First guest

[Pedro1553]

Hello, just put my listing live today and I have an inquiry requesting for a month stay. First one! Not sure if I trust us and wondering if this is legit or not? Or if I should allow them to stay for that long to begin with.  I attached a screenshot of our communication and let me know your thoughts and what I should do. Help! 

 

[Emiel1]

@Pedro1553 

Stays of 28 nights and longer are "long term stays" and have special rules and cancellation policy. Consult the help files for details.

The communication looks "normal", but the guest seems to be in a hurry to find accommodation and maybe also wants to extend her stay "until found apartment" ? Check the laws in your country regarding "tennant rights".

Is she a local ?

You should look at the profile of the guest. Is ID verified ? Are there (positive) reviews ?

[Pedro1553]

Thank you @Emiel1 thAt is great advice. Yes, the long term is a red flag with tenant rights ESPECIALLY here in California. I declined and offered a shorter stay.

[Louise1073]

Hi @Pedro1553 , long term stays can be tricky to manage. If you are uncomfortable with the idea of handling a long term rent as your 1st AirBnB guest, DECLINE the request and take immediate action to control who can book your listing:

- set maximum number of nights for stay. I started out with 7-8 night (1 week) as the initial maximum, now I am a little more ready and accept up to 14 nights.

- disable any long-term stay discounts

- set minimum notice period. I still feel a little nervous about last minute requests so only allow people to book with at least 3 days notice

Set yourself up for success by filtering the kind of booking you want to start with. Your booking looks really pristine and you describe it as "executive" so I am guessing you are aiming for shorter-term/professional guests, rather than family/long-term stays. Stick to the target audience you feel comfortable with to start with.

[Pedro1553]

Thank you @Louise1073! I actually followed your advice step by step and set up my listing just like you suggested. Really appreciate your reply 🙏🏽