10 safety and security questions to ask before reserving a short-term rental property

Planning a vacation is half the thrill of traveling to a new location. There’s the searching for trendy restaurants, watching videos about hidden gems, and discovering cultural experiences that are unique to the area. Finding a place to stay can be exciting, too, but don’t get lured off course by a few glitzy photos or your dream vacation could quickly turn into a nightmare.

You and your traveling companions deserve a place that is safe and secure because having to sleep with one eye open doesn’t make for a very relaxing stay.

ARAG Legal offers some great safety tips for renting a vacation home, with the first being to use a reliable vacation rental company. Their post explains the difference between bulletin board sites, like Airbnb, where homeowners post their own places, and curated sites where agencies that manage a group of vacation rental properties showcase their offerings. Other ARAG tips are to research the owner and property before making any payments or commitments, and ask questions. Many of the answers can be found on the rental sites and by reading the reviews of past renters.

If this sounds too much like due diligence, just think of it as future-proofing a trip to make sure it’s every bit as safe and secure as you expect it to be. Get the conversation started with these 10 questions to ask when renting a house, condo or room for a short stay:

1. How do you unlock the rental property?

Keyless entry systems with PIN codes are pretty standard nowadays because they provide an easy way for guests to let themselves in. Just ask how often the codes are changed—ideally each time the unit is rented.

If you must pick up a physical set of keys, find out if you’ll be able to do that 24/7 in case you run into some travel delays and miss the standard check-in time.

2. What is the neighborhood crime rate?

With a little detective work, you can use websites like SpotCrime to see a crime map for specific addresses or Crime Grade to find crime data by ZIP Code. Most likely you won’t have the actual address of the rental property before booking it, but listing sites often show maps with cross streets or neighborhood names to search. Also do some research to see if there are any specific tips to avoid crime in that location. A universal one, regardless of where you’re going, is to never leave anything in the car—a burglar won’t know that the sack on your back seat only has an apple core in it until they break the window and snatch it.

3. Are there alarm systems and other safety features?

Burglar alarm systems can take a little getting used to, especially if you’ve never had one in your own home. How easy is the system to turn on and off? Are there sensors on the windows that prevent you from opening them when the alarm is set? Are there locking screens on the windows or doors so you can enjoy the sea breezes while you sleep?

Ask about smoke and carbon monoxide detectors if you don’t see them on the rental property’s list of amenities. Traveling with young children? Ask if they have any child-proofing devices, like outlet covers and baby gates, or if you’ll need to bring your own.

4. What’s the best way to travel around the neighborhood?

Is it easy to hail a cab or use a ride-sharing app like Lyft or Uber? Is the neighborhood well lit? Does everything shut down at a certain hour or is this a bustling area with a lot of foot traffic late into the evening. Are there sidewalks? If so, are they uneven, or smooth enough to take a morning jog without constantly looking for cracks that are waiting to trip you?

5. Is there an emergency phone in the rental unit?

You may not be able to rely on your cell phone when you need it most due to spotty cell service, a misplaced phone or a dead battery. Keep in mind that unlike landline phones, cell phones don’t transmit the exact location data to 911 operators, and you may be too frazzled to remember your rental address to share with first responders.

If there isn’t an STR emergency phone in the unit, let the host know that Ooma VoIP phone service for short-term rental properties is free—all they pay are the applicable monthly taxes and fees. They can even add a retro phone that fits their unit’s décor.

6. Who is the emergency contact?

Life goes a whole lot smoother when there’s a plan. Find out how to contact the owner or the owner’s representative in an emergency and get an estimate on how quickly they will respond. Is there a guest book that has information for the nearest hospital, pharmacy, walk-in clinic, police station, emergency escape routes or shelters for natural disasters?

Is there a different contact number for maintenance issues, like a clogged toilet, a burned-out light bulb or a broken microwave?

7. Is parking readily available?

If the unit doesn’t include a designated parking space, get a recommendation for nearby parking lots that are safe. If you are staying in a congested city, ask if it would be better to find a long-term parking garage during your stay and use mass transit instead. It’s better to know this than waste time, fuel and your patience circling blocks looking for a spot to open up.

8. Are there any surveillance cameras?

If the answer is yes, find out where they are located. For example, security cameras facing building entrances, parking lots, communal hallways can discourage vandalism and other crime.

On the other hand, find another rental property if the surveillance cameras are placed inside areas where you’d naturally expect privacy, like bedrooms or bathrooms. Of course laws and vacation rental policies banning cameras aren’t going to stop every host from installing and failing to disclose a camera, so it’s a good idea to learn how to search for them once you arrive. Check out PCMag’s low-tech tips to find surveillance cameras.

9. Is there a safe place to store valuables?

Many hotels offer a safe with a PIN code, but your short-term rental property may not. If yours doesn’t, bring a money belt or slash-proof bag and take everything with you whenever you go out. Or if you want to leave your credit card, passport and jewelry in the room while you enjoy a swim in the ocean, hide your valuables in something like an old deodorant container or snack bag.

10. Will anyone else be sharing the property?

Some short-term rental properties have shared spaces like kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, parking spots, backyard gardens and barbecue grills. If you don’t have the property to yourself, ask if you’ll have a heads-up about who will be accessing the shared amenities so you’ll know they are legitimate guests and not just free-loading neighbors. Find out if there are any house rules regarding times you can or cannot use the shared facilities.

Bon voyage

Following vacation home rental tips and getting answers to all your questions before you book are key steps to finding a safe and secure place. A few minutes of pre-planning can save you time that’s better spent enjoying your next adventure. Happy travels!