What should you do if an illegal party is being held on your property?

Renting your home is a significant source of income that will certainly improve your financial situation. Like everything, though, it has its pros and cons. One circumstance that you may be concerned about is the possibility of damage to your property and the associated costs if you rent out your home to some people.

In this article, we will look at what steps to take if there is a party at your property, what steps you need to take, and what resources or services you can rely on to prevent it.

Steps to take to deal with the situation:

• Confirm the situation: Before taking any action, confirm what is happening. Ask neighbors or use the security systems installed in your property.
• Contact the tenants: Once you confirm the violation, contact the tenants by phone and let them know that you are aware of the situation and that they must stop the party immediately.
• Contact the appropriate authorities: If tenants do not respond to reasonable requests and continue to violate the rules, call the police or other competent security services, depending on the location of your home.
• Document the situation: Take photographs or videotape as evidence of what is happening, and record conversations with tenants.
• Assess the damage: After the party is over, inspect your property, assess the damage and decide how much of the lien should be retained to cover the cost of repairs.
• Update your housing rules: The key now is to prevent this from happening again. Strengthen the document that states what is allowed and what is not allowed in your accommodation, and if you have not already done so, mention the rental rules wherever you advertise your accommodation.

Noise law: what every property manager needs to know

If you manage a tourist attraction, you will be interested in this. You should know that the Spanish Noise Law is an issue that cannot be ignored if you are managing a tourist attraction.

Sanctions can include fines ranging from €750 to €3,000. It is important to realize that if noise levels are exceeded, the person who creates the noise is responsible - if your tenants create too much noise, they are liable to the law, not you as the landlord.

How to avoid conflicts and maintain a good reputation?

To avoid legal issues and tension with neighbors, it is recommended to establish clear and specific rules regarding acceptable noise levels in your residence. Inform your tenants about the legal restrictions on decibel levels and the times during which noise is permitted in your housing rules.

Preventive measures and how technology can help

Prevention is a key factor in stopping illegal parties from taking place in your home. Here are some technologies that can help you avoid such situations:

• Install security systems: Place cameras in strategic locations to deter potential misconduct by tenants. Additionally, this will help you have evidence in case of an illegal party taking place.
• Use property management services: If your role is just that of an owner and you do not live in the same place as the property, consider hiring a property management company that can handle dealings with tenants and problematic situations on your behalf, addressing them as they arise.
• Implement a tenant evaluation system: Use rental housing applications and platforms that allow you, as an owner or manager, to assess tenants before accepting a booking.

If you want to avoid such situations, Airbnb insurance (AirCover) can help you with that. If you are not familiar with it yet, it is a free service that provides protection for all bookings made through this platform, and it has recently been improved: the situations it covers and the payout amounts have been increased.

If you want to learn about what this Airbnb insurance covers, we suggest you watch this video where we take a closer look at this new service.