Free host template
Vacation rental house rules template you can copy today
A complete, copy-and-paste house rules template for Airbnb, vacation rentals and short-term rentals: quiet hours, smoking, pets, parties, maximum guests, check-out tasks and damages. Replace the [BRACKETS] with your details — or turn it into a QR guest guide guests actually read during the stay.
The full house rules template
Copy the template below into your Airbnb House Rules field, welcome guide or house manual. Everything in [BRACKETS] is a placeholder — replace it with your property's details and delete any line that doesn't apply.
HOUSE RULES — [PROPERTY NAME] Welcome! A few simple rules keep this home in great shape and our neighbors happy. By staying here you agree to the following. QUIET HOURS • Quiet hours are [10:00 PM – 8:00 AM]. Please keep noise down on balconies and in shared hallways. • This is a [residential building / quiet street] — sound carries after dark. SMOKING • No smoking or vaping anywhere inside the property, including near open windows. • You may smoke [outside on the terrace / not at all] — please use the ashtray and don't leave butts behind. • A cleaning fee of [AMOUNT] applies if the space smells of smoke on check-out. PETS • Pets are [not allowed / allowed with prior approval — max 1, under 15 kg]. • If approved: keep pets off the beds and sofas, never leave them alone in the apartment, and clean up after them. PARTIES & EVENTS • No parties, events or gatherings. This is a home, not an event space. • Only the guests on the reservation may stay overnight. No unregistered visitors. MAXIMUM GUESTS • This property sleeps a maximum of [X] guests. The booking is for [X] people. • Extra guests are not permitted without written approval and may result in the reservation being cancelled. USING THE HOME • Please treat the apartment as your own: no moving heavy furniture, no adhesive hooks on walls. • Turn off lights, AC and appliances when you leave. Report anything broken — accidents happen, we won't be upset. CHECK-OUT TASKS • Check-out is by [11:00 AM]. • Please: start the dishwasher or leave used dishes in the sink, take out the trash to [LOCATION], and turn off the AC/heating. • Leave the keys [WHERE] and close all windows and the door behind you. DAMAGES & LIABILITY • Please report any damage or spills right away — it's almost always an easy fix. • Guests are responsible for damage caused by misuse or by unregistered guests. Serious damage beyond normal wear may be charged per the platform's terms. Thank you for taking care of our home — enjoy your stay! [YOUR NAME], [PHONE / WHATSAPP]
How to write each rule
1Quiet hours
State exact quiet hours and mention whether it's a residential building where sound carries. This is the single rule most likely to trigger a neighbor complaint, so make it specific rather than a vague “be respectful”.
Tip: Give a window (e.g. 10 PM–8 AM) rather than “at night” — guests interpret vague times generously.
2Smoking
Say clearly whether smoking and vaping are allowed and exactly where. If you charge a cleaning fee for smoke smell, name the amount here so it's not a surprise dispute later.
Tip: Include vaping explicitly — many guests assume vaping doesn't count as smoking.
3Pets
State whether pets are allowed, and if so, the size and count limits plus your conditions (off the furniture, never left alone). If pets aren't allowed, one line is enough.
Tip: If you allow pets on approval, ask guests to message you before booking — it avoids awkward check-ins.
4Parties & events
Ban parties and events explicitly, and separate that from the maximum-guests rule. Most platforms back you up on a clear no-parties policy, but only if it's written in your rules.
Tip: Add “only guests on the reservation may stay overnight” — it closes the unregistered-visitor loophole.
5Maximum guests
Put the exact sleeping capacity and the number the booking covers. This protects you against overcrowding and gives you grounds to act if far more people show up than were booked.
Tip: Tie extra guests to written approval so a friendly exception stays documented.
6Check-out tasks
List the few things you actually want done on check-out: dishes, trash, AC off, windows closed, keys returned. Keep it short — a long chore list on a paid stay reads badly and rarely gets done anyway.
Tip: Three or four simple tasks get followed; a ten-item list gets ignored. Prioritise ruthlessly.
7Damages & liability
Ask guests to report damage immediately and set the expectation that honest accidents won't be punished, while genuine misuse may be charged per the platform's terms. This framing gets you told about problems instead of finding them after check-out.
Tip: Lead with “report it, we won't be upset” — guests hide small damage when they fear a big charge.
Skip the printed sheet: make it a QR guest guide
A text template is a great start — but a printed rules sheet gets ignored, a PDF goes stale the day you change a policy, and international guests may not read your language. The interactive version of these rules is a mobile welcome page: guests scan a QR code by the door or tap a link and always see the current house rules alongside your check-in steps, Wi-Fi and local tips, auto-translated into 9 languages.
HostGreeter turns this exact structure into that page in a few minutes. See how house rules fit into a full guest guide in our Airbnb digital welcome book guide, pair it with our check-in instructions template, and learn how to put your guest information behind a QR code.
House rules FAQ
What should vacation rental house rules include?
Effective house rules cover seven things: quiet hours, smoking and vaping, pets, a clear no-parties policy, the maximum number of guests, the check-out tasks you expect, and how damages are handled. Keep each to a line or two, frame them positively, and make times and limits specific rather than vague.
How do I write house rules that guests actually follow?
Be specific and friendly. “Quiet hours 10 PM–8 AM, this is a residential building” works better than “please be respectful”. Keep the whole list short — guests skim — and lead with the reasoning (happy neighbors, keeping the home nice) rather than threats. Rules guests can read on their phone during the stay, not just at booking, get followed far more often.
Are Airbnb and vacation rental house rules legally enforceable?
House rules that a guest agrees to when booking are part of your agreement, and major platforms will generally support you on clear, reasonable rules like no parties, no smoking, and a guest limit — but only if the rule was stated in advance. Vague or after-the-fact rules are hard to enforce. Always write them into your listing and welcome materials before the stay.
Should house rules be a separate document or part of my welcome guide?
Both. List them in your platform's House Rules field so guests accept them at booking, and repeat them inside the property in your welcome guide so they're visible during the stay. A digital welcome page — opened from a QR code by the door or a link — always shows the current rules and can be auto-translated for international guests, which a printed sheet or PDF can't.
How many house rules should a vacation rental have?
Enough to cover quiet hours, smoking, pets, parties, guest limits, check-out and damages — usually seven short sections. Resist adding a rule for every past bad experience: an overwhelming list gets ignored and makes the stay feel unwelcoming. Cover what matters, keep the tone warm, and put the details guests need day-to-day (Wi-Fi, appliances) in your welcome guide instead.