Theft claims are the hardest STR disputes to win. Learn platform policies, documentation requirements, and how baseline photos change the game.

# Stolen or Missing Items in Your Vacation Rental: Why These Claims Fail and How to Win Them

Missing items are the most frustrating type of damage claim in short-term rentals. A guest checks out, your cleaner notices the Bluetooth speaker is gone, and suddenly you’re in a “your word against theirs” situation with zero leverage.

I’ve talked to property managers who’ve lost hundreds of dollars in electronics, linens, and kitchen equipment with nothing to show for it. The platforms are skeptical. Insurance pushes back. And without proof that an item existed before the guest arrived, you’re basically stuck eating the cost.

Here’s what you need to know about theft claims and how to actually win them.

## Why Theft Claims Are Different From Other Damage

With a stain on the carpet or a broken chair, you can photograph the damage. It’s visible. It exists. The dispute becomes about who caused it and how much it costs to fix.

With missing items, you have nothing to photograph. The item is just… not there. And that creates a fundamental proof problem.

Airbnb’s [Host Damage Protection Terms](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869) actually spell this out. They explicitly exclude “mysterious disappearance, loss, or shortage disclosed on taking inventory, or any unexplained loss of inventory.” That’s their exact language.

Translation: if you can’t prove the item was there before and gone after, it’s classified as “mysterious disappearance” and you’re not covered.

## What Actually Goes Missing

Based on what I’ve seen in host forums and conversations with property managers, the common targets are:

- **Linens and towels** (the most frequent, probably because guests assume you won’t notice)

- **Small electronics** (Bluetooth speakers, phone chargers, streaming sticks)

- **Kitchen items** (nice knives, specialty cookware, small appliances)

- **Decorative items** (artwork, throw pillows, accent pieces)

- **Outdoor equipment** (beach chairs, coolers, games)

The pattern is usually items that are easy to pack, hard to track, and plausibly deniable. “I didn’t see any speaker when I checked in” is a tough claim to fight without documentation.

## Platform Policies: Airbnb vs Vrbo

Both platforms have specific rules about theft claims, and neither makes it easy.

### Airbnb

Airbnb’s [Host Damage Protection](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/279/) covers up to $3M and technically includes missing items. But the requirements are strict:

- **File within 14 days of checkout** through the Resolution Center

- **Guest has 24 hours to respond** before you can involve Airbnb

- **Police report required** if you’re claiming theft or criminal activity

- **Full inventory required** with make, model, purchase date, condition, and replacement cost

- **Proof of ownership** via receipts, photos, or appraisals

The catch is that “mysterious disappearance” exclusion. If the guest disputes and you can’t prove the item existed pre-stay, Airbnb often sides with the guest.

### Vrbo

Vrbo’s [damage deposit system](https://help.vrbo.com/articles/How-do-I-file-a-damage-deposit-claim) gives you:

- **14 days after checkout** to file a claim

- Claims processed against the damage deposit (up to your set max)

- Vrbo says they’ll cover valid claims even if they can’t collect from the guest

But here’s the problem with theft specifically. Vrbo uses Generali for their damage protection insurance, and [Generali’s policy](https://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/content/vri/en/faqs.html) has a significant limitation: theft is only covered if it’s caused by someone OTHER than the guest or their companions, and it requires a police report.

Read that again. If your guest intentionally took something, Generali’s damage protection doesn’t cover it. That’s a pretty massive gap.

## Do Police Reports Actually Help?

Yes and no.

For Airbnb, a police report is **mandatory** if you’re claiming theft. Their terms require you to “file a police report listing the eligible property” and provide Airbnb a copy. No report, no claim.

For Vrbo/Generali, police reports help substantiate the claim, but remember the coverage limitation above.

The practical reality is that police reports for missing vacation rental items rarely lead to investigation or recovery. Most local police departments treat these as low-priority civil matters. But the report itself becomes documentation that you took the claim seriously and followed proper procedures.

One thing to note: platforms are increasingly scrutinizing documentation because of fraud attempts. There have been [reported cases](https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/airbnb-host-accused-of-defrauding-guests-during-stay-at-newnan-home) of hosts submitting fake documents, which has made platforms more careful about verification.

## Your Regular Insurance Probably Won’t Help Either

Don’t assume your homeowner’s or landlord policy covers guest theft. According to the [NAIC](https://content.naic.org/article/consumer-insight-renting-out-your-home-you-need-insurance-coverage-home-sharing-rentals), most standard policies aren’t designed for short-term rentals and often have business-use exclusions.

[Allstate specifically notes](https://www.allstate.com/resources/home-insurance/home-sharing) that if a paying guest steals your property, you likely won’t be covered due to typical theft exceptions when the theft occurs in a rented portion of your home.

Dedicated STR insurance policies often do cover theft, but they may have limits on valuables or require scheduled items for expensive electronics. Check your specific policy language.

## The Documentation That Actually Wins Claims

Here’s where most hosts fail: they can prove they own the item (receipts help), but they can’t prove it was in the property when the guest arrived.

The claims that succeed have:

- **Pre-stay photos showing the item in place** with timestamps

- **Post-stay photos showing the item missing** from the same location

- **Consistent documentation** across multiple stays (establishing the item was always there)

- **Purchase receipts or proof of ownership**

- **Police report** (for Airbnb especially)

There’s a [great example on Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/airbnb_hosts/comments/1j2x6f8) of a host who recovered full value for a stolen Dyson vacuum. The difference? They had video evidence and a neighbor affidavit. The guest initially denied taking anything, but the visual proof was undeniable.

## How Baseline Comparison Changes Everything

This is the core problem: you’re taking inspection photos, but you’re not systematically comparing them to previous stays. A photo of an empty shelf means nothing without a photo of that same shelf with the speaker on it from the day before.

At RapidEye, this is exactly what we built the platform to solve. We create a visual baseline of your property and automatically compare new inspection photos against it. When something is missing, the system flags it immediately with timestamped before/after evidence.

For theft claims specifically, this means:

- You have proof the item existed before checkout

- You have proof it’s gone after checkout

- The comparison is timestamped and documented

- It’s not “mysterious disappearance” anymore because you have visual inventory

We’ve processed over a million photos for a single property management company. At that scale, manual comparison is impossible. You’d need someone reviewing thousands of photos per week just to catch what’s missing.

## What To Do Right Now

If you’ve just discovered something missing:

- **Document immediately** with photos of where the item should be

- **Check your pre-stay inspection photos** for evidence it was there

- **File with the platform within 14 days** (sooner is better)

- **File a police report** if you’re claiming theft on Airbnb

- **Gather purchase receipts** if you have them

- **Be specific** in your claim with make, model, value

If you’re trying to protect yourself proactively:

- **Photograph every valuable item** during each turnover inspection

- **Use a consistent checklist** so nothing gets missed

- **Keep photos organized by stay** so you can compare

- **Consider inventory management** that tracks high-value items

Or just automate the whole thing. That’s what we’re here for.

## The Bottom Line

Theft claims fail because hosts can’t prove items existed before the guest arrived. Platform policies are written to protect against fraud, which means legitimate claims get caught in the same documentation requirements.

The solution isn’t better arguments or more persistence with support. It’s having the visual evidence that transforms “mysterious disappearance” into documented theft. Before and after. Timestamped. Undeniable.

If you’re managing more than a handful of properties, you need a system that does this automatically. Manual review doesn’t scale, and the one time you don’t have documentation is the one time you need it.


Platform protection isn't insurance. Learn what STR insurers actually require for claims, why documentation fails, and how baseline photos change everything.

# How Proper Damage Documentation Affects Your STR Insurance Claims (Not Just Platform Disputes)

Most of the claims advice out there focuses on Airbnb AirCover and Vrbo’s damage deposits. And that makes sense. Those are the first line of defense when a guest trashes your place.

But if you’re managing higher-value properties or running a real portfolio, you probably have actual insurance too. Landlord policies, commercial property coverage, specialized STR insurance from companies like Proper or CBIZ. That’s where the serious money is when something goes really wrong.

Here’s the problem: the documentation that works for platform disputes often falls short when you’re filing a real insurance claim. And most operators don’t find that out until they’re in the middle of a five-figure loss.

## Platform Protection Isn’t Insurance

Let’s be clear about what AirCover actually is. [Airbnb’s own terms](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2906/) explicitly state that Host Damage Protection is “not an insurance policy.” It’s a reimbursement program with a $3 million limit and specific rules about what qualifies.

Vrbo’s $1 million liability coverage? They actually [require hosts to have sufficient insurance coverage](https://www.vrbo.com/l/liability-insurance/) of their own. The platform program is designed to work alongside your real policy, not replace it.

This distinction matters because:

- Platform programs have tight deadlines (14-30 days for Airbnb, 14 days for Vrbo damage deposits)

- They’re discretionary. Airbnb decides what gets paid. An insurer follows policy terms.

- Coverage gaps exist. Theft by guests, certain types of damage, business interruption. These often aren’t covered by platforms.

If you’re managing luxury properties or have significant furnishings, platform protection alone is a gamble.

## What Real Insurers Actually Require

I’ve looked through the claims requirements from several major STR insurance providers. The documentation standards are significantly more rigorous than what most hosts are prepared for.

### The Standard Evidence List

[Airbnb’s HDP terms](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869) give a preview of what serious documentation looks like. They require:

- A complete inventory with make/model for each item

- Acquisition date and pre-loss condition

- Repair or replacement estimates with supporting documentation

- Proof of ownership (receipts, bank statements)

- Police reports for theft or criminal acts

Specialized STR insurers like [Safely](https://safely.com/terms-of-service/) and [CBIZ](https://vacationrentalinsurance.cbiz.com/blog/article/need-to-file-a-vacation-rental-claim-heres-how) have similar or stricter requirements. CBIZ explicitly recommends detailed interior and exterior photos, keeping damaged items until inspected, and maintaining receipts for everything.

### The Baseline Problem

Here’s what trips people up: insurers want to know what condition the item was in *before* the damage occurred.

The [NAIC consumer guidance](https://content.naic.org/consumer/home-inventory) is direct about this. A home inventory “gives your insurance carrier the information they need to help settle your claims.” The [Texas Department of Insurance](https://www.tdi.texas.gov/column/doing-home-inventory-now-can-get-insurance-claim-paid-faster-later.html) recommends room photos, serial numbers, and storing inventory alongside receipts and appraisals.

Without baseline documentation, you’re essentially asking the insurer to trust your word about what was there and what condition it was in. That’s a weak position to negotiate from.

## Why Claims Get Denied or Reduced

The numbers on claim denials are honestly pretty alarming. [Weiss Ratings reported](https://weissratings.com/en/weiss-news/14-large-u-s-insurers-closed-nearly-half-of-homeowner-claims-with-no-payment-in-2024) that 42% of the 6.8 million homeowners claims received in 2024 were closed without payment. That’s up from 39% in 2023. For 14 large insurers specifically, nearly half of claims paid out nothing.

Now, those are general homeowners claims, not STR-specific. But the underlying reasons claims fail often come down to documentation:

- **No proof of pre-loss condition.** You claim the couch was pristine. Insurer has no evidence either way.

- **Missing ownership documentation.** Can’t prove you owned the $2,000 coffee table.

- **Incomplete inventories.** You forgot to document the guest bedroom. Now there’s damage there.

- **Wrong policy type.** [Allstate notes](https://www.allstate.com/resources/home-insurance/home-sharing) that repeated short-term renting may require landlord or business insurance. Standard homeowners policies often have limitations during rental periods.

[RentalGuardian’s claims FAQ](https://help.rentalguardian.com/property-protection-faqs) is revealing here. They explicitly state that claims examiners rely on “virtual evidence” and recommend at minimum one photo plus one paid receipt per claimed item. Without that, claims get reduced or denied during appeals.

## The Deadline Problem

Documentation requirements are one thing. But the timelines make everything harder.

| Provider | Filing Deadline | Documentation Deadline |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Airbnb HDP | 14 days (notify) | 30 days (evidence) |
| Vrbo Damage Deposit | 14 days | 14 days |
| RentalGuardian | 14 days | 45 days |
| Safely | 60 days | 60 days |

If you’re scrambling to take photos, find receipts, and create inventories *after* damage occurs, you’re already behind. Especially if you manage multiple properties and can’t physically be there.

## How Baseline Comparison Changes Everything

The solution is straightforward but hard to execute manually: maintain visual baselines for every property and compare against them after every stay.

When you have timestamped, dated photos showing the condition of every room, every piece of furniture, every fixture before a guest arrives, the claims conversation changes completely. You’re not asking the insurer to trust you. You’re showing them the evidence.

This is actually what we built RapidEye to do. The system creates baseline visual records of each property, then automatically compares new inspection footage against that baseline to detect changes. Scratches, stains, broken items, missing items. Everything gets flagged with timestamps.

For insurance purposes, this means:

- **Pre-loss condition is documented.** Every item, every room, dated and timestamped.

- **Changes are automatically detected.** You don’t have to manually review thousands of photos.

- **Evidence is organized for claims.** Itemized damage reports with before/after comparisons.

We’ve processed over a million photos for a single client. At that scale, manual review is impossible. But the data is there, and it’s actually being used.

## What This Means for Your Insurance Setup

If you’re running a real portfolio, especially higher-end properties, a few things are worth doing:

- **Know what coverage you actually have.** Platform protection, landlord policy, commercial coverage. Understand the gaps.

- **Check your documentation requirements.** Pull out your policy and look at what they require for claims. Most people have never read this.

- **Build baseline records now.** Not after something happens. Now. Every property, every room, every valuable item.

- **Automate if you can.** If you’re managing dozens or hundreds of units, manual baseline maintenance doesn’t scale.

The hosts who have the easiest time with insurance claims aren’t lucky. They’re documented. That’s the difference between getting paid and getting denied.


Room-by-room guide to what property managers and cleaners should photograph during every turnover. Practical checklist for damage documentation that holds up.

# The Complete STR Turnover Inspection Checklist: Every Photo You Need for Damage Documentation

If you’re managing short-term rentals, you probably already have some kind of photo documentation process. The problem is most of it won’t hold up when you actually need it for a damage claim.

I’ve seen property managers with thousands of turnover photos that are basically useless. Close-ups with no context. Blurry shots. Missing the items that actually get damaged. This is the checklist I wish existed when we started working with PMs on their documentation workflows.

## Before You Start: What Makes a Photo Actually Useful

Let’s get the fundamentals out of the way. According to [FEMA guidance on damage documentation](https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20250416/how-document-damages-after-severe-weather-events), photos lacking context are one of the biggest reasons claims get complicated. A close-up of a scratch means nothing if you can’t prove where it is.

**Every photo needs:**

- **Context shot first, detail shot second.** Wide angle showing the whole area, then zoom in on specific items.

- **Something for scale.** A measuring tape is ideal. Your hand or a common object works in a pinch.

- **Timestamps.** Most phones do this automatically, but verify it’s enabled. [Airbnb’s damage protection terms](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869) require evidence that’s “true and accurate” with documentation of time and cause.

- **Good lighting.** If you can’t see the condition clearly, neither can an adjuster.

**What makes photos useless:**

- Extreme close-ups with no surrounding context

- Blurry or dark images

- No way to identify which property or which room

- Missing the items that actually matter (more on this below)

If you only fix six things, fix these. They are where damage and missing items hide most often:

- The **bare mattress**, before linens go on (invisible once the bed is made)

- **Under sofa and chair cushions** (lift them every time)

- **Appliance interiors**: oven, dishwasher, refrigerator

- **Hardwood and tile floors in raking light**, where scratches only show when light skims the surface

- The **grill interior**, lid open

- Small high-value items that disappear: **remotes, decor, hangers**

## Entry Area

This is where first impressions happen and where a lot of minor damage goes unnoticed.

**Must capture:**

- Front door (both sides) including lock, handle, and frame

- Doorbell/lockbox/smart lock

- Welcome mat condition

- Entry flooring (scratches, scuffs, transitions)

- Coat hooks, key holders, any wall-mounted items

- Light switches and fixtures

- Walls at high-touch areas

**Angles:** One shot from outside looking in, one from inside looking out, then detail shots of hardware.

## Living Spaces

Breezeway [analyzed over 300,000 reported issues](https://www.breezeway.io/blog/top-vacation-rental-issues) from vacation rentals. Living areas show up constantly for broken items, stains, and missing accessories.

**Must capture:**

- Full room wide shot from each corner (establishes baseline)

- Sofa and chair cushions (lift them, photograph underneath)

- Coffee table and side table surfaces

- TV screen (get close enough to see scratches)

- Remote controls (yes, these disappear constantly)

- Rugs and carpet areas

- Window treatments (curtains, blinds, shutters)

- Wall art and decorative items

- Any electronics (sound systems, gaming consoles)

- Outlets and light switches

- Ceiling fan and light fixtures

**Angles:** Four corners of the room for context, then methodical detail shots moving clockwise.

**Pro tip:** Remote controls, throw blankets, and decorative pillows are the most commonly “missing” items. Photograph them every single time.

## Kitchen

Kitchens generate the most issues according to the Breezeway data. Appliances, countertops, and utensils are constantly in play.

**Must capture:**

- Full kitchen overview

- Countertop surfaces (chips, burns, stains)

- Backsplash condition

- Cabinet faces (all of them, even upper cabinets)

- Cabinet interiors (open a few, photograph dish condition)

- Refrigerator exterior and interior (both doors open)

- Freezer interior

- Oven/range (stovetop surface, inside oven)

- Microwave interior

- Dishwasher interior

- Sink and faucet

- Garbage disposal area

- Small appliances (coffee maker, toaster, blender)

- Under sink area

**Angles:** Wide shot first, then systematically work through appliances. For appliances, exterior shot then interior.

**Don’t skip:** Serial numbers on major appliances. [FEMA specifically recommends](https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20250416/how-document-damages-after-severe-weather-events) recording these. Takes two seconds and saves headaches later.

## Bathrooms

Clogged toilets, slow drains, mold, and broken fixtures are bathroom staples. Also high-risk for water damage that can escalate fast.

**Must capture:**

- Full bathroom overview

- Toilet (bowl, seat, tank, base where it meets floor)

- Vanity and sink

- Faucet and handles

- Mirror condition

- Shower/tub interior (grout lines, caulking, drain)

- Showerhead

- Shower door or curtain

- Towel bars and hooks

- Toilet paper holder

- Under sink cabinet

- Exhaust fan

- Any signs of water damage (ceiling, walls, floor edges)

- Tile grout condition

**Angles:** Standing in doorway for context, then systematic detail shots. Get low for toilet base and floor edges where water damage shows first.

**Critical:** Water damage is [over 20% of all property insurance claims](https://www.proper.insure/blog/which-claim-are-you-most-likely-to-encounter-as-a-host-in-2020/) according to Proper Insurance. The average sewer backup claim they cite is $18,000. Document bathroom conditions thoroughly.

## Bedrooms

Broken lamps, stained linens, and window covering problems are the usual suspects here.

**Must capture:**

- Full room from doorway

- Bed frame and headboard

- Mattress (strip the bed, photograph the mattress itself)

- All pillows

- Nightstands and lamps

- Dresser drawers (open them)

- Closet interior

- Hangers (yes, they disappear)

- Window treatments

- Mirrors

- Any artwork or wall decor

- Carpet/flooring condition

- Outlets and light switches

**Angles:** Four corners for context, then work through furniture pieces. Strip the bed for mattress shots at least monthly or when you suspect issues.

## Outdoor Areas

[NFPA data cited by Pinellas Suncoast Fire District](https://psfrd.org/str/) shows an average of 11,421 grill-related fires per year. Outdoor areas are high-damage zones that often get rushed documentation.

**Must capture:**

- Patio/deck surface condition

- All outdoor furniture

- Cushions (flip them)

- Grill exterior and interior (grates, grease trap)

- Propane tank gauge if applicable

- Hot tub/pool area (if applicable)

- Fence/railing condition

- Outdoor lighting

- Landscaping near structures

- Any outdoor electronics

- Fire pit area

- Gate hardware

**Angles:** Wide establishing shot of outdoor space, then each furniture grouping, then equipment close-ups.

## Safety Items (Document Every Time)

Multiple jurisdictions require [annual safety inspections for STRs](https://www.citystaug.com/842/Life-Safety-Inspections). Even if yours doesn’t, document these:

- Smoke detector presence and indicator light

- CO detector presence and indicator light

- Fire extinguisher (check gauge, photograph expiration)

- First aid kit location and contents

- Emergency exit routes are clear

- GFCI outlets in wet areas

## When to Update Your Baseline Photos

Your baseline is what you compare new photos against. Outdated baselines cause problems.

**Update baselines when:**

- Any furniture or decor changes

- After repairs or replacements

- Seasonally (at minimum quarterly)

- After any renovation or update

- When you notice normal wear has changed the appearance

**Baseline photo requirements:**

- Higher quality than turnover photos

- Multiple angles per item

- Include model numbers, serial numbers, purchase documentation

- Store copies off-device (cloud backup)

The [NAIC recommends](https://content.naic.org/consumer/homeowners-insurance.htm) photographing each item with description, age, purchase price, and estimated current value for home inventory purposes. Same principle applies here.

## Making This Actually Happen at Scale

Here’s the reality. If you’re managing 50+ units with turnovers every few days, you’re generating thousands of photos monthly. The Breezeway data came from analyzing over 300,000 issues, which gives you a sense of the volume we’re talking about.

The first fix is to make the photos non-optional. Both [Breezeway](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/breezeway-templates-and-triggers/) and Turno let you attach required-photo tasks to a turnover checklist, so a cleaner cannot mark the job complete until the required shots are captured. That turns this list from a suggestion into an enforced standard. For the cleaning side of the same turnover, see our [room-by-room cleaning checklist](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/airbnb-cleaning-checklist/), and for the right photo target, [how many photos a turnover should include](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/how-many-photos-per-vacation-rental-turnover/).

[Vrbo gives you 14 days](https://help.vrbo.com/articles/How-do-I-file-a-damage-deposit-claim) to file damage claims. [Airbnb gives you 30 days](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869). That window closes fast when you’re juggling multiple properties.

The documentation only matters if someone actually reviews it. That’s where most systems break down. You can have perfect photos sitting in Breezeway that nobody ever looks at until there’s a problem, and by then it’s too late to know if the damage was pre-existing.

This is what we built RapidEye to solve. It automatically analyzes turnover photos against your baselines, flags new damage, and generates timestamped reports. Your cleaners keep taking photos the way they already do. The AI [handles the review at scale](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/how-to-review-turnover-photos-at-scale/).

But even without automation, following this checklist systematically will put you ahead of most property managers. The key is consistency. Same items, same angles, every turnover.

## Frequently asked questions

A wide establishing shot of every room plus close-ups of every high-risk surface: cushions lifted, the bare mattress, hardwood and tile floors, countertops, appliance interiors, bathroom fixtures, walls and artwork, and electronics. Context shot first, then the detail shot, the same angles every turnover so condition can be compared turn over turn. A professionally documented turnover typically runs 60 to 100-plus photos.

For a standard 2-3 bedroom unit, 60 to 100 photos is a reasonable target; luxury and larger properties run higher. Coverage matters more than the raw number: every surface that could be damaged or that supports a claim should appear in at least one clearly framed, well-lit shot.

The bare mattress before linens go on, under sofa and chair cushions, appliance interiors (oven, dishwasher, refrigerator), hardwood and tile floors shot in raking light, and small high-value items like remotes, decor, and hangers that disappear. These are exactly where damage and missing items hide, so photograph them every single turnover.

Use the required-photo features in the platform cleaners already work in. Breezeway and Turno let you attach mandatory photo tasks to a turnover checklist so the job cannot be completed until the shots are captured. Pair that with a simple room-by-room shot list and review or sample the results so the standard holds.

Whenever furniture or decor changes, after any repair or replacement, after a renovation, and on a regular cadence of at least quarterly. An outdated baseline causes problems because new turnover photos get compared against a room that no longer exists, producing false flags or missed damage.


Sevier County requires a 2A:10BC fire extinguisher on every level of your vacation rental, inspected and tagged annually by a certified company. Here is exactly what the fire marshal checks.

# Tennessee Vacation Rental Fire Extinguisher Requirements

What Sevier County requires

Tennessee does not have a state-level fire extinguisher mandate for one- and two-family vacation rentals. However, every major STR market in the state requires them through municipal permit programs. According to the [Sevier County Fire Marshal's STRU inspection checklist (revised November 2024)](https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO%20STRU%20Inspection%20Items%20Revised%2011.8.24.pdf), a fire extinguisher having a minimum rating of 2A:10BC is required on every level of the unit.

## What the 2A:10BC rating means

Fire extinguisher ratings tell you what types and sizes of fires the unit can handle. The 2A:10BC rating required in Sevier County breaks down as follows:

Ordinary combustibles: wood, paper, cloth, trash. The "2" means it has the extinguishing capacity of 2.5 gallons of water.

Flammable liquids: grease, gasoline, oil. The "10" means it can cover 10 square feet of burning liquid.

Electrical equipment: wiring, appliances, outlets. The "C" means the extinguishing agent will not conduct electricity.

The standard 5 lb. ABC dry chemical fire extinguisher available at any hardware store (typically $25-$50) meets the 2A:10BC minimum. Check the label before purchasing: some smaller units are rated 1A:10BC, which does not meet the Sevier County requirement.

## Annual inspection and tagging

According to the [Sevier County Fire Marshal's checklist](https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO%20STRU%20Inspection%20Items%20Revised%2011.8.24.pdf), fire extinguishers must be inspected and tagged on a yearly basis by a certified fire extinguisher company. If a new extinguisher was purchased during the current year, a copy of the purchase receipt must be available at inspection. The following year and beyond, the extinguisher must be certified and tagged by a professional.

This is different from the monthly visual inspection that NFPA 10 recommends. The annual tagging must be performed by a certified company, not by the property owner or manager. Several fire protection companies in the Sevier County area offer annual tagging services for STR properties.

## Labeling requirement

According to the Sevier County checklist, if a fire extinguisher is stored behind a closet door or cabinet door, a sticker or label reading "Fire Extinguisher Inside" must be on the door or cabinet. This is a commonly failed item during inspections because owners place extinguishers in closets for aesthetic reasons but forget the labeling.

## What your team should check every turnover

Fire extinguisher verification

- Present on each level of the property

- Pressure gauge needle is in the green zone

- Safety pin and tamper seal are intact

- Current annual inspection tag is attached

- Not blocked by furniture, luggage, or stacked items

- "Fire Extinguisher Inside" label visible if stored in a cabinet

- Nozzle and hose are undamaged

Guests occasionally move fire extinguishers to make room for luggage or use them as doorstops. After a checkout, verify that each unit is in its designated location and the pressure gauge reads green.

### Sources

[Sevier County Fire Marshal STRU Inspection Items](https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO%20STRU%20Inspection%20Items%20Revised%2011.8.24.pdf) (Revised November 8, 2024)https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO STRU Inspection Items Revised 11.8.24.pdf


Tennessee Vacation Rental Fire Safety Requirements (2026)

Complete guide to Tennessee vacation rental fire safety: smoke alarms, CO detectors, fire extinguishers, and inspections. State law (TCA 68-120-112) plus Sevier County, Gatlinburg, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga requirements.

# Tennessee Vacation Rental Fire Safety Requirements

Tennessee requires smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in all short-term rental units under state law. But the real compliance burden comes from your municipality. Sevier County, Gatlinburg, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga each run their own permit and inspection programs with distinct fees, safety checklists, and annual renewal requirements. **Operating in the Smokies without knowing the difference between Sevier County's STRU permit and Gatlinburg's Tourist Residency Permit is a common and costly mistake.**

## Two layers of regulation

Tennessee vacation rentals must comply with both state law and local ordinances. State law sets a baseline for smoke alarms and CO detectors. Municipalities add their own permit programs, inspection requirements, and safety standards on top.

TCA 68-102-151 (smoke alarms) and TCA 68-120-112 (smoke + CO alarms) set minimum requirements for all rental properties statewide. The Short-Term Rental Unit Act (TCA 13-7-601) requires STR operators to comply with these safety standards.

Major STR markets run their own permit programs with fire marshal inspections, specific equipment requirements, and annual renewal. Requirements vary significantly between jurisdictions, even within the same county.

## State smoke alarm requirements

According to [TCA 68-102-151](https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-68/safety/chapter-102/part-1/section-68-102-151/), it is unlawful to own or operate a one-family or two-family rental unit without installing an approved smoke alarm. Smoke alarms must be UL-listed (Underwriters Laboratories) or inspected by an agency authorized by the state fire marshal.

According to [TCA 68-120-112](https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-68/safety/chapter-120/part-1/section-68-120-112/), smoke alarms must be installed in sleeping rooms, in every room in the means of egress from sleeping areas to the exit, and on each story including basements. The statute defines "hotel" to include motels, inns, boarding homes, lodging homes, rooming houses, tourist homes, hostels, dormitories, and apartment hotels. It was amended to explicitly include "short-term rental units" in this definition.

A violation of TCA 68-102-151 is a **Class A misdemeanor**, and each day the violation continues constitutes a separate offense. A violation of TCA 68-120-112 is a **Class C misdemeanor** with the same per-day exposure.

## State CO detector requirements

According to [TCA 68-120-112](https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-68/safety/chapter-120/part-1/section-68-120-112/), carbon monoxide detectors are required in any short-term rental that has a fossil-fuel-burning heater or appliance, a fireplace, or any other feature that emits carbon monoxide as a byproduct of combustion. "Fossil fuel" is defined as coal, kerosene, oil, fuel gases, or other petroleum or hydrocarbon products.

In practice, this covers the vast majority of Tennessee cabins and vacation rentals. Gas furnaces, gas water heaters, propane heaters, wood-burning fireplaces, and attached garages all trigger the requirement.

CO detectors must be installed **within 10 feet of each room used for sleeping**. They may be hardwired, powered by a self-monitored battery, or operated with a plug-in outlet fitted with a plug restrainer device. Installation must follow NFPA standards or manufacturer directions.

## The Short-Term Rental Unit Act

According to the [Tennessee Short-Term Rental Unit Act (TCA 13-7-601)](https://www.cedarmanagementgroup.com/tennessee-short-term-rental-unit-act/), signed in 2018, short-term rental operators must comply with the safety requirements in Title 68, Chapter 120, which includes both smoke alarm and CO detector standards. The Act defines a short-term rental unit as a residential dwelling rented wholly or partially for a fee for less than 30 continuous days.

The Act also includes a legacy clause: properties already operating as STRs before new local regulations took effect are exempt from new prohibitions until the property is sold, operations cease for 30 consecutive months, or three violations of local laws occur.

## Municipal requirements: where the real complexity lives

State law sets a floor. Every major Tennessee STR market adds requirements on top. Here is what each of the five largest vacation rental markets requires.

| Market | Permit fee | Inspection | Renewal | Key distinction |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Sevier County | $250/yr | Annual fire marshal | Annual | Most detailed checklist; covers grills, pools, chimneys |
| Gatlinburg | $200 + $75/BR over 2 | Annual fire + building | Annual | Sprinkler required for 3+ stories, 5000+ sqft, or 12+ occupants |
| Nashville | $313 | Certification (1-2 family) | Annual | Max 4 sleeping rooms; $1M liability insurance |
| Knoxville | $150 renewal | Compliance review | Annual | 1-hour response time for responsible party |
| Chattanooga | $250-$500 | Site plan review | Annual | Emergency Escape Plan posted on each floor |

### Sevier County (unincorporated)

Sevier County STRU Permit Program

Effective January 1, 2024 / 6,500+ short-term rental units

According to the [Sevier County Fire Marshal's Office](https://www.seviercountytn.gov/news_detail_T2_R68.php), their STRU inspection program is the most detailed in the state. It covers smoke alarms, CO detectors, fire extinguishers, chimneys, evacuation maps, grills and fire pits, pools, hot tubs, and fire protection systems. According to the [official STRU inspection checklist (revised November 2024)](https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO%20STRU%20Inspection%20Items%20Revised%2011.8.24.pdf), key requirements include:

- **Smoke alarms:** UL 217, inside sleeping rooms, outside bedrooms, each story. Must be interconnected (wireless OK, must be UL listed).

- **CO detectors:** Within 10 feet of fuel-burning appliances. Within 15 feet of bedroom doors.

- **Fire extinguishers:** 2A:10BC rated, one per level, annually inspected and tagged by a certified company.

- **Evacuation plans:** Floor plans on each level showing sleeping areas and exit routes with "YOU ARE HERE" markings.

- **Chimneys:** Annual professional cleaning by a certified chimney sweep.

- **Gas grills:** Non-combustible mat, 60-minute shutoff timer, secured to deck, 18 inches from railings.

- **Charcoal grills:** Not permitted on any structure surface. Must be 10 feet from the structure.

- **Indoor/outdoor pools:** Splash alarm required (Katie Beth's Law, TCA 68-14-801).

### Gatlinburg (city limits)

Tourist Residency Permit

Required for all STRs within Gatlinburg city limits

According to [Gatlinburg's STR regulations](https://gatlinburgrealestateforsale.com/gatlinburg-short-term-rental-laws-what-you-need-to-know/), properties within city limits need a Tourist Residency (TR) permit, which is separate from the Sevier County STRU permit (for properties outside city limits). The TR permit covers fire and building inspections including smoke alarms, CO detectors, emergency escape routes, and electrical safety.

The sprinkler threshold is the key distinction. According to the [City of Gatlinburg](https://www.gatlinburgtn.gov/page/apply-for-a-tourist-residency-permit), all tourist residences more than three stories, more than 5,000 gross square feet, or more than 12 occupants must have an approved sprinkler system. STRs are also prohibited in R1A and R2A residential zones.

### Nashville / Davidson County

Short Term Rental Property Permit

Metro Codes Department, Nashville

According to [Nashville Metro Codes](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals), Nashville's program is distinct from Smoky Mountain markets in three ways. First, single and two-family homes do not require a fire marshal inspection. Instead, according to the [permit application checklist](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/apply-short-term-rental-property-permit/checklist), a state-licensed architect, engineer, or home inspector must certify compliance. Second, there is a maximum of four sleeping rooms per STR permit. Third, liability insurance must be at least $1 million per occurrence (double the state minimum under the Short-Term Rental Unit Act).

According to [Nashville Fire Marshal's Office](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/fire/fire-marshal-office/short-term-rental-inspections), fire marshal inspections are only required for multifamily structures (three or more dwellings on the property).

Smoke detectors must be UL 217 certified and installed in all sleeping areas, in every room in the path of egress from sleeping areas to the exit, and on each story including basements and garages. A floor plan showing smoke detector and CO detector locations must be submitted with the permit application.

### Knoxville / Knox County

Short-Term Rental Unit Permit

City of Knoxville, ordinance effective January 2018

According to [Knoxville's Short Term Rental Unit Ordinance](https://library.municode.com/tn/knoxville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH16LIMIBURE_ARTXVSHTEREUNOR), operators must maintain UL 217 smoke alarms in all sleeping areas and throughout the egress path. Properties must pass safety compliance reviews covering fire safety systems, carbon monoxide detectors, and emergency egress. A local responsible party must be available to respond within one hour, 24/7.

### Chattanooga / Hamilton County

Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate

City of Chattanooga

According to [Chattanooga's Short-Term Rental program](https://chattanooga.gov/pay-and-apply/permits-applications/short-term-rental), Chattanooga distinguishes between Homestay (owner-occupied) and Absentee (non-owner-occupied) permits, with the absentee permit costing double. A unique requirement: operators must create and post an Emergency Escape Plan (EEP) on each floor, printed at 8x11 and permanently mounted. The EEP must clearly show egress methods in red from each room. Beginning January 1, 2026, the STVR certificate itself must also be posted in the rental.

Hamilton County (unincorporated areas) runs a separate program with a $750 permit fee that covers building, fire, and groundwater inspections.

Operating across Sevier County, Gatlinburg, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga means tracking five separate permit programs with distinct fees, inspection standards, and renewal deadlines. [Lodge Compliance](https://lodgecompliance.com) pulls these into a single compliance view per property.

## What your turnover team should verify

Fire safety is not a set-it-and-forget-it compliance task. Guests unplug smoke detectors, remove batteries from CO alarms, move fire extinguishers, and rearrange furniture that blocks exit paths. Your turnover team should check these items after every checkout:

Smoke alarms

- Present and mounted in each sleeping area, hallway, and on every level

- Test button produces audible alarm

- No missing units (guests occasionally remove them)

- Interconnection working (triggering one sounds all)

Carbon monoxide detectors

- Present near all fuel-burning appliances

- Present within 15 feet of all bedroom doors

- Test button produces audible alarm

- Plugged in and charging indicator on (for plug-in models)

Fire extinguishers

- One present on each level of the property

- Pressure gauge in green zone

- Current annual inspection tag

- If in cabinet or closet, "Fire Extinguisher Inside" label on door

Egress and evacuation

- Exit paths clear and unobstructed

- Floor evacuation plans posted on each level

- Emergency lighting functional (where applicable)

- Address numbers visible from street (4" minimum)

## Related pages

### Sources

[TCA 68-102-151: One-family or two-family rental units - Smoke alarms required](https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-68/safety/chapter-102/part-1/section-68-102-151/) (2024 Tennessee Code via Justia)https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-68/safety/chapter-102/part-1/section-68-102-151/

[TCA 68-120-112: Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in residential buildings](https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-68/safety/chapter-120/part-1/section-68-120-112/) (2024 Tennessee Code via Justia)https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-68/safety/chapter-120/part-1/section-68-120-112/

[The Tennessee Short-Term Rental Unit Act](https://www.cedarmanagementgroup.com/tennessee-short-term-rental-unit-act/) (Cedar Management Group, citing TCA 13-7-601)https://www.cedarmanagementgroup.com/tennessee-short-term-rental-unit-act/

[Summary of the Short-Term Rental Unit Act](https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/reference/summary-short-term-rental-unit-act) (MTAS, University of Tennessee)https://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/reference/summary-short-term-rental-unit-act

[Sevier County STRU Permit Program Information](https://www.seviercountytn.gov/news_detail_T2_R68.php) (Sevier County Government)https://www.seviercountytn.gov/news_detail_T2_R68.php

[Sevier County Fire Marshal STRU Inspection Items](https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO%20STRU%20Inspection%20Items%20Revised%2011.8.24.pdf) (Revised November 8, 2024)https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO STRU Inspection Items Revised 11.8.24.pdf

[Gatlinburg Tourist Residency Permit Application](https://www.gatlinburgtn.gov/page/apply-for-a-tourist-residency-permit) (City of Gatlinburg)https://www.gatlinburgtn.gov/page/apply-for-a-tourist-residency-permit

[Gatlinburg Short-Term Rental Laws: What You Need to Know](https://gatlinburgrealestateforsale.com/gatlinburg-short-term-rental-laws-what-you-need-to-know/) (Gatlinburg Real Estate)https://gatlinburgrealestateforsale.com/gatlinburg-short-term-rental-laws-what-you-need-to-know/

[Nashville Short Term Rental Property](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals) (Nashville Metro Codes)https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals

[Nashville Owner Occupied STR Permit Checklist](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/apply-short-term-rental-property-permit/checklist) (Nashville Metro Codes)https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/short-term-rentals/apply-short-term-rental-property-permit/checklist

[Nashville Fire Marshal Short-Term Rental Inspections](https://www.nashville.gov/departments/fire/fire-marshal-office/short-term-rental-inspections) (Nashville Fire Department)https://www.nashville.gov/departments/fire/fire-marshal-office/short-term-rental-inspections

[Chattanooga Short-Term Rental Permits](https://chattanooga.gov/pay-and-apply/permits-applications/short-term-rental) (City of Chattanooga)https://chattanooga.gov/pay-and-apply/permits-applications/short-term-rental


Sevier County bans charcoal grills on cabin decks and requires gas grills to have a 60-minute shutoff timer, non-combustible mat, and 18-inch railing clearance. Here are the exact rules from the fire marshal.

# Tennessee Vacation Rental Grill and Fire Pit Rules

Grill and fire pit violations are among the most common failure points during Sevier County STRU fire inspections. According to the [Sevier County Fire Marshal's STRU inspection checklist (revised November 2024)](https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO%20STRU%20Inspection%20Items%20Revised%2011.8.24.pdf), the rules vary significantly depending on the fuel type, and several requirements catch property owners off guard.

## Charcoal grills: banned on structures

- Charcoal grill on any deck surface

- Charcoal grill on any porch or patio attached to the structure

- Any open-flame cooking device on the structure

- Charcoal grill on the ground, at least 10 feet from the structure

- Charcoal grill at least 10 feet from any combustible surface

- Exception possible with Fire Code Official approval

According to the [Sevier County Fire Marshal's checklist](https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO%20STRU%20Inspection%20Items%20Revised%2011.8.24.pdf), "charcoal grills or other open flame cooking devices are NOT permitted on any surface of the structure" and must be "10 feet from structure and any combustible surface." For most Smoky Mountain cabins built on elevated decks, this effectively means charcoal grills must be placed on the ground away from the cabin.

## Gas and propane grills: four requirements

Natural gas and propane grills are permitted on decks but must meet all four of these requirements:

Required for every gas/propane grill on a deck

The non-combustible mat protects the deck surface from grease drips and heat. Standard grill mats designed for this purpose are available at most home improvement stores. The mat should extend at least several inches beyond the grill footprint on all sides.

The grill must be physically secured to the deck so guests cannot reposition it closer to the railing or structure. This typically means bolting the grill stand to the deck or using a security cable.

## Fire pits: same rules apply by fuel type

According to the [Sevier County Fire Marshal's checklist](https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO%20STRU%20Inspection%20Items%20Revised%2011.8.24.pdf), fire pit rules mirror the grill rules by fuel type:

- **Wood-burning fire pits:** "No open burning devices such as fire pits are permitted on any combustible surfaces of the structure at any time." This means no wood-burning fire pits on decks, porches, or any surface attached to the cabin.

- **Natural gas and propane fire pits on decks:** Same four requirements as gas grills: non-combustible mat, 60-minute shut-off timer on the gas line, secured to the deck, and 18 inches from railings or structure.

## What your turnover team should check

Guests commonly move grills closer to tables or railings for convenience, unplug gas timers, and shift fire pits to preferred locations. After every checkout, verify:

- Gas grill is in its designated secured position (check that mounting bolts are tight)

- Grill is at least 18 inches from railings and structure walls

- 60-minute timer is connected and functioning on the gas line

- Non-combustible mat is in place under the grill

- No charcoal grills or portable open-flame devices have been left on the property by guests

- Fire pit is in its secured position with all four requirements met

- Propane tanks are properly connected (no leaks, valves closed when not in use)

### Sources

[Sevier County Fire Marshal's Office STRU Inspection Items](https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO%20STRU%20Inspection%20Items%20Revised%2011.8.24.pdf) (Revised November 8, 2024)https://cms5.revize.com/revize/seviercountytn/SCFMO STRU Inspection Items Revised 11.8.24.pdf


We mapped 107 Tennessee vacation rental management companies from the VRMA directory: the largest operators, top-5 concentration (57%), dominant software, and what the data means. Primary-source figures, cleaned.

# Tennessee Vacation Rental Management Companies: The 2026 Market in Numbers

We pulled every Tennessee member of the national vacation rental managers’ association and ranked the market by the numbers: how many companies, who manages the most units, how concentrated it is, and what software runs it.

**Tennessee is home to 107 VRMA-member vacation rental management companies**, of which 48 disclosed a unit count totaling 3,284 managed units. The market is best described as a pure Smoky Mountain cabin economy.

The largest reporting operator is **Cabins For You** at roughly 608 units. The top five reporting operators control about 57 percent of all units disclosed, the most common property management system among members is Streamline, and the median member company was founded around 2014.

## 01Tennessee at a glance

VRMA member companies headquartered in Tennessee, March 2026.

## 02The largest operators

Ranked by self-reported units managed. Figures are disclosed by the operators themselves.

| # | Operator | Units (self-reported) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Cabins For YouGatlinburg | 608 |
| 2 | American Patriot Getaways, LLCPigeon Forge | 465 |
| 3 | Cabins USA, LLCPigeon Forge | 375 |
| 4 | Haven Vacation RentalsKnoxville | 230 |
| 5 | Eagle Property Management, IncPigeon Forge | 190 |
| 6 | The Lease KillersNashville | 150 |
| 7 | Auntie Belham's Cabin Rentals, Inc.Pigeon Forge | 110 |
| 8 | Oak Haven Resort, Inc.Sevierville | 102 |
| 9 | Mountain Laurel ChaletsGatlinburg | 91 |
| 10 | Hallson HospitalityNashville | 85 |

## 03How concentrated is the market?

The five largest reporting operators control about **57 percent** of every unit disclosed by Tennessee members. That is unusually concentrated, the mark of a resort-anchored market.

## 04What software runs the market

Most-named property management systems among Tennessee members.

According to the VRMA directory, the unit-heavy incumbents in Tennessee still lean on Streamline and legacy HomeAway/Escapia systems, the same generational pattern we documented across the whole industry in [the PMS market analysis](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/vacation-rental-pms-generational-shift/).

## 05What the data says

Tennessee's vacation rental market is almost entirely a Smoky Mountain cabin economy, concentrated in Sevier County around Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville. According to the VRMA public member directory (compiled March 2026), 107 Tennessee companies are members. After setting aside the national franchise headquartered in the state (see below), the largest genuinely Tennessee-based operator is Cabins For You at roughly 608 units, followed by American Patriot Getaways, Cabins USA, and Auntie Belham's.

These are cabin specialists, not coastal realty firms or urban apartment operators. The product is a detached log cabin with a hot tub and a mountain view, and the operational rhythm is built around it. The median Tennessee member was founded around 2014, and the top five reporting operators hold about 57 percent of reported units once the franchise total is removed.

## 06Compare other states

Figures come from RapidEye's analysis of the **VRMA (Vacation Rental Management Association) public member directory**, compiled March 2026. Counts cover companies that list a Tennessee headquarters. Unit counts are **self-reported**; only 48 of 107 Tennessee members disclosed one, so the 3,284-unit total is a floor, not a census of every short-term rental in the state.

We de-duplicated companies that appear under multiple brand spellings (keeping the higher figure) and excluded entries whose self-reported totals reflect national franchise networks, timeshare or HOA portfolios, or brands since acquired and folded into a national operator. In Tennessee, the largest excluded entry was iTrip Vacations: Itrip.net (4,500 self-reported units), a national franchise network reported outside the state.

## 07Sources

- VRMA (Vacation Rental Management Association) — Public Member Directory, compiled March 2026 (primary data set).https://www.vrma.org/search/newsearch.asp

- RapidEye — The Largest Short-Term Rental Management Companies (2026).https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/largest-short-term-rental-management-companies/

- RapidEye — The Vacation Rental PMS Market Just Flipped: 40 Years in One Chart.https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/vacation-rental-pms-generational-shift/

## 08Frequently asked

### How many vacation rental management companies are in Tennessee?

According to the VRMA public member directory compiled in March 2026, Tennessee has 107 member vacation rental management companies. Of those, 48 disclosed a unit count, together reporting 3,284 managed units.

### Who is the largest vacation rental management company in Tennessee?

Based on self-reported figures in the VRMA directory, the largest reporting operator in Tennessee is Cabins For You with approximately 608 units. The five largest reporting operators together account for about 57 percent of all units disclosed by Tennessee members.

### What property management software do Tennessee vacation rental companies use?

Among Tennessee members that named a property management system, Streamline is the most common, consistent with the broader pattern in which Streamline and legacy HomeAway/Escapia systems still run most unit-heavy incumbents.


We mapped 234 Texas vacation rental management companies from the VRMA directory: the largest operators, top-5 concentration (34%), dominant software, and what the data means. Primary-source figures, cleaned.

# Texas Vacation Rental Management Companies: The 2026 Market in Numbers

We pulled every Texas member of the national vacation rental managers’ association and ranked the market by the numbers: how many companies, who manages the most units, how concentrated it is, and what software runs it.

**Texas is home to 234 VRMA-member vacation rental management companies**, of which 111 disclosed a unit count totaling 6,443 managed units. The market is best described as a three-corridor market with no dominant operator.

The largest reporting operator is **Life In Paradise Vacation Rentals** at roughly 550 units. The top five reporting operators control about 34 percent of all units disclosed, the most common property management system among members is Streamline, and the median member company was founded around 2015.

## 01Texas at a glance

VRMA member companies headquartered in Texas, March 2026.

## 02The largest operators

Ranked by self-reported units managed. Figures are disclosed by the operators themselves.

| # | Operator | Units (self-reported) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Life In Paradise Vacation RentalsPort Aransas | 550 |
| 2 | Summit County Mountain RetreatsRichmond | 510 |
| 3 | Cozi Vacation RentalsFredericksburg | 400 |
| 4 | Silver Sands Vacation RentalsPort Aransas | 350 |
| 5 | Hill Country Premier LodgingWimberley | 350 |
| 6 | Absolute Charmfredericksburg | 245 |
| 7 | Ryson Vacation RentalsGalveston | 245 |
| 8 | Property Management Inc El Paso, LLCEl Paso | 230 |
| 9 | Goldnest Property ManagementDallas | 204 |
| 10 | Cartographer PropertiesGrapevine | 200 |

## 03How concentrated is the market?

The five largest reporting operators control about **34 percent** of every unit disclosed by Texas members. That is a middle-of-the-road split typical of established markets.

## 04What software runs the market

Most-named property management systems among Texas members.

According to the VRMA directory, the unit-heavy incumbents in Texas still lean on Streamline and legacy HomeAway/Escapia systems, the same generational pattern we documented across the whole industry in [the PMS market analysis](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/vacation-rental-pms-generational-shift/).

## 05What the data says

Texas vacation rental management spreads across three distinct corridors with no single dominant operator. According to the VRMA public member directory (compiled March 2026), 234 Texas companies are members. After excluding TurnKey Vacation Rentals (see below), the largest genuinely independent Texas operator is Life In Paradise Vacation Rentals at roughly 550 units, and the top five reporting operators hold about 34 percent of disclosed units.

The three corridors are the Hill Country (Fredericksburg, Wimberley, Canyon Lake), the Gulf Coast (Galveston, Port Aransas, South Padre), and the urban Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth markets. The median Texas member was founded around 2015, one of the younger cohorts in the country, reflecting how recently the Hill Country and urban-STR scenes professionalized.

## 06Compare other states

Figures come from RapidEye's analysis of the **VRMA (Vacation Rental Management Association) public member directory**, compiled March 2026. Counts cover companies that list a Texas headquarters. Unit counts are **self-reported**; only 111 of 234 Texas members disclosed one, so the 6,443-unit total is a floor, not a census of every short-term rental in the state.

We de-duplicated companies that appear under multiple brand spellings (keeping the higher figure) and excluded entries whose self-reported totals reflect national franchise networks, timeshare or HOA portfolios, or brands since acquired and folded into a national operator. In Texas, the largest excluded entry was TurnKey Vacation Rentals (6,000 self-reported units), acquired by Vacasa in 2021 and reported nationally.

## 07Sources

- VRMA (Vacation Rental Management Association) — Public Member Directory, compiled March 2026 (primary data set).https://www.vrma.org/search/newsearch.asp

- RapidEye — The Largest Short-Term Rental Management Companies (2026).https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/largest-short-term-rental-management-companies/

- RapidEye — The Vacation Rental PMS Market Just Flipped: 40 Years in One Chart.https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/vacation-rental-pms-generational-shift/

## 08Frequently asked

### How many vacation rental management companies are in Texas?

According to the VRMA public member directory compiled in March 2026, Texas has 234 member vacation rental management companies. Of those, 111 disclosed a unit count, together reporting 6,443 managed units.

### Who is the largest vacation rental management company in Texas?

Based on self-reported figures in the VRMA directory, the largest reporting operator in Texas is Life In Paradise Vacation Rentals with approximately 550 units. The five largest reporting operators together account for about 34 percent of all units disclosed by Texas members.

### What property management software do Texas vacation rental companies use?

Among Texas members that named a property management system, Streamline is the most common, consistent with the broader pattern in which Streamline and legacy HomeAway/Escapia systems still run most unit-heavy incumbents.


Top PropTech Development Companies in 2026

The software development companies building the platforms behind modern real estate. Six PropTech dev shops worth knowing in 2026.

01
Ascendix Technologies
Dallas, TX
200+ employees
Founded 1996
Ascendix has been building real estate software for nearly three decades. They operate as both a custom development shop and a product company, with their proprietary AscendixRE CRM built on Salesforce seeing wide adoption among commercial brokerages.
Their client list includes JLL and Hanna CRE, and they have five offices globally. The combination of their own PropTech products and custom development services gives them a level of domain expertise that pure-play agencies struggle to match.
ascendixtech.com


Property managers share real strategies for getting cleaning teams to document damage consistently, even with high turnover and time pressure.

# How to Train Your Cleaning Team on Damage Documentation (Without Losing Your Mind)

You’ve got the checklist. You’ve told your cleaners it’s important. You’ve probably even printed it out and laminated it.

And yet, when you file a damage claim, you discover the bathroom photos from that turnover are missing. Or the ones you have are blurry shots of the floor. Or your cleaner took 3 photos instead of 20 because she was running late to the next property.

I’ve talked to property managers running 50, 100, 200+ units who all describe the same problem: they know what documentation they need (we even published [the complete checklist](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/str-turnover-inspection-checklist-damage-documentation-photos)), but they can’t get their teams to actually do it consistently.

This isn’t a checklist problem. It’s a systems problem.

## Why Training Alone Doesn’t Work

Let’s start with some uncomfortable math.

Median tenure in the accommodation industry is [2.4 years](https://www.bls.gov/news.release/tenure.t05.htm). That’s the median. Half your team will turn over faster than that. And right now, [65% of hotels report staffing shortages](https://www.ahla.com/news/65-surveyed-hotels-report-staffing-shortages), with housekeeping cited as the #1 hardest role to fill (38% of properties).

So you’re constantly training new people. And here’s what happens:

You spend 30 minutes on day one explaining the photo protocol. Your new cleaner nods along. She seems to get it. Then she goes out to her first property alone, realizes she has 25 minutes to clean and photograph a 3-bedroom before her next turnover, and the photos become an afterthought.

A [survey of 737 employers and 1,050 frontline workers](https://www.schoox.com/news-press/new-research-only-24-of-frontline-workers-feel-adequately-trained-40-unsure-of-job-expectations/) found that only 24% of frontline workers feel adequately trained. 40% report being unsure of their job expectations. One in three said they only received training at onboarding and never again.

One-and-done training doesn’t work for complex jobs. It definitely doesn’t work for jobs where the consequence of cutting corners is invisible for months.

## The Real Challenges You’re Fighting

Before we get to solutions, let’s name what you’re actually up against. Because pretending these challenges don’t exist is why most training programs fail.

### Time Pressure Is Getting Worse

Hotel industry benchmarks show room attendant time per occupied room dropped from 25.8 minutes in January 2025 to [24.4 minutes by September 2025](https://hoteldata.com/reports/q3-2025-labor-costs-report/). Operators are pushing for faster turnovers. When something has to give, it’s going to be the “extra” stuff like thorough photo documentation.

Your cleaner has 6 more properties on her schedule. The bathroom looks clean. Why would she spend 2 minutes photographing a toilet that seems fine?

### No Immediate Consequence When Documentation Gets Skipped

This is the killer. When your cleaner skips photos today, nothing bad happens today. The guest checks in fine. The turnover is done.

The cost shows up 3 weeks later when you discover damage, go to file a claim, and realize you can’t prove it happened during that guest’s stay. Airbnb gives you [14 days from checkout](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2906) to file damage claims with supporting evidence. Vrbo has the [same 14-day window](https://help.vrbo.com/articles/How-do-I-file-a-damage-deposit-claim).

By the time you know you needed those photos, it’s too late.

This delayed consequence problem is brutal for training. Your cleaner doesn’t see the denied claim. She doesn’t feel the cost. She just knows that skipping photos made her day easier.

### Language and Literacy Barriers

This one’s sensitive, but it’s real. Many cleaning teams include workers for whom English is a second language or who have limited reading proficiency.

OSHA guidance on training explicitly states that if employees aren’t literate, [telling them to read materials doesn’t satisfy training requirements](https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2007-04-17). Information has to be delivered “in a manner that employees receiving it are capable of understanding.”

Your 3-page written SOP might be technically comprehensive. If half your team can’t easily read it, it’s useless.

### Contracted Cleaners vs. In-House Staff

If you’re using a contracted cleaning company, you have an extra layer of difficulty. You’re not their only client. Their incentives are aligned around completing turnovers quickly, not around your documentation standards.

And you can’t fire individual cleaners who underperform. You can only escalate to the company or switch vendors entirely.

## What Actually Works

Okay, enough about why this is hard. Here’s what I’ve seen work.

### Visual Training Materials (Not Just Written SOPs)

The professional cleaning industry has figured this out. ISSA, the cleaning industry association, sells training bundles that include [video demonstrations alongside written procedures, in both English and Spanish](https://learning.issa.com/product_bundles/3363). There’s a reason: it works better.

Create a 3-5 minute video showing exactly what you want. Walk through a property, demonstrate the photos you need, explain why each matters. Show a good example and a bad example side by side.

This takes maybe 2 hours to make once. Then every new hire watches it. You don’t have to be there personally explaining it for the hundredth time.

### The “First 3 Turnovers” Supervised Approach

Don’t let new cleaners work alone until they’ve done at least 3 turnovers with someone checking their work.

This doesn’t mean you personally shadow them (though that’s ideal for at least one). It means someone reviews their photos that same day and gives immediate feedback. “Hey, you missed the inside of the oven. Here’s why that matters for us.”

Immediate feedback closes the gap between action and consequence. The cleaner learns that documentation quality is actually being checked, not just talked about during onboarding.

### Spot-Check Inspections (Random, Not Comprehensive)

You can’t review every turnover. But you can review some.

Pick 5-10% of turnovers each week at random. Review the photos. If documentation is missing or inadequate, follow up with that cleaner specifically.

The goal isn’t to catch every mistake. It’s to create accountability. When cleaners know their work might be reviewed on any given day, they’re less likely to cut corners.

A QA program at a [Marriott property uses exactly this approach](https://www.facilitiesnet.com/facilitiesmanagement/tip/How-Quality-Assurance-Inspections-Improve-Staff-Performance--50916): the maintenance lead inspects 18 rooms per day, gives feedback with photos, and it improves staff performance over time.

### Incentive Structures That Actually Work

Punishment doesn’t work well for this. Your cleaner is doing a hard job under time pressure. Making her feel like she’s always about to get in trouble just increases turnover.

Instead:

- **Small bonuses for documentation quality**: An extra $5-10 per turnover when photo documentation is complete and usable. This directly compensates for the extra 2-3 minutes it takes.

**Small bonuses for documentation quality**: An extra $5-10 per turnover when photo documentation is complete and usable. This directly compensates for the extra 2-3 minutes it takes.

- **Team-level incentives**: If your whole team hits documentation standards for a month, everyone gets a bonus. This creates peer accountability.

**Team-level incentives**: If your whole team hits documentation standards for a month, everyone gets a bonus. This creates peer accountability.

- **Tie it to claim outcomes**: When a claim gets paid because documentation was solid, share that win. “We recovered $800 this month because of good photos. Here’s a $50 bonus for the team.”

**Tie it to claim outcomes**: When a claim gets paid because documentation was solid, share that win. “We recovered $800 this month because of good photos. Here’s a $50 bonus for the team.”

The math works. If thorough documentation helps you recover even one $500 claim per quarter, paying $5 extra per turnover for the property where that damage occurred is a massive ROI.

### Make Documentation Part of the Task, Not an Add-On

This is subtle but important.

If photos are framed as “extra work after you’re done cleaning,” they’ll get skipped when time is tight.

Reframe it: the turnover isn’t complete until photos are uploaded. The clock doesn’t stop until documentation is done. Train cleaners to photograph as they go, not at the end.

Room by room: clean the bathroom, then photograph the bathroom. Clean the bedroom, photograph the bedroom. Don’t wait until the whole property is done.

## When to Accept “Good Enough”

Here’s something nobody wants to say: you’re not going to get perfect documentation on every turnover.

If you’re managing 100+ units with a rotating team of hourly workers, 100% compliance with a 30-photo protocol is a fantasy. Chasing perfection will burn out you and your team.

Focus on the 80/20:

- **High-value areas first**: Kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, flooring, and furniture are where most damage occurs and where claims are highest value. Make sure these always get documented.

**High-value areas first**: Kitchen appliances, bathroom fixtures, flooring, and furniture are where most damage occurs and where claims are highest value. Make sure these always get documented.

- **Pre-arrival is more important than post-departure**: Photos taken before a guest arrives establish your baseline. If you have to choose, prioritize pre-arrival documentation.

**Pre-arrival is more important than post-departure**: Photos taken before a guest arrives establish your baseline. If you have to choose, prioritize pre-arrival documentation.

- **Consistency beats thoroughness**: 15 clear photos on every turnover is more useful than 40 photos on some turnovers and 0 on others.

**Consistency beats thoroughness**: 15 clear photos on every turnover is more useful than 40 photos on some turnovers and 0 on others.

Decide what “minimum viable documentation” looks like for your operation and make that the non-negotiable standard. Everything beyond that is bonus.

## The Math on Documentation Time vs. Damage Recovery

Let’s put numbers on this.

Assuming your documentation protocol adds 3 minutes to each turnover:

- 100 units × 2 turnovers/week average = 200 turnovers

- 200 turnovers × 3 minutes = 600 minutes = 10 hours/week

- At $20/hour, that’s $200/week in additional labor

Now compare that to damage recovery:

- Average STR damage claim: $300-800

- If documentation helps you win even 2 additional claims per month, you’re recovering $600-1,600/month

- Net gain: $400-1,400/month

And that’s before considering the claims you’re currently losing because documentation is missing. We wrote about [why STR damage claims get denied](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/why-str-damage-claims-get-denied), and poor documentation is at the top of the list.

The math only works if documentation actually happens consistently. Which brings us back to the whole point of this post.

## The Honest Conclusion

I’ve laid out the best practices for training cleaning teams on documentation. Visual training, supervised onboarding, spot-checking, incentives, realistic standards.

Will all of this solve the problem completely? No.

You’re fighting against structural forces: high turnover, time pressure, delayed consequences, misaligned incentives. You can make it better. You probably can’t make it perfect.

This is part of why we built RapidEye to work with whatever photos are already being taken. Your cleaners using Breezeway are uploading photos anyway. We analyze those automatically, compare them against baselines, and flag damage that might otherwise go unnoticed. No extra work for your cleaning team.

That doesn’t replace good training. But it does mean you’re not entirely dependent on human consistency for damage detection. When your cleaner rushes through photos because she’s running late, you at least have an automated system catching what she might have missed.

If you want to see how that works, we wrote about [how automated damage detection actually works](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/how-automated-damage-detection-works) and [how it integrates with Breezeway workflows](https://www.rapideyeinspections.com/blog/add-ai-damage-detection-breezeway-workflow).

But honestly? Start with the training systems. Get your team as consistent as you can. Automation helps at scale, but good fundamentals matter first.


How to Use Turnover Inspections for Preventative Maintenance

Your turnover is the most frequent inspection your property gets, dozens of times a year. Most of it is wasted on 'is it clean.' Here is how to harvest it to catch slow-developing maintenance failures early.

# How to use turnover inspections for preventative maintenance

Your turnover is the most frequent inspection your property ever gets, dozens of times a year. Most operators waste it on "is it clean." Here is how to harvest it to catch slow failures early.

## The frequency you're already paying for

Think about how often a maintenance professional actually walks one of your properties. A few times a year, if you are diligent. Now think about how often someone is inside that same property looking closely at every room: every single turnover. According to [Rent Responsibly](https://www.rentresponsibly.org/guide-to-short-term-rental-turnover-inspections/), the turnover inspection, done after cleaning and before the next guest, already doubles as the moment to catch maintenance issues like a malfunctioning detector, a leaky faucet, or a failing hinge. The frequency is the asset. You are paying for dozens of property visits a year and using almost none of them for maintenance.

The reason it gets wasted is framing. Cleaners are told their job is "make it clean," so their attention is tuned to dirt, not to the faint stain that is a little bigger than last week or the railing that wobbles a little more than it did. A small shift, asking them to also notice what is *developing*, converts every clean into a recurring maintenance inspection at almost no added cost. In a RapidEye trial across a 500-plus-unit portfolio, the system surfaced an average of four issues per property that the cleaners and inspectors had walked right past, a direct measure of how much the turnover already sees but does not report.

## The failures that develop slowly

These are the issues worth training a turnover to catch, because they are cheap at the start and ruinous at the end. Each one announces itself early with a signal a cleaner can see, long before it becomes an emergency call or a guest refund.

| System | Early turnover signal | If ignored | Expensive endpoint |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Ceiling / under-sink water | A faint stain, slightly larger or darker than last turnover | Spreading discoloration, soft spot, musty smell | Subfloor rot, mold remediation, ceiling repair |
| Shower grout & caulk | Hairline darkening; caulk bead pulling away at edges | Gaps letting water behind tile | Wall rot, tile re-set, water damage to the room below |
| Mold & mildew | Small spots that keep returning after each clean | Growth spreading along grout and trim | Remediation, guest health complaints, liability |
| Appliances | Runs longer or louder; fridge not holding temperature | Intermittent failures, odd cycles | Mid-stay breakdown, spoiled-food refund, emergency replacement |
| Deck & railings | A screw backing out; slight wobble; graying, soft wood | Visible give when leaned on | Structural failure and a guest-injury claim |
| HVAC | Weak airflow; dust building on vents; darkening filter | Struggling to hold temperature | Compressor failure in peak season, comfort refunds |
| Faucets & toilets | A faint drip; a toilet that runs after flushing | Constant drip, higher water use | Water damage, a spiked utility bill |
| Doors & seals | A door starting to stick; a draft or light gap appearing | Warping, harder to latch, energy loss | Door replacement, pest intrusion, lock failure |

According to 2026 cost data from [Angi](https://www.angi.com/articles/emergency-plumber-cost.htm) and [HomeGuide](https://homeguide.com/costs/plumber-cost), emergency and after-hours plumbing runs roughly 1.5 to 3 times standard rates, and that is before the guest refund or one-star review a mid-stay failure brings with it. Every row above is cheap on the left and expensive on the right. The whole game is catching it on the left.

## Why a single look misses the slow ones

Here is the catch that makes slow failures so dangerous: in any single turnover, they look fine. A faint water stain is "probably always been there." A railing that gives a little is "good enough." The signal is not in the snapshot. It is in the change between snapshots.

#### The snapshot misses it

A cleaner sees the bathroom once today. The grout looks a little dark, but compared to what? With nothing to compare against, a slowly worsening problem reads as normal every single time, right up until it fails.

#### The comparison catches it

The same grout photographed at three consecutive turnovers tells a clear story: it is getting worse, and fast. Comparing each turnover against the property's normal state is what turns "looks fine" into "this is trending the wrong way."

## How to harvest the turnover

You do not need a separate maintenance crew or a longer turnover. You need four small additions to the process you already run.

Tack a brief look for the eight systems above onto the end of the clean. Not a deep inspection, a 60-second scan for the early signals: stains, drips, wobble, weak airflow, returning mold.

Have cleaners shoot the same handful of high-risk spots at every turnover: under sinks, shower corners, the water heater, the deck, the HVAC vents. Same angles, every time, so they can be compared.

The value is in the trend. Whether by eye or with software, the question is always "is this worse than the last turnover?" That comparison is what surfaces slow drift before it becomes failure.

A flagged early signal becomes a scheduled, cheap fix on the next maintenance visit, not a 2 a.m. emergency call mid-stay. The whole point is to move the repair from the reactive end of the curve to the planned end.

### The comparison, automated

The hard part of harvesting the turnover is step three: a human cannot reliably remember what the shower grout looked like 30 cleans ago. RapidEye does exactly this. It holds a baseline of how each space should look and compares every new turnover's photos and video against it, flagging what has changed, whether that is fresh guest damage or a stain that has been quietly spreading for two months. The same engine that catches damage catches slow maintenance drift, because to the system they are the same thing: a deviation from normal. See [how baseline comparison works](https://rapideyeinspections.com/blog/ai-baseline-comparison-catches-what-inspections-miss/).

## Frequently asked questions

Yes, and it is the highest-leverage thing most operators are not doing. A busy short-term rental turns over dozens of times a year, which means the turnover is by far the most frequent inspection the property ever gets. If your cleaners are only checking "is it clean," you are wasting that frequency. By adding a short, structured look for developing problems to every turnover, you turn each clean into a recurring maintenance inspection at almost no extra cost.

The ones that develop slowly and hide in plain sight: spreading water stains, darkening grout and failing caulk, returning mold spots, appliances that run longer or louder than they used to, a railing or deck board working loose, weak HVAC airflow, a faucet or toilet that has started to drip, and hairline cracks that lengthen over time. These rarely fail all at once. They send small signals across many turnovers, which is exactly why the high-frequency turnover is the right place to catch them.

Because the cost curve is steep. A slow drip caught at a turnover is a cheap washer replacement on a scheduled visit. The same drip ignored becomes water damage, a mid-stay failure, and an emergency call. According to 2026 cost data from Angi and HomeGuide, emergency and after-hours plumbing runs roughly 1.5 to 3 times standard rates, before the cost of any guest refund or bad review the failure triggers. Early detection moves the repair from the expensive, reactive end of the curve to the cheap, scheduled end.

Compare across turnovers, not within one. A faint water stain looks like nothing in a single photo; the same stain photographed at three consecutive turnovers tells a clear story. The practical method is to photograph the usual suspects every turnover and compare each against the last. This is exactly what AI baseline comparison automates: it holds a reference for each space and flags what has changed since the property's normal state, surfacing slow drift a one-time glance would miss.

### Sources

### Related reading

#### How AI Baseline Comparison Catches What Inspections Miss

The comparison-across-time engine that surfaces slow drift.

#### The Amenities Inspectors Mark "Present" but Never Confirm Work

Presence is not function: the gap that hides failing systems.

#### Staging Drift: Why Your Rental Stops Matching Its Photos

The same slow-change problem, applied to staging instead of maintenance.

#### How to Prevent Vacation Rental Damage

The prevention playbook the turnover feeds into.