Short-term rentals are becoming increasingly popular, and there are a lot of homeowners out there that are finding that they can pull in a tidy income by renting out their homes to guests who prefer a personal approach in comparison to the traditional hotels out there.

Airbnb is a fantastic way to put your spare space to good use, and it’s convenient and easy to use the site for those who have no idea where to start. It’s not always plain sailing, while it may seem really easy: list your property, find tenants over the summer and bring in some cash – it’s not always that simple. All you have to do is search for ‘bad Airbnb guest reviews’ and bam, you’re in the rabbit hole and you end up believing that renting out your house is a bad idea.

From property damage to social media party frenzies, there are horror stories out there. The question is whether you are willing to see past the 5% of stories that are bad in comparison to the 95% of stories about Airbnb guests that are positive. Airbnb does a fantastic job of screening tenants and there are options for cover for some types of property up to $1 million, but they can’t cover everything. There are some things that are up to you to secure yourself, such as your personal information or important documents that you left behind in the rental.

There are ways as an Airbnb host that you can protect yourself against the threats out there, and you absolutely should look into these if you want your home to stay as secure as possible. Below, you will find some of the best tips that we’ve got to protect yourself and your valuables when renting out your property on Airbnb.