Malicious guests in B&Bs and short stay accommodation have been a constant news story for the past few months. So how can you protect yourself and your property from damaging guests? There are a few ways you can make sure your place stays well looked after, and if it doesn’t, how you can be covered for the damage your guests cause.
Cover your B&B
Most insurance companies do not offer malicious damage cover for short term stays, but Nepean Brokers do. Be aware, however, that there will be limits on how much you can claim for malicious damage by guests. Covering your property correctly for these short stays can make sure your losses are minimalised damage does occur. There have been a few horror stories lately of malicious property damage occurring and it has caused thousands of dollars worth of damages, so ensuring your short stay can help you have peace of mind when it comes to allowing guests to stay in your establishment.
Know your guests
If you want to try and prevent troublemakers reserving a room, you might send them a short message asking them generic questions like why they might be in town, who they’re with and what they do for a living. If something doesn’t feel right when they respond, chances are they aren’t a guest you would like to have in your B&B.
Provide clear cut rules
Providing guests with a manual or rule book when they check in keeps you covered and gives them no opportunity to debate that they were never told the rules. It may also be worthwhile obtaining a credit card imprint or similar. Setting these boundaries on your website, brochure or outlining them on arrival means that the guests know what is expected of them before they begin their stay.
Document damages
If you see that damage has occurred after a guest has stayed, making sure you have photo evidence to back up your claim is key. Take photos of the house beforehand and have them on file to compare the two if damage has occurred. It may sound like a time-consuming task to take photos of your rooms, but when the day comes that damage has occurred, you’ll be thankful that you took the necessary precautions to keep your business well covered.
Here are just a few ways to try and keep troublemakers out of your B&Bs. If you haven’t been able to find a suitable insurance coverage plan for your establishment, Nepean Brokers would love to chat to you and help you get the peace of mind that you deserve with a tailored insurance package for your short stay needs.
