Decreasing risk on a rustic property

[Christina1197]

Hello! I am getting my 1930s Catskills home ready to rent, and I'm wondering what others do about the rustic setting of their property. We are set high on a hill above the road and there's a waterfall that a small child could potentially get hurt in if left unsupervised. We also have rustic and sometimes crooked stone steps and  foot paths and a hilly property in general. The interior of the home is very charming and old, and that comes with uneven stairs and a few small steps within the house that one could trip on. Curious what others do to decrease the risk of injury/ protect themselves with a property like this. I'm wondering if asking guests to sign a waiver of some kind would hold up in court. I have extra homeowners insurance for renting, but not sure what will actually be covered if we are found negligent of something (crooked stair?). Thank you for any advice you can offer!

[Lorna170]

@Christina1197   The property that we list on AirBnB is a 1930s cabin with a waterfall (sound familiar?).  We also have a firepit, a water feature, hot tub and gas grill,  all of which could be hazardous to small children.  Our neighbor has dogs -- friendly, but large.  We have a Rental Property Insurance policy which covers us for guest damages and injuries -- this is something that you want to discuss with a good agent.  We have had 15 years of good (knock wood) guests and no reported injuries.  However, we advertise for couples, honeymooners and guests with pets.  While we don't specifically state that we do not accept children, we have set up our cabin with double and queen beds, and accept only 4 guests.  This seems to limit the number of guests with children who inquire.  

We also send a 3 page Rental Agreement document to our guests.  This is a document that is attorney approved, meets the guidelines of our state, and outlines the responsibilities of both the guest and the owner with respect to the use of the property and the risks of certain amenities on the property.   We are fortunate that in our state, providing this document to the guest and accepting their payment, even when payment is through an online platform, the guest is presumed to have agreed to the terms of the Rental Agreement.  Research the laws of your state in this regard.  Good luck with your rental!