Hosting a private room - Newbie with Questions

[Marilyn187]

Hi,  I'm brand new and I would like to rent out an extra bedroom/private bath in my townhouse in North Carolina.  I would love feedback from others who have done this.  My question is about security.  I work all day, so the guest would be in my house alone (well with my dog and cat).  Should I put a lock on my master bedroom and office?  I do not want anyone going in those rooms and I don't know if stating that in the contract/description is enough.  Has anyone rented out a private room in their home and were gone most of the day?  Has anyone rented out a private room with animals in the house?

Thanks for the help!

[Suzanne302]

@Marilyn187 

Don't worry, you'll get over the trust factor quickly! For the most part (there are exceptions, of course) people are good and are not going to clean you out when you leave for the day. 🙂

I've found it's important to meet your guests and establish a personal connection with them when they check in. Also, most guests are not hanging out at your place all day.

If you have important things you wouldn't want anyone touching it's never a bad idea to have a locked room with those things. I have a lock on my master bedroom door but rarely use it.

As for pets, I have a dog and I always leave her in my room when I'm not there. That's where she usually stays anyway when I'm gone whether there are guests or not. Even though most guests are trustworthy, I personally wouldn't want to chance her accidentally slipping out the door or anything else that could happen with strangers in your house.

Just in case the closed doors aren't message enough, I have signs on my bedroom door and my office that clearly say, "PRIVATE. No guest access. Thank you!" I don't lock my office door but I do have a motion sensor camera in the room and it has NEVER been triggered by a snooping guest, so again, most people will respect your privacy.

Again, once you host a few guests, you'll be able to relax and not worry so much about not being there! Happy hosting!

[Marilyn187]

Thanks so much!

[Julie143]

Make sure you put many pictures of your pets in the listing, and when guests request to book, make sure they know there are pets.

There is a place in the listing to disclose pets, but potential guests often don’t read that  far.

It seems to be a common thing for guests to book, and then cancel when they arrive and find out about the pets.

How will your dog react if it’s alone in one room and can hear the guest moving around the rest of the house?  Mine would go bezerk, but yours may be more chill. Maybe do a test run with a friend.

[Kath9]

@Marilyn187, I agree with the others that the vast majority of people are respectful and will not go through your personal things. However, I've read a lot of stories on this forum, and you could always get a bad apple. I have installed a lock on my bedroom door that I can lock from both the inside and the outside. Being able to lock my door at night when I'm asleep or when I'm out most definitely gives me peace of mind. I would recommend that you install locks on your bedroom and office.

I also have a dog and I ask my guests to put the her outside of they are going out and I'm not there. As @Julie143 said, do include a photo of your pets on your listing so people are aware that there are pets in the house.