Top 13 Tips For RV Owners Renting Out Their RVs | RVezy

Whether you're a seasoned RVezy veteran, a new host on our platform, or a wannabe RVezy host, we want to give you the tools to protect your investment and provide your renters the experience of a lifetime.

In this guide, we share 13 essential tips and tricks that every successful RVezy host needs to know — from rental and listing best practices to departure, delivery, and return tips!

Let's hitch up and hit the road!

Table of contents

Rental tips and tricks
Listing tips and tricks
Departure and return tips

Rental tips and tricks

RV height/clearance

How tall is your RV?

Can you recall that height quickly? Can your renters remember your RV's height fast enough to change their course? Probably not.

RVezy pro tip: Save yourself from a costly insurance claim by displaying your RV's height (in feet and meters) somewhere visible, like on the dashboard. Number stickers or vinyl letters are easy to install and won't damage the surface of your rig, but even something simple like a note card will work, too.

The best time to question your vehicle's height is before approaching a low-clearance bridge. Because when it comes to an RV versus a bridge, the bridge almost always wins.

Got diesel?

Gasoline is harmful to diesel engines, and the last thing you want is to have your renters accidentally add the wrong fuel type to your motorhome.

RVezy pro tip: Thankfully, it's easy to help prevent this kind of mistake. Adding a diesel-only sticker near your fuel tank can significantly reduce the chances of someone adding the wrong fuel to your RV.

If you or your renter add regular gasoline to a diesel tank, the best thing to do is to keep the engine off, don't move the RV or tow vehicle, and call roadside assistance for immediate assistance.

Even with roadside assistance, draining the tank can cost anywhere from $200 to $2,000, depending on whether the mechanic has to lower the gas tank (J.D. Power). The repair cost increases significantly if you or your renter attempts to drive the RV or tow vehicle.

RVezy is now sending a diesel-only sticker to every RV host who indicates their diesel fuel on their listing detail page!

Fuel type

In the United States, most fuel stations dispense diesel fuel from pumps with a green handle and unleaded gasoline or alternative fuel from a blue or black pump. Although the green-colored pump is fairly consistent, the colors could vary depending on the station.

In Canada, most fuel stations dispense diesel from a yellow or green handle for diesel used in passenger vehicles and motorhomes. Like the U.S., the handle color isn't consistent from station to station.

RVezy pro tip: If you're a host with a diesel RV, you can do two things to help renters put the correct fuel in your rig. The first thing is to place a diesel-only sticker near the fuel tank (as shown in the previous section). The second thing is to give your out-of-country-renters fueling tips, as they might not know that fuel pump colors are different throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Welcome book/RV information

A welcome book helps make your renters feel valued and appreciated. A thoughtful note and essential information can go a long way in creating a custom-tailored renting experience your renters will never forget.

If you've ever stayed at a vacation rental property, you're probably already familiar with the welcome books hosts leave their guests. The great thing about a welcome book is that you can put whatever you want inside, start small, and add new sections as you learn your renters' wants and needs.

RVezy pro tip: A personalized welcome book can include details about the RV's operation, the location of valves and tanks, troubleshooting steps, cleaning expectations, house rules, and emergency contact information. Your book doesn't have to be fancy. Use a free program like Canva to add content to a premade template or include typed instructions, sticky notes, and instruction manuals.

Helpful signs

Posting helpful signs in your RV can not only help your renters but also help prevent damage claims. A few thoughtfully placed signs with pictures or images can go a long way, especially for non-native English speakers.

RVezy pro tip: Post signs or notes over areas that need special attention. For example, place a sign close to the propane stove to remind renters that glass will break if it's closed while the stove is hot, or put a sign up over the RV toilet reminding renters what they can and can not flush. If you want to keep your signs fresh from renter to renter, consider placing them in a page protector before hanging them up.

Other places where signs might be helpful include next to the tank monitors or close to something in the RV that needs a little wiggle or trick to work. If your RV has smaller holding tanks, consider placing a sign in the RV to help renters understand the average number of showers, flushes, or loads of dishes the renters can expect out of one tank of freshwater.

Check out our blog post on RV holding tanks for more helpful holding tank tips for your renters.

Listing tips and tricks

Seat belts

If you've ever had renters ask about the seat belts in your motorhome, this section is for you.

Guests traveling with car-seat-aged children may want to know if your motorhome has seat belts with shoulder straps or lap-only seat belts for their child safety seats. Even if your motorhome sleeps six people, it does not mean it has seat belts for six.

RVezy pro tip: Use the written and photo section of your listing to include specifics about your seatbelts to help guests know if your RV is right for them. Look for a picture of your rig's floorplan on the manufacturer's website and use a free program like Canva to create a diagram of your seatbelts (shown above). Then, upload the image to your listing's photos section.

Example

This motorhome has six seat belts.

Pilot's chair: one seat belt with a shoulder strap (three points).
Co-pilot's chair: one seat belt with a shoulder strap (three points).
Passenger's seat: one seat belt with a shoulder strap (three points).
Passenger's seat: one seat belt with a shoulder strap (three points).
Sofa: Two lap belts.

RVezy recently released an update to include seat belt information, bed details, and fuel type in every listing.

Beds

Nothing is worse than getting to your family vacation to find out you have to sleep on a blow-up mattress when you were expecting to sleep in a bed.

RV owners know motorhome and trailer bed sizes don't always meet universal bedding standards. Renters probably won't understand that creative sleep spaces in an RV often have smaller beds and won't fit people taller than the average-sized adult, so the more bed detail you can provide, the better.

RVezy pro tip: Have a photo layout or written description of how many beds you have in your RV, how many people the RV sleeps, and a realistic description of how many adults or children can sleep in the beds comfortably.

Airstream International 30 RBQ

Sleeps up to 6 people.

• RV short queen bed sleeps two adults (60 x 74).
• Convertible dinette bed sleeps one adult or two young adults or children (39 X 76).
• Convertible couch sleeps one adult or two young adults or children (39 x 76).

RV inventory details

Helping your renters know what's included in your listing can help save them money and reduce their chances of throwing out unused products that are either not needed or don’t work in your RV.

Add a written description to your listing, including what's part of every rental.

RVezy pro tip: If you're providing linens for your RV guests as part of your base package, It's a good idea to have enough bath towels, hand towels, and washcloths for as many people as your RV sleeps. Provide one set of linens per person so guests won't have to share towels or purchase more towels halfway through their trip. The same goes for cutlery, dishes, and drinkware.

Examples

Kitchen

• Cutlery and dishes for eight people.
• Reusable glasses for eight people.
• Coffee mugs for eight people.
• Basic cooking utensils.
• Two sizes of pots, pans, and lids for use on the propane stove.
• Twelve-pot coffee maker.
• Small kitchen trash can with trash bags.
• Two paper towel rolls.
• One dish soap.
• One dish sponge.
• Multipurpose cleaning supplies.

Bathroom

• Six rolls of RV toilet paper.
• RV tank deodorizer.
• Small bathroom trash can with small trash bags.
• Antibacterial wipes.
• One liquid hand soap.
• One soap bar.
• Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.
• Shower squeegee.

Motorhome

• Two gallons of extra diesel exhaust fluid (DEF).
• One gallon of extra all-season windshield wiper fluid.
• One extendable window squeegee.
• One collapsible bucket with two towels and two rags to use outside.

RV inventory photos

Including pictures of your inventory will enhance your listing's written description. By including photos of your inventory, you'll give non-native English speakers a visual reference, and you'll have something to look at when it's time to prep your RV for its next rental.

RVezy pro tip: Inventory photos are not only helpful to your renters but also helpful for you. You can use your inventory photos to help speed up the departure and return or document your RV contents in case of a personal or renter insurance claim.

Helpful add-ons

What add-ons do you include as part of every rental that helps make the renter's trip more enjoyable?

Some hosts include cell phone charging stations, a deck of playing cards, board games, s'mores supplies, and fire starter kits, while others include more customized items like a bottle of wine or a pop-up outdoor food tent. The possibilities are endless!

Raise your hand if you've left your house without your phone charger.

RVezy pro tip: Include a written description of your free upgrades and paid add-ons in your listing. Want to make your listing stand out from the others? Follow the advice above and add pictures to your listing to showcase your upgrades and paid add-ons.

Departure and return tips

Message templates

Want to make your rentals go as smoothly as possible? Use RVezy’s message templates to quickly send your renters helpful reminders before the departure, return, or delivery. Include any details that will help the renter show up prepared and ready.

Example departure content ideas

• Departure or drop-off location and time.
• Late policy.
• Tow vehicle requirements.
• Add-ons you're providing, such as a Bluetooth brake controller.
• A reminder of RVezy's rental agreement requirements the renter needs to have with them at the departure.

Example return content ideas

• Return or pickup location and time.
• Late policy.
• Cleaning expectations.
• Tank cleaning or filling expectations.
• Propane tank level expectation.
• A reminder of how to clean and store the electrical, water, and sewer supplies.

Host return inspection checklist

If you've ever missed something during your return inspection and found damage or additional charges after you've completed the return inspection with your renters, this tip is for you.

RVezy pro tip: Use the host return inspection checklist in conjunction with the RVezy return inspection. Think of this checklist as a companion to the RVezy return inspection, not a replacement.

A return inspection checklist can be used as a reminder to check your inventory and sometimes overlooked areas inside and outside of the RV. How detailed you make this checklist is up to you.

Example checklist items

• Linen inventory.
• Dishes and utensils inventory.
• Electronic inventory (to include cords and remote controls).
• Items stored in cabinets that can be overlooked (like a coffee pot).
• Mattresses, mattress pads, upholstery, countertops, window treatments, and floors.
• Water pressure regulator.
• Surge protector.
• Keys and locks.
• Caps, handles, and sewer components.

How-to videos

If you're electronically inclined, consider making small instruction videos on operating things inside and outside your RV.

These videos can help remind your renters how to hitch and unhitch, operate the slide outs, hook up the water, and much more. If a how-to video is something you're not interested in, you can also give operational step-by-step instructions through pictures, which you can keep inside your welcome book.

Final thoughts

We hope these tips and tricks will set you on the road to RVezy host success.

By staying organized, communicating clearly with your renters, and providing the best experience possible, you'll build an exceptional reputation as an RVezy host that renters will love.

Not an RVezy host yet, but you want to see why we're North America's top-rated RV rental marketplace? Check out RVezy to learn everything you'll want to know about listing your RV for rent with us.

Happy hosting!