Plan ahead for weather emergencies

Being prepared for severe weather helps protect you, your guests and your property.

The health-focused relief and development organisation Americares offers these tips for supporting guests and reducing property damage during hurricanes, tornadoes and heatwaves.

Guests may be unfamiliar with the local climate and what to do in a weather emergency.  Here are some ways to support them, according to Americares.

Write down or print out important information and leave it in a prominent place.

• Emergency contacts: List phone numbers for police, fire and ambulance services along with the national emergency line (such as 999, 911 or 112).
• Property address: Provide your place’s full street address, crossroads or landmarks and the name of the neighbourhood, district or zone.
• Storm shelter: Note where to shelter in place during a tornado or hurricane, like the basement or an interior room with no windows or skylights. 
• Map of the area: Identify potential evacuation routes, community evacuation shelters and cooling centres. Note which locations allow pets.

Account for seasonal weather in your listing, messages and cancellation policy.

• House rules: Add basic details about the area’s seasonal weather. For example, “Hurricane season is usually from June to November. Please follow weather reports and instructions issued by local officials.”
• Quick replies and scheduled messages: Use the tools in your Messages tab to save tips you can share when severe weather is forecast. For example, you could create a quick reply suggesting where to cool down during a heatwave.
• Cancellation policy: Severe weather may pose additional hazards for places without air conditioning and unique spaces like camper vans, tents and treehouses. Offering a flexible cancellation policy gives guests more leeway to plan around forecasts.

The cancellation policy you select for your listing generally determines guest refunds for cancelled reservations, unless you and the guest agree otherwise. If a large-scale event at the reservation location prevents or legally prohibits a reservation from being completed, Airbnb’s Major Disruptive Events Policy may apply. 

When the Major Disruptive Events Policy applies, you can cancel a reservation without fees or adverse consequences, and the listing’s calendar will be blocked for those dates. Guests with affected reservations can also cancel and receive a full refund. If you or your guests cancel a reservation that’s covered by the policy, you will not receive a payout.

Americares suggests messaging your guests about weather advisories. You can remind them of local resources and share tips for protecting themselves during their stay.

Weather-resistant improvements can help reduce property damage during a hurricane or tornado and make your place more comfortable during a heatwave. Americares recommends these steps for maintaining and securing your place.

Information contained in this article may have changed since publication.