In vacation rentals, guest safety isn’t just a box to check—it’s a fundamental part of a successful, sustainable business. Yet convincing homeowners to invest in safety can be an uphill battle. During Breezeway’s ELEVATE 2025 session on “Building Trust Through Safety: Safe Guest Experiences and Protected Properties,” vacation rental managers shared how they’ve successfully educated and inspired owners to prioritize safety across their properties.

From real-life stories to practical tips, panelists Lorenia Leyva (Maimon Group), Daniel Galbraith (Harris Vacations), and Caleb Ready (Island Time Hilton Head Island), with moderator Justin Ford (Breezeway) offered a roadmap for getting owners on board with safety measures that protect guests, prevent liabilities, and even increase property value.

Here’s how to bring homeowners along on the journey to safer stays.

Training through the Breezeway safety course

Getting an owner to understand the importance of vacation rental safety is much easier when it’s echoed by every member of your team. That’s why Lorenia Leyva recommends having all staff go through Breezeway’s safety training program. This ensures that every point of contact with the homeowner reinforces the same safety messaging.

“Because it's very difficult when you're one person trying to explain to an owner why they should do something,” Lorenia explained. “But all of a sudden, when you have five different people that all bring their own version and their own pitch to an owner, it really has helped.”

Start with baby steps and a clear plan

Rather than overwhelming owners with a list of issues, Lorenia and her team use Breezeway’s safety inspection checklist during onboarding to identify what safety measures are still needed and provide an owner with a summary of costs. This gives them a baseline and helps set expectations. They then work with owners to plan improvements over time.

“We work with owners to say in three to six months, we will have put this money aside to make the necessary improvements, and we will have your home safety certified,” Lorenia said. This baby-steps approach makes the process feel manageable and keeps safety top of mind as part of the property’s growth plan.

Show how safety adds value to the property

Reframing safety upgrades as capital improvements can shift the conversation from a cost to an investment. Lorenia noted that her team encourages owners to build a reserve fund specifically for safety enhancements, making it easier to justify these expenses in terms of long-term property value and tax advantages.

Lorenia shared that when having conversations with owners, “we like to frame safety as a capital improvement for owners for tax purposes versus just asking them to do something where they won’t feel the reward.”

Be clear about the risks of not taking safety seriously

Sometimes the best way to get an owner’s attention is by showing what’s at stake if safety is ignored. Caleb Ready shared how something as simple as mounting fire extinguishers became a point of resistance for owners—until he explained the potential consequences.

“Reminding owner you've got a beautiful home that you've invested millions of dollars in,” he said. “So say a guest is making bacon in the morning, and the grease splashes over. Now you’ve got a grease fire. The guest has to be able to access the fire extinguisher as quickly as possible, because the other option is to lose your multi-million-dollar investment completely.”

Daniel Galbraith emphasized the power of storytelling to make the abstract risks of safety issues feel tangible. He shared his own experience managing a property where a guest fatality occurred—something that continues to inform his commitment to safety today.

“Safety is 100% a process, you have to take it one step at a time,” Daniel said. “But when you can share stories about negative things that can happen if you don't take safety seriously, then it's pretty fast to get the buy-in from owners.”

Set a standard and make it visible

Once you have one safety-certified property, use it to raise the bar for your entire portfolio. Lorenia pointed out that owners respond to what they see others doing—especially if it gives them a competitive advantage.

“When an owner sees on Airbnb that another home is safety certified, then they also want that,” she said. “They want the shiny new thing that will make their listing stand out.”

Daniel agreed and shared that his team now sets clear expectations up front. “On the front end, we explain to our owners that we require this safety certification from all of our owners,” he said. “We’ve even chosen not to work with some owners who won’t meet those standards.”

Stay up-to-date on local regulations

Local safety regulations are tightening in many destinations, and property managers are often the ones responsible for helping owners stay compliant. Caleb shared how evolving regulations in Hilton Head have required things like certain-sized fire extinguishers and interconnected smoke detectors. Being informed and proactive about these rules helps managers guide their owners before they’re caught off guard.

Why safety sells—and how it strengthens your business

Putting safety first doesn’t just protect guests—it positions you as a thoughtful, proactive, and professional operator in a competitive market. As this blog highlights, getting homeowners to prioritize safety requires education, empathy, and a clear strategy:

• Train your entire team so everyone reinforces the value of safety.
• Start small and build a roadmap to make improvements manageable.
• Reframe safety as a long-term investment that adds value to the property.
• Use real stories and risks to connect emotionally and practically with owners.
• Establish a standard of excellence that other owners will want to match.
• Stay informed on local regulations and use them to drive proactive changes.

By incorporating these strategies, vacation rental managers can gain more than just safer properties. You’ll build trust with homeowners, boost your brand’s credibility, reduce liability, and create better guest experiences—all of which contribute to stronger owner relationships and long-term business success.

As Daniel Galbraith wisely said, “If you feel like you spent too much money and you haven't had any accidents, it's probably because you spent the right amount and that accident happened.”

View all of the expert resources shared during ELEVATE 2025 and the full session recordings to continue elevating your property operations.