! Check us out today to learn the advantages of using VIFO and why you should switch to as for your short-term rental insurance provider.