A last-minute booking came in for a one-night stay, and you’re expecting a routine experience. Instead, the next day, your cleaning crew arrives to find your property trashed.
Beer cans are scattered on the lawn, your furniture is covered in stains, and food is sitting out. Your vacation rental was used as a party pad. You’re glad you have short-term rental insurance but wish this would never have happened again.
Luckily, there are easy steps you can take to protect your property and make sure that parties don’t happen. Investing in an Airbnb noise monitor is a great first line of defense against guest parties.This post will provide you with everything you need to know about how a noise monitor can protect your property from parties.
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Why Invest in an Airbnb Noise Monitor
You obviously want to protect your property, but there is another important reason to invest in a noise monitor. As of August 2020, Airbnb instituted a strict global party ban.
Guests and listings found in violation of the party ban can face consequences such as a suspension of the guest account or listing, a lifetime ban, or legal action by Airbnb. Not to mention, a host could find themself in trouble with local authorities if their property is associated with some shady events.
There have been cases of short-term rentals getting kicked off of Airbnb for a party, even if the host had no idea it was happening. Investing in a noise monitor will make sure this doesn’t happen to you.
What Does an Airbnb Noise Monitor Do?
As the name suggests, the main thing an Airbnb noise monitor does is keep track of the volume at your Airbnb. It should be noted that in no way does the monitor record conversations in the home. This is extremely important to communicate, as anything less would violate the privacy laws and policies of Airbnb.
Noise monitors will allow you to set a volume level and will alert you if that volume is reached and sustained for more than a couple of minutes on your property. Loud music or conversations by a large group are the type of situations that would send an alert. If alerted, this allows the host an opportunity to message the guests and remind them of the noise and party policy.
Monitoring volume will protect you from noise complaints from your neighbors and may help your Homeowners Association be comfortable with you listing your property as a short-term rental. Additionally, alerting the host to a party will help prevent theft and other party damages from unauthorized guests in your listing.
How to Set-Up Your Listing for an Airbnb Noise Monitor
While exact set-up instructions will depend on brands, there are some specific rules of thumb to remember when setting up your noise monitor. First, be sure to have dependable WiFi, as most monitoring devices are run over WiFi.
Within your Airbnb listing, explicitly state that no parties are allowed on your property, and that sound monitoring is in progress. You may consider not allowing one-night bookings, day-of reservations, or Instant Book. Manually approving a guest will give you a chance to see the general age of a guest, and ask questions if you suspect the property could be used for a party. You could also consider collecting your own damage deposit through Airbnb. These precautions help weed out people who are specifically searching for a place to host a party.
Noise Monitoring During a Stay
Consider investing in a Ring video doorbell to let you know when people enter or exit the property (this can also be useful in self-check-in!). Place a small sign or note near commonly used appliances to let guests know that noise monitoring is in progress. Highlight that the device is in no way recording. Airbnb requires hosts to disclose any security cameras or recording devices on the property.
If you do get an alert from your noise monitor, take it as an opportunity to first remind guests of the no-party policy and local fines for noise complaints. If the noise continues, consider checking with your neighbors if they see any suspicious activity on your property. Or, drive to the property yourself. If there is indeed a party going on, take photos of the incident.
Popular Noise Monitor Brands
Now that we’ve gone over all the reasons you may want to invest in a noise monitor, let’s go over the best Airbnb noise monitors on the market.
NoiseAware
NoiseAware is the most popular noise monitoring device on the market. They offer both indoor and outdoor sensors, and a recent update for tamper detection if guests try to shut them off. The indoor sensor runs at $180 with an annual subscription to the NoiseAware services.
Roomonitor
Roommonitor’s noise alarm is another popular noise monitoring device. Hosts will be immediately notified by SMS or phone call if the noise alarm is triggered. The platform offers an easy-to-use dashboard and daily reports from the monitor. The monitor can be purchased for $45. The annual subscription comes in at $118.
Minut
Minut’s home monitoring service offers noise monitoring and other useful tools. Not only does it alert you to volumes exceeding the pre-set threshold, but offers alarm sound recognition, a home security alarm, temperature and humidity monitoring, motion detection, and occupancy monitoring by tracking the number of mobile devices in the property. Subscriptions begin at $120 a year. A Minut monitor can be purchased for $50.
Alexa Echo & Alexa Devices
Amazon has continued to advance and improve Alexa devices. There are now a plethora of smart devices, including the latest generation of Echo Dots. The Dots typically remain under $50.
Bonus: Party Squasher
While not a noise detection device, this app monitors the number of devices connected to your WiFi network. If you receive an alert that 10 devices are connected to your WiFi it could be a sign of unregistered guests in your property.
Recapping Noise Monitors
While the majority of Airbnb guests aren’t looking to host a party – it does happen. Investing in a noise monitor is a great way to protect your property, and to keep the Airbnb community safe and reliable.
Why invest in a noise monitor?
- Airbnb placed a global party ban into effect and will shut down your listing if any parties are reported.
- Protect your property from unregistered guests, damage, or theft
- Avoid noise complaints from neighbors or HOA
What a noise monitor does:
- Monitors for sustained volumes above a set level
- Does not record conversations
- Alerts host to loud noises on the property
Preparing your listing for party prevention:
- Include “No parties” in your listing
- Consider not accepting same-day bookings
- Consider turning off instant book
- Communicate with guests that noise monitoring is in progress
Popular noise monitoring devices:
Hosting an Airbnb is an overwhelmingly positive experience. To protect yourself from those rare occurrences where a guest takes advantage of the community, prepare your property with noise monitoring. A noise monitor alongside these other party prevention tips will give you peace of mind knowing that it’s “just another routine day” of hosting.
Host Tools provides an automated, unified calendar for short-term rental hosts, allowing you to seamlessly list on all major channels. Start your free trial today!
