Vacation Rental Safety

By Ann Wood

It seems like vacation rental homes are as commonly found on the Outer Banks as sand on the beach. According to numbers recently released by the Vacation Rental Managers Association, an average of 16,500 vacation rental properties, from Corolla to Ocracoke, hosted 1.3 million visitors in 2023.*

Let the gravity of that 1.3 million number sink in. When you have friends come for a visit to your home, you are responsible for providing them a comfortable place to sleep and a clean bathroom to use. You offer entertainment and dining options for them, and you do your best to ensure their safety and security in your home. That is the same responsibility that vacation rental hosts and property managers have for each and every one of those 1.3 million guests. What happens when something doesn’t go as planned?

Last summer, our rental community suffered a terrible blow when the Kill Devil Hills Fire Department was called to a house fire in the early hours of August 11, 2023. Despite their efforts, 3 lives were lost, while 3 other occupants of the home were injured. After this terrible fire, even though the house was determined to have working smoke alarms, calls to rental managers increased with guests inquiring about smoke detectors and fire extinguishers at their rental homes.

In July of 2021, a 7 year old boy tragically lost his life in an elevator accident. There had been other elevator incidents reported before, but this was the first death. This case led to the ratification of House Bill 619 in 2022, also known as Weston’s law, which was designed to prevent future injuries and deaths resulting from gaps of 4” or more between elevator landing doors and elevator hoists. Vacation rental managers on the Outer Banks worked furiously to install baffles in all elevators to better ensure the safety of our youngest and most vulnerable guests.

In July of 2019, police reported the drowning of a 6 year old boy in a Nags Head rental home swimming pool. The details of this case were not published, but pool safety is at the forefront of vacation rental managers’ safety awareness, knowing that pool fences surrounding a pool are required, with secure access points such as childproof gates and a pool alarm on any door leading directly into the pool area.

How do we, as homeowners, hosts and property managers, ensure our rentals are safe for the guests who place their trust in us? What are common safety concerns we should all be aware of? What are ways that we can make our properties safer?

In an effort to identify the most common pitfalls and incidents that occur in rental homes, I spoke with two professionals in the vacation rental home industry.

Justin Ford is the Director of Short-Term Rental Safety & Certification Programs at Breezeway, a company that serves the operations teams of vacation rental companies. He is known in the industry as an expert in vacation rental safety. Prior to this role, Justin was a firefighter for 15 years and served in the US Coast Guard. When he transitioned to serving vacation rental companies, he saw a need for a focus on safety.

He has since designed a safety certification program and visits vacation rental companies around the world, training them to identify and resolve safety issues in their homes. When talking with rental managers about accidents that could occur in their homes, he advises them to “remove the word if and replace it with when.” That consideration of certainty versus risk should be front of mind when deciding whether to make a change.

Justin warns, “In the vacation rental industry, we are responsible for people we’ve never met, will never see, will never hear from again. They walk into that property because they trust you.” We need to take that responsibility seriously.

According to Justin, while larger incidents get more attention from the press, the most common injuries he sees reported by vacation rental guests result from slips, trips and falls. He cautions managers not to overlook the details, like poor lighting, unsecured handrails and especially loose throw rugs.

While not all properties are professionally managed, the majority of rental properties on the Outer Banks are represented by professional and licensed brokers. So, I spoke with Carrie Bateman, Rental Manager at Beach Realty & Construction in Kitty Hawk, who serves as Chair of the Property Management Council at the Outer Banks Association of Realtors®. I asked her what property managers should be doing about safety.

Carrie advised, “While we don’t own the homes, we represent the rental properties to the general public. Because some homeowners are unaware of safety issues at their homes, it is our role as their professional property manager to report any safety issues we discover to the owner to make them aware. We then present recommendations for how they can make their home safer for their guests, advise of potential impacts if changes are not made, and assist them with approved resolutions.”

So, what are ways that homeowners, hosts and property managers can make rental properties safer? Make it easy and clear to the guests how to safely enter the property and find what they need. Remember that your guests are probably arriving at your home for the very first time, and they often arrive after dark. Use motion sensors to light up the outdoor entry to your home so people can safely find their way inside. Label interior light switches, clear pathways, and secure or remove loose rugs so they can safely navigate through the home with their luggage and bags. Strategically placed nightlights can also be helpful. Try to see things as your guests would. Ask a neighbor or friend to come over and learn from any difficulties they experience.

Don’t assume your guests know how to use the equipment in your home. Provide instructions for how to use amenities like the elevator, the grill or the hot tub. Make safety equipment visible, and ensure it is in proper working condition and is easy to use. Train your staff and conduct regular safety inspections and provide checklists for turnover-day staff to communicate easily identified issues. If you are a homeowner, ask your property manager for a safety inspection of your home, and recommendations for preparing your home for the season.

In the end, when it comes to safety, complacency can be devastating. Implementing safety measures is not always an easy decision, and sometimes can be expensive. Just remember what Justin says, “remove the word if and replace it with when”, because accidents happen.

Ann Wood has been working in the vacation rental business on the Outer Banks for more than 20 years and loves (nearly) every minute of it!

Things to check for when inspecting and preparing your home for the season:
• Loose decking boards and deck rails.
• Loose stairwell handrails.
• Loose carpets that could be trip hazards.
• Broken deck or pool chairs.
• Pool gates that don’t close properly.
• Ensure pool alarms are operational.
• Supply a pool safety hook within reach of the pool.
• Replace smoke alarm batteries regularly and consider changing detectors for a better level of quality. Ask your local fire department for advice on placement if you are uncertain.
• Fire extinguishers – check the expiration date and pressure gauge, and ensure they are easily accessible in the event of an emergency. Ask your local fire department for advice on placement if you are uncertain.
• Install motion sensors or ensure exterior lighting is working properly for security and safety.
• Don’t place grills too close to the house.
• Bunk beds: ensure the top bunks have safety guards at least 5 inches above the mattress, and aren’t too close to ceiling fans.
• Ensure coffee makers have an auto-shut off.
• Remove any open flame candles or torches from the home (supply flashlights or safety lanterns for power-outages instead of candles).

Author: Ann Wood