The Top 5 Safety Moves Every Short-Term Rental Pro Should Make

If you’ve been in the short-term rental industry for any length of time, you know that success comes from more than just good bookings and great reviews. It’s also about protecting your property, your guests, and your business from preventable risks. That’s why we believe every professional should have a short-term rental safety checklist — not just as a formality, but as a strategic layer of protection.

Working in this industry for over a decade, I’ve seen just about every type of claim you can imagine — and plenty that could have been avoided with a few simple, proactive steps. From liability lawsuits to lost income from preventable damage, these are the kinds of issues that keep great operators up at night. And while insurance is here to help when things go wrong, what I wish more professionals knew is how many of these issues can be prevented.

Most operators already take safety seriously. What this article offers are the five highest-impact safety moves that go beyond the basics — upgrades that reduce liability, prevent property damage, and support a smooth guest experience.

1. Perform Regular Maintenance and Post-Stay Inspections

One of the simplest ways to avoid safety-related claims is to build regular inspections into your turnover process — not just for cleaning, but for safety and wear-and-tear.

Every property should have a recurring checklist for reviewing:

• Guard rail stability
• Smooth edges on metal-framed windows and doors
• Loose outlets or light switches
• Alarm battery status
• Outdoor lighting visibility
• Smoke and carbon monoxide detector tests

Your maintenance checklist will vary depending on the layout, features, and amenities of each home. Take the time to think through the specific risks associated with each property and tailor your regular inspections accordingly. For example, homes with second-story decks or balconies should include railing stability checks, while properties with a wood-burning fireplace or stove should have carbon monoxide detector tests scheduled regularly. These small but specific actions can prevent big problems from catching you off guard.

🛠 Pro Tip: Add a monthly safety checklist to your maintenance calendar and include a quick inspection as part of your standard guest turnover. Your team doesn’t need to do everything at once — just consistently.

2. Anchor Heavy Furniture and Freestanding Decor

From oversized mirrors to bookshelves and arcade games, unsecured items pose serious tip-over risks — especially to children. Even if your guests are adults, leaning or pulling on an unstable item can cause injury or damage.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an estimated 17,800 people per year were treated in emergency rooms for tip-over injuries between 2020 and 2022, and children under 18 made up the majority of those cases (CPSC Tip-Over Report, 2023).

🛠 Pro Tip: Use anti-tip brackets and L-brackets for all tall furniture. Even small touches like wall-mounted TVs and secured floor lamps can make a big difference.

3. Install Pool and Hot Tub Alarms

If your property has a pool, spa, or even a small plunge pool, alarms and gate locks are essential. These aren’t just best practices — they can be lifesaving.

In one case, a child drowned in a rental property’s unalarmed pool, resulting in a $1.3 million settlement against the homeowner for failing to maintain reasonably safe premises source: Jurimatic.

🛠 Pro Tip: Add signage and self-latching gates. Include pool rules in your house manual or welcome tablet for added guest awareness.

4. Add Bed Bug Prevention Measures

You can’t control everything guests bring into your property, but you can reduce the risk of bed bug infestations by using certified mattress and pillow encasements and setting a regular inspection schedule.

Not only can infestations result in negative reviews and cancellations — they can also lead to significant lost revenue and remediation costs. 

🛠 Pro Tip: Train your cleaning staff to check for early signs like rust-colored spots or casings and schedule quarterly pest control inspections.

5. Apply Anti-Slip Measures in High-Risk Areas

The leading cause of guest injury in short-term rentals? Trips and falls. Whether it’s a slippery tile entryway or a slick pool deck, a simple misstep can lead to big consequences.

Anti-slip tape, textured mats, and even grippy coatings can drastically reduce this risk — and cost far less than dealing with a guest injury.

🛠 Pro Tip: Focus on tubs, showers, stair treads, and any surface that might get wet. A small investment here can protect your guests — and your bottom line.

Other Smart Ways to Protect Your Property

Beyond these five high-impact upgrades, there are other simple but effective ways to strengthen your safety posture:

• Upgrade open flame fireplaces to enclosed gas or electric models.
• Use tamper-resistant outlets to prevent electrical accidents.
• Pet-friendly property? Add gates, chew-resistant cords, and clear pet rules.
• Perform annual inspections on gas appliances, chimneys, and HVAC vents.
• Ensure your listing accurately reflects safety features — especially pool alarms, fireplaces, and cameras in public areas.

Combined, these small efforts form a strong second line of defense.

Keep Your Guests Informed — and Your Team Prepared

Even the best safety protocols only work when your guests and team know about them.

It’s a best practice to include a Safety & Emergency section in your guest welcome book or digital guide. Let them know where to find:

• Fire extinguishers
• Emergency exits
• Pool alarms and safety devices
• Instructions for using appliances or fireplaces

For your team, maintain a central maintenance and safety log. This doesn’t have to be complicated — a shared spreadsheet noting dates of inspections, filter replacements, and CO detector tests will go a long way in demonstrating diligence and preparedness.

And before every check-in, take timestamped photos of key areas and safety features. These serve as a record of your property's condition and can help speed up claims, if one arises.

Let’s Protect What You’ve Built — Together

Every professional in this space knows that reputation is everything. You’ve worked hard to build a business that guests trust — one that runs smoothly, earns great reviews, and keeps people coming back. The more you can do to prevent issues before they happen, the more you preserve not just your property, but your peace of mind.

Having spent years working with property managers and hosts, I’ve seen firsthand how the right safety practices can make all the difference. You don’t need to do it all overnight — even implementing just two or three of these improvements this quarter can create a stronger foundation for your business.

At Tint, we don’t believe in showing up only when something goes wrong. We’re here to help you keep things going right. Because the truth is, we care about the long-term success of your business just as much as you do.

You’ve built something valuable. Let’s protect it — together.