A guide to renting out your beloved RV or campervan for additional income
Using your RV or motorhome as a rental can be a great source of additional income when your rig isn’t in use. Owning a campervan or RV allows you the freedom to travel at the snap of your fingers. Folks love the ability to getaway during the weekends, holidays, or even live on the road full time.
However, for those owners who only use their rig a few weeks out of the year, renting out their campervan or RV when they’re not travelling can be a great way to offset some of the cost of purchasing and maintaining your vehicle. If you love your motorhome, and are interested in earning some side income when it’s not in use, consider exploring rental options.
Prior to renting out your vehicle, first do your research. Renting your RV successfully requires a plan. Take the following information into consideration.
Third party rental management
You may want to find a third party website to broker the rental. Websites like RVshare and Outdoorsy essentially do the difficult part for you, such as offering a secure checkout system and making it easy to list your rig for potential renters. These sites typically charge a flat rate fee per rental and help do a lot of the heavy lifting for you.
Insurance coverage requirements
RV trips can be exciting and adventurous. That said, travel vehicles can also endure a great deal of damage and require maintenance along the way to the destination. When renting out your RV or motorhome, personal injury insurance comes into play.
Let’s say your rig is being rented and something breaks, causing the vehicle to crash and leaving the renters injured. While this rarely happens, you should take the necessary precautions by obtaining complete insurance coverage for both you and the occupants.
Consider investing in a commercial rental insurance policy. Having all your bases covered in the event of vandalism or injury will help you rest easy, particularly if you plan on frequently renting out your motorhome.
Take note of mileage and generator hours
Be sure to take note of the mileage numbers prior to renting out your rig in order to get an accurate count when going over the mileage agreed upon.
Most RV rentals set a limit of 100 miles per day and charge an additional fee per mile after.
Remove personal belongings before renting out your RV
Renting out your motorhome is essentially like renting a vacation home. Remove all your personal belongings of importance and limit the motorhome contents to items such as linens and cooking utensils/appliances.
Thoroughly clean your RV
If you want to rent your campervan out continuously, earning a good rating for cleanliness will go a long way. Make sure that floors, shower, bathroom, kitchen and sleeping areas are tidy and odor free.
Get driving records/background checks prior to renting
Having some sort of system in place to vet prospective renters is always a good idea. While background checks and driving records aren’t always an indication of a reliable renter, they can help weed out a potential issue. Third-party websites such as Outdoorsy and RVshare actually run the DMV record portion part for you.
What about pets?
Consider if you will allow pets on your RV/campervan. What is your policy? Some types/sizes of pets will be more likely to do damage than others. Think about what works for you and consider charging an extra cleaning fee for renters with animals.
Pros vs. cons of renting your campervan
Renting out your motorhome can be an excellent way to generate some additional income and, in certain circumstances, allow you to fund your next rig or vacation. Carefully weigh the advantages and disadvantages of renting your RV prior to listing it and find what works for you.
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Whether you live in your motorhome full-time or you’re more the weekend warrior type will help determine if renting out your campervan is right for you.
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