by Dakota Murphey
There’s been a rise in short-stay rentals and holiday lets in recent years, with the likes of Airbnb and Booking.com making it a viable investment for so many people. However, one of the challenges with this type of rental property is guaranteeing security, both for the asset itself and your guests.
The unique security challenges facing holiday let properties
Holiday lets and short-stay rental properties have a unique set of challenges that set them apart from a traditional rental. A classic residential rental gives agents and landlords consistent oversight and a chance to know your tenants better, whereas a holiday let has far more frequent guest turnover and more opportunities for security vulnerabilities to emerge.
The transient nature of short-term rentals means that garage security isn’t just focused on protecting vehicles, but also safeguarding guest belongings, furniture, and equipment in the property, and any of the owner’s own assets which are stored on-site.
When security measures fail, owners don’t just face the cost of theft or damage, but the longer-term consequences of negative reviews, increased insurance premiums, and potential liability claims. For this reason, a comprehensive approach to security is essential.
Controlling keys
At the heart of any effective garage security strategy lies reliable access control. Keyzapp provides a sophisticated cloud-based key management system that addresses one of the most critical vulnerabilities in property rentals: unauthorised access to keys. Keys create significant risks for holiday lets during guest changeovers, since physical keys can often be misplaced or not returned by the guest.
Keyzapp helps you eliminate this vulnerability by giving you the tools to know who had a key when, which keys were returned and flags any missing keys at each changeover. The system creates a comprehensive, traceable trail that logs every all key handovers and proves invaluable for maintaining security but also for resolving disputes, investigating incidents, and building trust.
How garage security directly impacts guest reviews
The next step is the garage door—it’s central to the security of this space and also how easily guests and owners can use this area of the property. An outdated door that’s a struggle to operate is inconvenient for everyone, but it also leaves your property vulnerable to break-ins. If guests trust the security of the garage, they’ll be more inclined to park their vehicle in there or store items without worry, which means you can confidently include this as an asset to your rental.
A secure garage door that’s well-maintained and regularly serviced may also help to reduce your insurance premiums, signalling to insurers that you have a secure system in place and potentially present less need to make a future claim.
GRP garage doors: the superior choice for durability
Garage doors come in a variety of materials and styles, but for security, durability, and aesthetics, GRP is the leading choice—a composite material made from glass fibre reinforced resin with an insulated core. Garage door specialists CDC Garage Doors explain that there are several benefits to GRP from an operational and security perspective. The material offers the advantages of being both low maintenance and exceptionally durable to impact, warping, corrosion, and weather. Additionally, it’s fully customisable in a range of finishes and colours, and incredibly lightweight, making it easier for guests to operate.
While steel may be the go-to choice for a secure door, these modern composite doors provide superior strength-to-weight ratio when compared to traditional steel or wooden alternatives, and require a fraction of the upkeep. This makes them significantly more resistant to forced entry attempts and easier for holiday let owners who want something hardwearing but easy to look after.
For property owners managing a larger portfolio, eliminating ongoing maintenance worries provides significant peace of mind. With GRP, there’s no need for regular staining, treatments, or repair work, all of which would consume valuable time and resources between guest stays. GRP garage doors are renowned for being long-lasting and durable, so you can be assured that your door will remain effective year after year, and will stay looking good as new for guests.
However, safety and security remain the primary concern, so owners should be sure to verify the fire rating and security certification of the door they’re looking to buy, and check that it’s appropriate for the specific property type or local regulations. This ensures compliance while also maximising protection.
Implementing a multi-layered security strategy
In the rental market, reputation is everything, and margins are often tight, so investment in the right security measures is fundamental. But security isn’t a one-and-done deal. It requires a multi-layered and thoughtful approach to be successful. Intelligent access control through systems like Keyzapp, paired with physical resilience in the form of durable, impact-resistant garage doors, gives holiday let owners the confidence that their assets are protected against the unique vulnerabilities that come with short-stay rentals.