Your vacation rental business is up and going, and your calendar is already booked solid with reservations. There is only one issue: Your short-term rental is hated by your neighbors. You’re not the only one if this frantic sounds familiar. The neighbors of many hosts’ vacation rentals are the major source of frustration.
Some neighbors associate parties and carelessness with vacation rentals. You can persuade them otherwise and demonstrate how the area might profit from your vacation rental. It’s time to take action if you and your neighbors are at odds over your short-term rental. We’ve described how to handle the matter and resolve the issue of Airbnb or vacation rental neighbor complaints so your business can flourish without upsetting those who live nearby.
Can neighbors voice complaints regarding Airbnb?
Let’s first discuss if the neighbors have a legitimate reason to be furious before discussing how to handle them. What legal action might neighbors use to protest vacation rentals? The solution may be tiered.
The HOA argument largely revolves around this issue. Can a vacation rental’s operation be limited by HOA rules or local ordinances? Recently, there has been a move to restrict or outright prohibit holiday rentals in certain areas. Following the Eager v. Peasley case, where the court determined that short-term rentals are not “single-family residential uses” but “commercial use,” many HOAs have adhered to this decision and used it as justification to outlaw vacation rentals. You must review the rules of your Home Owner Association before beginning a vacation rental business. If not, you can have a legal dispute with your neighbors.
Restrictions on vacation rentals may apply outside of your neighborhood. Be sure to inquire about any conditions, if any, with your town hall and locality. Cities frequently demand that the vacation rental register or receive a certain license to operate. Your neighbors won’t have much to base their claim on if you follow all legal requirements.
Typically, having irate neighbors isn’t an isolated incident. The neighbors may be more irritated by the continuation of this happening than by the mere fact that your vacation rental exists if your guests have a pattern of parties or late arrivals. When responding to complaints from neighbors, keep this in mind. Even if the vacation rental is lawful, there may still be legal repercussions for violating noise ordinances, local curfews, and parking restrictions. Your visitors must abide by the neighborhood regulations just like you would if you lived there yourself, or your neighbors may take legal action against you.
How to handle neighbor concerns about your short-term rental
There are several benefits to being popular with your neighbors. An additional set of eyes to check on your property, a welcoming atmosphere for your guests, and a generally positive relationship with your neighborhood are all benefits of allyship for your vacation rental. However, there is no guarantee that your neighbors will share their enthusiasm for your vacation home. When it comes to a short-term rental, the neighbors’ relationship is typically hidden until it has soured. We’ve got the steps listed below if you want to strengthen or mend your relationships with your neighbors.
Phone conversations
This is the most important step in repairing your relationship with your neighbors. The impersonality of holiday rentals is one of the things that make neighbors dislike them. Many people relocate to communities to have a sense of belonging. They can feel uncomfortable living with strangers if you don’t attempt to introduce themselves to guests who arrive at your vacation rental while visitors are busy. Talking to your neighbors face-to-face will help to humanize the encounters and remove any potential for misunderstanding. ç
Keep in mind that you, not them, are the ones earning from this venture. Meeting your neighbors in person will help them see that you’re considering them even though it may seem like you’re invading their space. Remember that your vacation rental business also affects your neighbors, so treat them with the same respect as your visitors.
Consult your vacation rental policies and HOA rules.
If speaking face-to-face didn’t help to diffuse the situation, you might have to resort to your neighborhood’s rules. As previously indicated, your holiday rental must fully abide by all applicable HOA and municipal legislation. If you’ve already done this, it might be useful to demonstrate to your neighbors that running your vacation rental business is legal.
Walk carefully to avoid giving the impression that you are hurling proof at them. Mention subtly that there is nothing incorrect or unlawful about your vacation rental and that you are willing to work with them to find a solution.
Disallow gatherings and events
Your vacation rental’s presence probably doesn’t disturb you as much as what occurs there. Nobody wants a bass thump in their living room every weekend, nor do they want strangers parking in every cul-de-sac spot. You should reassess the rules specified in your vacation rental property guidelines so as not to worsen the conflict.
Setting an age limit, adding a noise clause, and restricting parties could frighten away some. Still, eventually, this will assist in minimizing unpleasant guests and keep your neighborhood problems at bay.
Implement realistic check-in and check-out times
Even if your guests aren’t party animals, the sound of baggage wheeling across the curb at 6 in the morning for red-eye flights or late-night check-ins might drive your neighbors insane, and justifiably so! Only allowing reasonable check-in and check-out timings minimize unnecessary noise outside your home at unusual hours.
You can even take this further by only permitting check-ins throughout the weekend. This would not only keep things quiet in your neighborhood but also encourage longer durations of stay rather than one-night bookings.
Takeaways
Avoid being a part of the Airbnb horror stories by keeping your neighbors pleasant and peaceful. It might seem like an impossible endeavor to please both neighbors and guests, but a happy medium does exist. By following all the HOA and local rules correctly, you minimize any potential legal difficulties with neighbors. Keeping strong ties with your neighbors should also exist outside of the courthouse.
Only permitting guests who would be nice neighbors, although temporary, will enable individuals who live close to feel a little better about your holiday property. Ultimately, people want to live in peace, so ensure your home and guests don’t disturb that.
