House rules do two jobs: they protect the property, and they tell honest guests
what you actually care about. The rule lists that do both are short, specific, and written
the way you would say them to someone standing in your kitchen.
The shape of a rule that works
Specific beats vague. "Quiet hours from 10 PM to 8 AM" can be followed; "please be
respectful of neighbors" cannot, because nobody knows what it means at 11 PM. And when a
rule has a reason, give it in half a sentence: "keep the street clear Tuesday mornings for
the sweeper" reads as information, not as a command, and it gets followed more like
information.
A sample rule set
Sample rules: replace with yours
No smoking or vaping anywhere on the property.
No parties or events; overnight guests are the guests on the reservation.
Quiet hours from 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM.
No pets inside the house.
Shoes off upstairs, please; the carpet thanks you.
No candles or open flames indoors.
Hot tub closes at 10 PM; please re-cover it after use.
Before you leave: start the dishwasher, bag the trash, pull the door shut until it beeps.
What to leave out
Rules you will not enforce. Each one you ignore teaches guests the
whole list is decoration.
Legal paragraphs. Liability and damage terms belong in a rental
agreement reviewed for your jurisdiction, not in the welcome book; this page is a writing
guide, not legal advice.
Platform policy restated. The booking platform already binds guests
to its own terms; your list is for the things specific to your house.
Where the rules go
Three places, shortest list last: the rules field on your listing, where guests agree
to them at booking; the house rules section of your welcome book; and, if two or three
rules really matter (the hot tub cover, the parking), one small card near the door. The
free generator turns one rule per line into the book's rules page.