Smart Home Devices That Reduce Your Short-Term Rental Risks
Smart home devices have become an essential tool for Airbnb hosts, vacation rental owners, and property managers in the short-term rental industry.
These smart devices offer a range of benefits, from streamlining and enhancing day-to-day operations to providing a safer, more convenient experience for your guests.
The ability to remotely monitor a short-term rental with smart devices gives owners and property managers peace of mind through the safety of their guests and the security of their property.
The following guide has been curated to highlight the industry’s best smart home devices for Airbnb homes, Vrbo properties, and short-term vacation rentals.
Enhancing Your Short-Term Rental’s Security
As guests increasingly prioritize their own safety at Airbnb properties, ensuring the security of your short-term rental is important in making your guests feel comfortable during their stay by addressing risks like unauthorized access, theft, and intrusions.
Smart Locks
Adding smart locks to your home is an effective solution to the growing concern of short-term rental safety. Keyless door locks allow you to manage access remotely and provide temporary access codes for guests. This eliminates the need for physical keys, reducing the risk of unauthorized copies.
Airbnb-compatible smart locks enhance the security of your short-term rental while also streamlining the check-in and check-out processes, making it easier and more secure for both Airbnb hosts and guests.
Proper Recommends: Schlage, August, Kwikset, Wyze
Security Cameras
In March 2024, an update was announced to Airbnb’s camera policy banning the use of indoor security cameras regardless of their location, purpose, or prior disclosure. Previously, Airbnb allowed security cameras in common areas like hallways or living rooms.
The updated Airbnb camera policy aligns with Proper Insurance’s longstanding position on security cameras.
While many short-term rental owners believe that security cameras can increase the security of their Airbnb property, they can inadvertently place themselves in legal jeopardy. Specifically, security cameras at a short-term rental property, even in seemingly less private areas like the backyard, can quickly lead to invasion of privacy lawsuits for the Airbnb host or short-term rental owner.
The only type of security camera recommended by Proper Insurance, the nation’s largest insurer of Airbnb properties, is one that faces the street in front of the home, such as a Ring doorbell. Even then, these devices must be disclosed to Airbnb and short-term rental guests in advance.
A well-placed doorbell camera can monitor entry points, deter potential intruders, and provide evidence in case of a security incident, all while respecting guest privacy.
Proper Recommends: Ring
Outdoor Lighting and Motion Sensors
Another effective way to boost the security and safety of your short-term rental is by installing smart outdoor lighting and motion sensors. These devices can illuminate dark areas around the property, making it less attractive to potential intruders and easier to navigate for your guests.
Motion-activated lights can startle would-be trespassers and alert neighbors to unusual activity. Smart lighting systems can be programmed to turn on at specific times or when motion is detected, adding an additional layer of security without intruding on the privacy of your guests.
Lights activated by motion sensors or on a set timer may also increase guest safety by preventing accidents. Guests arriving late at night or moving around the property after dark will appreciate the added visibility, which can help prevent trips, falls, and other potential hazards. Consider placing these lights in high traffic outdoor areas such as deck stairs, pathways, above the garage, and near entry doors.
Proper Recommends: Philips Hue
Monitoring and Managing Your Airbnb
To keep operations running smoothly and address issues quickly, you need to have tools in place that monitor and manage your Airbnb home, especially for hosts who aren’t readily available on-site.
Smart Thermostat
Smart thermostats are a great tool for optimizing energy use in your rental property. These devices allow you to set heating and cooling schedules that adapt to your guests’ needs and the property’s occupancy status for maximum comfort and efficiency.
Smart thermostats can significantly reduce energy consumption, lower utility bills, and create a more comfortable environment for your guests by optimizing heating and cooling.
Proper Recommends: Ecobee, Google Nest
Noise and Occupancy Monitoring
Smart home noise and occupancy monitoring devices help to maintain a peaceful environment and ensure compliance with house rules. These devices help you monitor noise levels and occupancy in real-time, allowing you to address potential issues promptly. Excessive noise and unauthorized parties can lead to complaints, potential fines, or even legal issues.
By using these devices, you can prevent disturbances, protect your property from unauthorized parties, and maintain good relationships with neighbors.
Proper Recommends: NoiseAware, Minut, Party Squasher
Automatic Water Shut-Off
Automatic water shut-off devices are important in protecting your property from the potential of costly water damage. These devices can detect leaks and automatically shut off the water supply to prevent flooding your short-term rental property and the costly repairs that follow.
By installing automatic water shut-off devices, you can better protect your property against water-related incidents.
Proper Recommends: Phyn
Wi-Fi Marketing
High-speed Wi-Fi devices are key to providing seamless internet access and enhancing the overall guest experience. You can even widen your customer base by attracting remote workers who may be interested in a mid-term stay. A strong, reliable Wi-Fi connection is not only a basic expectation but also an opportunity to engage with your guests.
By using StayFi, you can collect guest emails and encourage repeat bookings. StayFi provides a branded Wi-Fi login page, allowing you to capture guest contact information and follow up with tailored marketing campaigns. StayFi also provides a monitor report so you can reduce any wifi issues promptly. This helps build a loyal customer base and drives future direct bookings.
Proper Recommends: StayFi
Whole-Home Monitoring Device
A whole-home monitoring device eliminates the need for multiple types of sensors and separate monitoring platform logins and know-how. There’s only one smart home system that can provide real-time data on the entire home and aspects of your property, ultimately helping to detect potential issues before they escalate.
Dwellwell’s dNode sensors alert you to things like HVAC operation, plumbing issues like water leaks, electrical faults and environmental conditions like air quality, carbon monoxide, smoking, occupancy, and noise levels.
With Dwellwell’s whole-home monitoring system, you can detect problems and prevent costly damage while better understanding your property’s maintenance needs.
Proper Recommends: Dwellwell
Elevating the Guest Experience
To make your Airbnb property stand out from the competition, invest in smart home devices that enhance the guest experience, leading to more positive reviews, repeat bookings, and even higher occupancy rates, meaning reduced vacancy risk.
Smart TVs
Smart TVs connected to popular streaming platforms like Netflix are a great way to provide entertainment options for your guests. Offering access to a variety of streaming services ensures that guests can enjoy their favorite shows and movies during their stay.
Equipping your property with a smart TV can create a more homelike environment and enhance the overall guest experience. The ability to easily stream content adds a level of convenience and enjoyment that will be appreciated by all types of travelers.
Proper Recommends: Samsung, Vizio
Smart Hosting Starts with Forward-thinking Insurance
Short-term rentals have surged in popularity over the last decade, but while technology has advanced rapidly, standard insurance policies haven’t kept pace.
Traditional Homeowners (HO) and Dwelling/Landlord (DP3) policies often fall short in providing adequate coverage for short-term rentals, as they were never designed to address the unique risks these properties face.
While smart home tools can help you manage your property and enhance safety for your guests, inherent risks to the property always remain. This is where Proper Insurance comes in.
As the nation’s leading provider of short-term rental insurance, the Proper Insurance policy was custom-penned to address the distinct challenges short-term rental property owners face. From the property itself to liability coverage and business revenue protection for when a covered claim occurs, Proper Insurance ensures you’re comprehensively protected.
Proper Insurance has always led the industry by anticipating the needs of short-term rental owners. Our policy includes coverage requested by owners and hosts, such as our unique squatters insurance coverage, bed bug and flea coverage, guest-caused damage, and liability for injuries that occur on provided amenities, and more.
Don’t rely on outdated insurance policies that were written before the needs of short-term rentals. Get the coverage and the peace of mind you deserve for the specific risks of your property with Proper Insurance.
Products marked with an asterisk (*) may be eligible for a premium credit. With our partnerships, you could receive discounts off your purchase price for any of these products, as well as your base liability premium, once we receive proof of installation. Interested in learning more about discounts? Contact our account executives at Proper Insurance, and they will provide you with direct access to the promotion. Give us a call at 888-631-6680 or email us at info@proper.insure.
