Horror stories abound about Airbnb rentals used for parties, prostitution, and even human trafficking. As parties increasingly go underground, with COVID-19 restrictions, pop-up brothels and strip clubs are staged in Airbnb rentals, much to the Airbnb community’s dismay.
If you are concerned about parties in your rental, you should seriously consider noise monitoring.
A few noise monitoring solutions for your Airbnb include devices such as Party Squasher, Minut, and Roomonitor to stop the party in its tracks. Noisy parties are not only a threat to your property but also lead to disputes with your rental’s local community, and have legal liabilities.
Noise monitoring systems alert you as soon as trouble starts on your Airbnb property and allows you to tackle the issue before it escalates. If you wonder how noise monitoring will help keep your rental safe (and the neighbors happy), read on.
Table of Contents
- Why Choose a Noise Monitoring Device?
- Can Noise Monitoring Be Considered an Invasion of Guest Privacy?
- What Is the Best Method to Avoid Parties in Your Airbnb?
- What Are the Best Noise Monitoring Systems for Airbnb?
- Which Rentals Are More at Risk?
- Can I Allow My Guests To Throw a Party in My Airbnb Rental?
- What Other Ways May I Prevent Risky Guests and Potential Parties?
- Will Noise Monitoring Justify Its Expense?
- Conclusion
Why Choose a Noise Monitoring Device?
Although most of our Airbnb hosting runs perfectly smoothly, there are sometimes incidents that catch us unaware. A small percentage of Airbnb users use their short time rentals to host house parties, which can have a host of consequences for an Airbnb owner.
The co-founder of NoiseAaware, David Krauss, found out the hard way that a guest booking for a quiet weekend landed up costing Krauss $30,000 and resulted in selling his Airbnb property. The COVID 19 restrictions on nightclubs have further exacerbated the ‘house party rental’ problem, with even strip clubs using short term rentals to ply their trade.
Quarantine backlash has created a substantial increase in large gatherings in the short-term rental business as well, and NoiseAware found that 1 out of 11 reservations has produced disturbances to neighbors and communities.
While the need for social gathering spaces increases with COVID related restrictions, short term rentals have been a default choice of party locations. Data collected by NoiseAware noted that noise disturbances between April and July 2020 increased up to 270%.
Other factors that make noise monitoring a must-have option for Airbnb rentals include the following benefits.
Protection of Airbnb Property
It is a sad fact that large gatherings of people, along with the copious intake of alcohol, are a recipe for disaster in your Airbnb rental.
In large groups, guests have no real answerable personal stake in the care of your property and may exhibit irresponsible behavior in your home.
From red wine spills to cigarette burns, the possibilities of damage may even extend to appliances, plumbing, and structural damage. With larger groups in small spaces, the chances of accidents are far more significant.
In our post about party prevention devices, one such story included our friend who had guests pee on his walls in the bathroom.
Protection From Theft
The nature of house parties is that you will always find some hangers-on guests admitted without the host knowing them personally.
Unfortunately, some individuals might use the cover of a party to steal belongings in your Airbnb rental. The greater the number of people who collect in your Airbnb rental, the higher the risk of potential theft and the less that guest is accountable for crimes.
Without any personal ties to the host, Partygoers may be more inclined to take advantage of their anonymity to pocket Airbnb rental items without consequence. Being alert to your rental occupants’ noise levels allows you to intervene and circumvent parties’ potential hazards on the premises.
Neighbor Complaints
Noise disturbance in a multi-family residence or apartment complex can cause neighbor complaints and even police intervention. Specific Homeowners Associations (HOAs) can even pressure Airbnb owners to sell their apartments if unruly guest behaviors disrupt neighbors.
Rental owners subject to HOA control may even be banned from short term rentals in their jurisdiction. Even beyond HOA concerns, being on bad terms with your neighbors can open you up to injunctions against creating a nuisance. Keeping an ear on your rental could prevent disputes with your non-Airbnb neighbors.
In fact, a growing number of hosts are finding that their neighbors are resentful of the noise and disturbances. So being proactive about guest behavior can actually save some of your relationships.
Can Noise Monitoring Be Considered an Invasion of Guest Privacy?
Most noise monitoring devices do not breach privacy laws because they record decibel levels rather than audio recordings. Airbnb still requires hosts to disclose all security cameras and recording devices in their listings and prohibit any cameras or recording devices in private spaces such as bedrooms and bathrooms.
There are members of the public who express privacy concerns over non-audio decibel monitoring systems. They believe that it collects and processes personal data, even if there are no audio recording features. However, products such as NoiseAwrwe claim to be 100% privacy safe noise monitoring systems and are thus contravention of no privacy infringement laws.
Airbnb states explicitly that any recording device in or around a listing must be disclosed in the Things to Know section under Health and Safety. They also require hosts to disclose how they will monitor the guests and if any active recording will occur in the rental.
Furthermore, hosts must let their guests know where they installed their monitoring devices of any kind. Airbnb suggests hosts place signs near the appliances for transparency. Airbnb also suggests that noise monitors should be disclosed in the host’s listing descriptions, House Rules, or their house manual.
The onus is on Airbnb owners to let guests know if and where they have installed monitoring devices of any kind. Airbnb owners should mention them in your listing description, House Rules, or house manual.
What Is the Best Method to Avoid Parties in Your Airbnb?
The Director of Business Development at NoiseAware, Micheal Goldin, suggests a three-tier system to ensure that your rental is party proof. Ensuring that your rental neighbors are not disturbed means fewer complaints that lead to bans on short term rental properties. The three systems include:
- Trust and verification platforms such as Superhog, launched by Guardhog, using sophisticated technology to isolate bad hosts and bad guests in the home-sharing industry.
- Non-privacy-infringing noise monitoring systems such as NoiseAware allows hosts to monitor guest behavior in terms of noise disturbance.
- Proper Insurance for your property and possessions as a fail-safe should the above measures fail.
What Are the Best Noise Monitoring Systems for Airbnb?
The three top noise monitoring devices that are endorsed by Airbnb are NoiseAware, Rommonitor, and Minut. These devices measure decibel levels without infringing on your guest’s privacy and give us hosts peace of mind that our rental will not become the next house party location.
Point by Minut
The Minut smart home monitoring system allows users instant alerts to noise issues and offers customizable thresholds and automated guest communication features. One of the most versatile monitoring systems, Minut combines:
- Motion detection
- Glass breaking
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Mold
- Light
- Noise
The Minut Point smart home alarm is a breeze to install and carries no subscription fees. Download the Minut app and create an account, add the Point to your existing WiFi, and the app guides users through the rest of the installation process. Your rental can be under protection in less than 10 minutes and with very little fuss.
The minut system measures sound levels without recording or listening and does not collect, store, or share any personal data. With on-device analysis and camera-free operation, minut delivers security without violating your guest’s privacy.
Minut Features
- Tamper protection alerts and an onboard siren that prevents guests from tampering with the device
- Minut can integrate with existing smart home systems. Even though the Minut is a stand-alone device, it can work with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT.
- Noise monitoring that calculates noise overtime to ensure random noises don’t result in unnecessary alerts
- Motion and Temperature sensors alert you when guests arrive and depart and enable owners to ensure cooling or heating systems are not left running after check out.
- Self-installing and wireless for ultimate ease in setting up your Airbnb rental monitoring system
- Minut has alarm system recognition and can alert you to other alarm systems in your rental space by instant alerts on your mobile phone.
Cost of Minut
Minut is the most affordable smart home monitoring system, and subscription is free for single listings, making it excellent for those on a budget.
- Product costs: $149 per unit
- Subscription fees: Free for a single unit, $7.99 per month in USD for multiple listings
- Availability: All countries except Russia, South America, and Africa
Roomonitor
Roomonitor Noise alarm is a smart device that monitors the noise levels in your short-term rental in a privacy-sensitive device that monitors decibels without audio recording.
Roomonitor uses an algorithm based sensing system to analyze noise patterns and alert Airbnb owners with a real-time SMS and phone call when violations are detected.
Roomonitor goes one step further than most noise monitoring systems by allowing hosts to outsource their noise management responses to a professional team that operates between the hours of 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., when you will most likely be asleep. This support system even has a team to visit your property should your guests not respond to texts or phone calls and the noise escalates.
Roomonitor Features
- Compatible with most devices, including computers tablets for real-time alerts on the go
- Simple plug and play installation with a provided adaptor for easy connection
- Supports multi-properties on one easy to use interface
- Roomonitor AlarmAssistant provides a service to attend to your rental when you are not available to engage with your guests or visit your location to resolve noise issues (subject to the property location.)
- Roomonitor is 100% privacy safe decibel detection without audio recording capacity.
Cost of Roomonitor
Considering how much money you might potentially save in terms of property damage, Roomonitor’s pricing is average for noise monitoring systems. The pricing of the Roominotor device is as follows:
- Product price: USD 165
- Subscription fees: $8.50 monthly fees
- Availability: Worldwide availability
Party Squasher
Although Party Squasher is not technically a noise monitoring system, it is a great tool to have in your anti-party short-term rental arsenal. This ingenious anti-party device is the first occupancy counter for rental spaces to protect rental areas from surprise parties.
Almost everybody has a smartphone these days, and this system monitors and tallies the number of mobile phones in the vicinity with a calibration system.
This system then distinguishes between mobile phones on your property and those of your neighbors. When numbers begin to swell in a covert rental party, owners are notified of the suspicious activity so that they may curtail the problem before it kicks into gear.
This device is perfect for short term rentals and allows members access to real-time and historical data of their property should any disputes occur after the fact. The Party Squasher app will enable you to integrate multiple properties and connect to listing calendars to access your guests’ contacts.
Party Squasher Features
- A simple installation process that links to your router and counts mobile devices, even ones not connected to your WiFi network
- Privacy-friendly with no audio recording or camera systems to violate guest privacy
- Party Squasher does not collect or store data or track personal mobile numbers and is GDPR compliant.
- Alerts rental owners to spiked in numbers of mobile users in a rental property in real-time
- Alerts rental owners via SMS and email when the user’s customized occupant threshold number is exceeded
- Tamper-proof alerts inform rental owners if the device is deactivated due to power outages or tampering.
- Full 6-month money-back guarantee if users are not happy with the Party Squasher service
Cost of Party Squasher
Party Squasher demands a comparatively high price to the noise monitoring systems on the market. The product does not lend itself to multi-unit, wood-framed buildings where it may prove difficult to distinguish between mobile users.
- Product Price: $249 for the device and a full one-year subscription
- Subscription fees: USD 199 per year, renewable annually
- Availability: USA and Canada (Contact Party Squasher for Amazon product availability for other countries.)
NoiseAware
NoiseAware was created by its co-founder, David Krauss, who experienced every Airbnb host’s biggest nightmare of a ‘quiet weekend’ guest using his rental for a weekend party bash. That one party left Krauss 30,000 dollars out of pocket, and he was forced to sell his Airbnb rental.
They created NoiseAware with a decibel monitoring system that does not have audio recording features, making it a suitable monitoring system for Airbnb rentals. NoseAware is a part of a growing industry that uses sound, not visuals, to monitor guests’ behavior when using short term rentals.
NoiseAware provides a real-time solution to the growing exploitation of the global Airbnb market by guests and nightclub owners. There have even been indications of an increasing trend in sex workers availing themselves of Airbnb properties to ply their trade.
We have seen this activity in our own rental as well. This fact is a sobering thought to Airbnb owners who want to run a clean business and avoid such associations.
How Does NoiseAware Work?
NoiseAware functions as a ‘smoke detector for noise’ through smart home noise sensors placed strategically in areas of your rental both inside and outdoors. The sensors are easy to install and monitor the noise risk score, which is a calculation based on the number of decibels over a specific time.
A sensor that went off each time there was a loud noise would be an irritation, so the system calculates the decibels over several minutes before identifying the sound as being over your chosen threshold.
Once the guests are in breach of your noise protocols, you will be altered via a text that your guests are creating a disturbance so you can rectify a potential problem (like a party) before neighbors are disturbed.
Once altered, the host may send a friendly reminder to their guests to turn down their volume, which in most cases is enough to alert your guests to their error. This alert makes it easier to nip budding parties in the bud and prevent extended periods of noise that can cause HOA complaints and bad neighbor relations.
NoiseAware Features
NoiseAware is easy to install and protect your rental in a matter of minutes. The system provides indoor and outdoor sensors and integrates up to five properties for homeowners and 6+ properties for property managers in one easy to use platform. NoiseAware aims to monitor your portfolio, protect your property from noise, damages, and false complaints in a straightforward system.
The NoiseAware features include:
- 100% privacy safe operation with only decibel monitoring and no audio recording capacity
- NoiseAware boasts an intuitive dashboard that allows hosts real-time data, searchable events, direct messaging to guests.
- 24/7 monitoring or your Airbnb property delivered straight to your mobile, so you have access to relevant information no matter where you are in relation to your rental
- Access to historical data should any dispute arise after the fact and the entire history of your rentals noise management.
- NoiseAware monitors are entirely weatherproof so that you may use them on any area of your rental property, including near hot tubs and swimming pools.
- NoiseAware users have the option of customizing their property noise threshold limits to suit their environment. For instance, a free-standing house on more extensive grounds would not have the same decibel restrictions as a smaller apartment in a high-density residential.
Cost of NoiseAware
In their bid to offer greater security to their members, Airbnb endorses NoiseAware and provides a 25% discount on the purchase of your NoiseAware system (subject to current availability in 2021.)
- Airbnb Offer: $149 (less 25% of the regular price of $199)
- Price of Subscription: $10 per month or an annual fee of $99
- Countries Available: Valid in North America, Canada, and the US
Which Rentals Are More at Risk?
Hostfully published a white paper showing a 40% increased average risk of rentals of 8 to 9 rooms post-COVID-19, with only a 9% and 18% average risk increase in two rooms or less and three rooms or less, respectively.
Larger units with six rooms and more have been substantially more vulnerable to guest misconduct.
Airbnb owners with properties that offer six-plus rooms should be particularly vigilant of suspicious bookings as they target underground parties. Meanwhile, Local guests who book one night rentals are increasingly becoming red-flagged as Airbnb rolls out initiatives to limit unauthorized house parties.
But those are for parties. Smaller short term rentals are more susceptible to illicit sexual and drug activities, particularly if single night bookings are allowed on short notice.
Can I Allow My Guests To Throw a Party in My Airbnb Rental?
Airbnb has made the rules clear in their Party and Events Policy for Airbnb Members.
Due to the exponential increases of parties’ incidences since COVID-19 restrictions, Airbnb countered with a complete global ban on all parties and events hosted in Airbnb rentals and a hard cap of 16 guests.
As of August 20, 2020, this ban is under effect and will be indefinite until further notice. Airbnb community standards also prohibit Airbnb members from creating a nuisance to their surrounding neighborhoods. Airbnb expects hosts and guests to honor this standard and the policy prohibitions including:
- Gathering that exceeds 16 people
- All disruptive events and parties
Consequences of Violating Airbnb Party and Events Prohibitions
Guests reported contravening the party and event regulations are subject to suspension or removal from Airbnb’s platform. Hosts that allow such behaviors will face the suspension or permanent expulsion of their Airbnb listing.
All disruptive events or parties are prohibited regardless of their size and are punishable by account removal for guests and listing removal of hosts who allow such behaviors. If properties have caused severe disruption to their neighbors, Airbnb may permanently remove listings from the Airbnb platform.
In other words, this means your neighbors can call Airbnb and get your listings shut down!
Listing Content Guidelines
To not attract disruptive behavior in Airbnb rentals, hosts must not advertise their lodgings as party or event friendly or advertise space for over 16 people. In violation of this rule, listings may be suspended for thirty days and demand an updated listing that supports the party and event prohibition.
How Do I Report a Party in an Airbnb Rental?
If an Airbnb rental is causing a disturbance such as excessive noise or a gathering larger than 16 members, members of the local community may report the incident to Airbnb Neighborhood Support.
Neighborhood support provides the necessary links to local emergency services, and community members may access the Neighborhood Support team contact information to report a party in progress. Airbnb then replies with a confirmation email describing the procedure to rectify the situation.
For hosts that need to shut down a party in progress, here’s a more in depth post on what to do.
What Other Ways May I Prevent Risky Guests and Potential Parties?
With the rise of the pop-up Airbnb party destinations, there are certain ways that Airbnb hosts may protect themselves and their properties from potential exploitation.
Specific guest behavior may alert savvy hosts to possible risky activities. Airbnb owners should remain vigilant to red flag behaviors in unscrupulous guests seeking to turn your rental into a nightclub.
Here are some ways to identify potential party guests:
- Identify red flag characteristics of a booking that suggests a party such as a small group booking a large property, one night only reservations, and local guest bookings.
- Keep your prices competitive while not lowering your price substantially. The lower-priced venue is often the site of riskier reservations, such as for illicit sex and drug activity.
- Carefully measure the risk of local guests that seek one night rentals.
- Ensure your listing prohibits parties and include the presence of devices such as NoiseAware on your listing.
- Collect copies of all your guest’s identification where possible.
- Be suspicious of prepaid credit cards if accepting direct bookings, and only accept payment from one valid credit card. Be wary of multiple card declines when guests attempt payment.
- Collect your security deposit from your guests to ensure that they are less likely to indulge in risky behavior.
- Have your guests sign or digitally sign a short term rental policy through a platform such as HelloSign or AutoHost.
- Let your guests know that you or a manager lives nearby in case of any problems (Which may be a deterrent).
- Try and combine all the tips above to keep your property safe and your rental neighbors happy.
Will Noise Monitoring Justify Its Expense?
With the dramatic increase of unsanctioned parties in Airbnb properties for the foreseeable future, noise monitoring can pay itself back many times over. This can be seen through figures that show that the reports of party activity shot up almost double to 1 in 11 stays experiencing a noise event post-COVID-19.
Airbnb’s zero party tolerance, as well as their endorsement of noise monitoring systems such as Minut and NoiseAware, indicate that the underground Airbnb party scene has become a serious issue. Increased local communities’ complaints about noise disturbances increase the likelihood that HOAs and other housing bodies may prohibit Airbnb rentals in certain areas and residences.
Noise events are a red flag for potential damages to your rental, and NoiseAware has demonstrated a 30 percent reduction in damage claims for homeowners in its partnership with insurance providers.
With the growing trend of Airbnb exploitation, it is a wise move to arm yourself with a means of early detection of guest misbehavior. Ad David Krauss can attest, forewarned is forearmed. After all, you can’t really put a price tag on peace of mind.
Conclusion
In these unprecedented times, it seems that keeping a digital ear on your Airbnb guests is more viable than keeping an eye on them in these privacy-sensitive times.
Noise monitoring systems such as NoiseAware are invaluable tools for hosts to stay abreast of potential issues in their rentals before they become a full-blown problem.