basic house rules

[Krystal6]

Hi there,

I am new to this process and am curious to know if anyone is willing to share some of their basis house rules so I may prepare a house rules book.  Obviously, I have thought of no smoking, no pets, etc., but a looking for help in outlining rules that I may not be thinking about since I am new.

I am also curious to know how you handle locking the house.  Do you give the guests a key?  (future security concern) Did you install a coded door knob/lock?  Do you shut your own master bedroom door and/or other bedroom doors? 

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Krystal **

Colorado Springs, CO 

[Clare0]

@Krystal6 One of the best ways is to do a search of similar listings to your and check out what they have for House Rules.  The House Rules for an Entire Home will be much different than for a listing for a private or shared room. Check it out. 

[Daniel269]

We added no parties. It seems to be a thing.

[Sarah-and-Jaryd0]

Hi Krystal,

For house rules its usually good to reiterate the max number of guests allowed in the space and no parties.

We installed a keyless entry lock where we provide guests with a code and reprogram it each time. Its really easy to do and allows them to let themselves in without the hassle of keys.

[Ramzy1]

Well, check this out. I always put it in my listing.
1. The Owner has the right to inspect the premises without prior notice at any time to enforce the terms of this agreement. Should the Guests violate any of the terms of this agreement, the rental period shall be terminated immediately. The Guests waive all rights to process if they fail to vacate the premises upon termination of the rental period. The Guests shall vacate the premises at the expiration time and date of this agreement. 
2. The Guests shall maintain the premises in a good, clean, and ready to rent condition, and use the premises only in a careful and lawful manner. The Guests shall leave the premises in a ready to rent condition at the expiration of the rental agreement, defined by the Owner as being immediately habitable by the next guests. Guests shall pay for maintenance and repairs should the premises be left in a lesser condition. The Guests agree that the Owner shall deduct costs of said services from the security deposit prior to refund if tenants cause damage to the premises or its furnishings. 
3. The Guests shall dispose of all waste material generated during the rental period in a lawful manner and put the rubbish bins along the curb during their stay for pickup. 
4. The Guests shall pay for any damage done to the premises over and above normal wear and tear. 
5. No animals or pets of any kind are to be brought onto the premises. 
6. The Guests shall not sublet the property.

[Sharon114]

Not sure what you mean by 'guests must leave the property in a ready to rent condition'  Are they expected to wash bedding and towels and clean the entire place?  Not sure I would want that.  Of course guests should leave the space as clean and tidy as possible, but surely it is your responsibility to clean and prepare inbetween guests.

[Sergio-and-Nicole0]

Hi, I have been using combination key safes I bought from Amazon for about $13 and I give the guests the code that releases the keys to get in.

I bought a door knob that you can lock from within for my own room just for my own safety. I always shut all other doors.

[Robert142]

*no smoking in house(smoking is permitted poolside)
*no parties/events
*no glass poolside(plastic ware provided)
*no pets
*be respectful of other guests
*quiet time 11:00pm - 8:00am
*please clean up after yourself
*no overnight guests who are not registered


Just an example of one listing we have. Hope this helps 🙂

[Tim-and-Holly0]

Here is our book. The book is for an entire house rental, so it would change if you are renting a room.

Welcome to Your Home Away From Home!

We hope that you enjoy yourself while you are here.
If there is anything we can do to make your stay
more pleasant, please let us know.

Please take a few minutes to read this to help make your stay more enjoyable and then take a moment to sign our guest book and tell us a little about you and your family/group!  We are glad to have you as our guest(s) and hope that you will return again very soon!

Important Reminders

• This is a NO SMOKING house including e-devices as they still produce a nicotine vapor that coats the walls and furniture making cleaning a nightmare. This is also a drug free property.
• We ask that you not hold parties on the property.
• Please do not disturb our neighbors. Noise should be kept to a minimum after 9 PM.
• Please help us keep our costs lower by turning off lights, fans and other items when not in use and before you leave the house.
• We ask that you help us conserve water, especially when taking showers.
  
                  Thank you!

Check Out Procedure

.

• Please turn off all lights, TVs, coffee pot, etc.
• Please leave the keys in the key box.

Emergency Information

Dial 911 in the event of an emergency. The address is ______________________.
The closest cross street is __________ and ___________.
After calling 911 please contact us right away!

How to Contact Us

If there is anything you need or anything we can do to make your stay more enjoyable, please do not hesitate to let us know. We will do what we can to make your stay most comfortable.

Should you need anything, the easiest (and best way) to contact us is via phone or text message:
                123-456-7890

Be Our Guest!

• Feel free to use the patio, fire pit and BBQ grill but please do not leave fires unattended. Please keep the spark guard over the fire when possible.
• There is a washer and dryer located at the back of the main house. Extended stay visitors: Please provide your own laundry soap and, for energy conservation purposes, linens and towels will be replaced once a week.
• Forgot your toothbrush? We have shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste available if you forgot something.

Feel free to use and enjoy anything that is in this house, but please be respectful of the property. Damages will be billed to you and reported to the booking website. We reserve the right to inspect the house and enter it at anytime to make repairs in the event of an emergency or request. We are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items, and will not accept liability for guests' belongings or accidents.

Gate & Security

The drive gate is locked about 9 PM. You have been provided a key to the lock so feel free to come and go as you wish. After 9 PM, please lock the gate behind you.

We request that the gate stay closed so the dog does not “escape.”

As should be followed in any hotel setting, keep the doors locked and be alert for anything unsafe.  We have never had a security situation. We utilize exterior lighting, motion lighting and CCTV around the property to help ensure your safety.

Wi-Fi

Network:
                __________

Current Password:

                ___________

Intimate Moments

We love the fact that you feel at home enough to have an intimate moment (or more) during your stay. Take advantage of the “Intimate Package” found in the wicker basket in each bedroom closet. We ask that you place the throw overtop of the bed linens and use ONLY water-based gels as petroleum gels permanently stain sheets necessitating their replacement at $35 per set.

We hope you have a 5-star stay.
If not, please let us know how we can improve.

Airbnb’s 5-star rating system:

After every trip Airbnb requests guests to rate their hosts utilizing a 5-star system for the following categories:

• Overall Experience
• Cleanliness

•  Accuracy

• Value

• Communication

•  Arrival

• Location

Maintaining 5-star status is extremely important to us. Receiving 5 stars from you lets us know that we have achieved our goal in providing you a place to stay along with service that is among the best you could possibly receive while staying in __City________.

5 Stars

We are very proud to say that close to 100% of our guests give us 5 stars! If you feel that you are unable to do so, please talk to us so that we know how we can improve. 
Thank you!

The rest of the book contains instructions on how to use the DVD player, the satellite TV remote, indoor gas fireplace, maps to grocery stores, restaurants and places of interest.

[Karen77]

I had a bad experience with someone who applied so much perfume that the house reeked for days and I worried about the possibility of having guests with environmental sensitives find themselves needing to leave.  

So...now I have a no perfume, no cologne rule.  Put those products on outside, I suggest.

Then I had a guest apply bug repellent in the living room, filling the whole space with those fumes.

So...none of that, either!  

[Valerie27]

Thank you for your posting Karen. We have this rule as well and will be placed a sign in our bathroom as well to remind our guests. We also have a two day break between guests so we can fully air the room This helps with cooking styles as well. The two day time also allows me usually to outdoor dry sheets in the case of fragrance on sheets. Thank you for the addition of the bug spray!

[Karlea0]

Beware!! House rules do not protect the host!  My house rules have been dishonoured by airbnb in the past, even though it is airbnb that state house rules must be agreed upon before booking.