Is Your Vacation Rental Property Safe and "Smart"?

As a vacation rental property owner, you have a vested interest in making sure your property is safe and secure. Naturally, you want to protect your guests, and avoid costly damage and other problems whenever possible. However, as a host, you may not be onsite or nearby during your guests’ stays. That means if an issue arises, you may not find out about it until the damage has snowballed into a bigger, more expensive problem.

Fortunately, advances in smart home technology offer vacation property owners a means to identify and address potential issues early, when they are most manageable. Common types of risk mitigation smart home technologies include:

1. Noise Monitoring Solutions

Property owners can purchase noise detection sensors and monitoring systems for indoor or outdoor use. One provider is Noiseaware. Once installed, owners can monitor noise levels for multiple properties via a smartphone app designed to monitor noise without jeopardizing guests’ privacy. If guests are too loud, you or your property manager can address the problem before it impacts neighbors or leads to noise ordinance violations.

2. Proactive Water Monitoring Technologies

You can also invest in devices that monitor your rental property’s plumbing system, identifying vulnerabilities or potential leaks, like those available from Flo by Moen. If problems are found, the technology can automatically shut off your water and notify you of the issue through a smartphone app. This can help you avoid costly water damage that could necessitate extensive and time-consuming repairs. 

3. Smart Door Locks

When you rely on guests or the cleaning crew to lock up when they leave your property, there is always the possibility that someone will accidentally leave the door unlocked. With smart door locks, you can lock and unlock your rental property’s door from across town or across the world with just a few taps on your smartphone. This technology can also help you let tenants or cleaners in by providing them a keycode rather than a physical key. Nest X Yale Lock is one popular device, although there are others.

Other "Smart" Vacation Rental Property Safety Ideas

These are just some of the technology solutions property owners now have available to help them keep a virtual eye on their rentals; others include smart smoke and CO detectors, home security systems, and more.

As innovation continues and the “internet of things” grows, we will likely see more new exciting advances. 

Note: While we’ve mentioned several smart technology providers by name, this is not an endorsement of any of these companies. Smart home technology vendors’ names included here are intended solely as examples. If you are considering investing in technology solutions for your rental property, investigate available options before choosing providers.

Keep Your Vacation Rental Property Safe and "Smart"

Keeping your vacation rental property safe is one of the best things you can do to mitigate risks. Of course, you don’t need to invest in smart home technologies to have a safe property. But, doing so can give you – and your renters – valuable peace of mind. 

Your vacation rental insurance is there to protect you when losses occur, despite your efforts. To learn more about protecting your vacation rental property through CBIZ Vacation Rental Insurance, request a free quote today!

This blog may contain scenarios that are provided as examples only. Coverage is subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the policy issued. The information provided is general in nature and may be affected by changes in law or the interpretation of such laws. The reader is advised to contact a professional prior to taking any action based upon this information.

Pop Quiz! Test Your Knowledge of Vacation Rental Insurance What to Know When Getting Your Vacation Home Insured