Screening your guests is your duty to yourself and to your property. But what should go into vetting your guests, what information should you ask for, and what should you do if you have a bad gut feeling about a potential guest?

Talk to each renter on the phone before taking their booking. It's amazing how much information about a person you can glean from a short phone conversation. By asking the right questions, you'll be able to discern a lot about your guest.

Be on the lookout for any red flags. Here's a lighthearted take on lines from renters that should make your spider-senses tingle. If you have a bad feeling in your gut about a potential renter, trust it. Pretty much every owner I've talked to who has had major damage done to their property by a renter had a bad feeling about the guest before they took the booking.

Do a little Internet-sleuthing. If you do have a feeling in your gut after talking with a potential renter and are having trouble passing up the booking, do a little investigative research. There are a number of ways to learn more about a person on the Internet. Here's an article with a few suggestions. 

What information is acceptable to ask for?

How do you screen your potential renters?

"I never quickly say the week is available. I then have the option to not rent to a suspect party without getting into any legal issues. I can easily say a family member is considering a visit at that time. "Do you have a weekend in June for 10 adults?" Red flag: this may be a graduation bash. It is a little more delicate to handle, but ask questions. Always smile when talking with a client on the phone, it comes through in your voice. It is a winning way to gain trust and land the booking." -Homeowner, Cape Cod, MA 

"I accidentally discovered this when screening a potential renter. When I returned the potential renter's phone call, the music they had programmed was absolutely obnoxious. Don't get me wrong, my music choices are eclectic to say the least. However, I also can predict the age of a renter from their callback music or other types of personalized cell phone music.  Secondly, what does their answering machine or message sound like?  Is their message rowdy, tawdry, or garbled?  I have found that people who are able to communicate in a normal fashion are more likely to be very good renters. Lastly, if you are genuinely friendly to a potential renter they will tell you more than you ever wanted to know!! -Kimberly M., Panama City Beach, FL 

"When I sense a red flag during an interview with a renter, I gently let him know that his application will be reviewed on a first come first serve basis that way, I can get out without jeopardizing anything." - Zoong, Scottsdale, AZ.

"I use a reverse lookup for the phone number and Google on the name and email. I also google the phone number if i am still uncomfortable. Scammers tend to change names but use the same phone number so it usually comes up in a database of fraudulent inquiries. I also Google the "@---.com" part of the address if it seems to be for an well-known company or organization. Once I had a scam with a "lionsclubinter.com" address, which looked pretty good to me; I then found that the Lions use "lionsclubs.org". For domestic inquiries, I will call rather than write if I am still uncomfortable. For all overseas inquiries, if I respond I state that all payments must be in the exact amount via Paypal." -Michelle, Surf City, NJ (HomeAway #167427)

"I do all of the things you have listed, and if still curious, I'll do a www.pipl.com search, which provides additional info." -Jennifer, Vail, CO (VRBO #80397)

	Trust Your Instincts: 10 Lines From Renters That Should Raise a Red Flag  A lighthearted take on a few conversations with prospective renters that should make you pause and contemplate a bit before accepting their booking.
	The Pros and Cons of Renting To College Students  Here are some considerations to take into account when deciding whether to welcome young renters.
	How to Use the Internet to Investigate Potential Renters  Quick tips for checking up on fishy inquiries.
	Checklist for Responding to Vacation Rental Inquiries   Be sure your email includes all the necessary information before clicking send.