Hi everyone, Swimming pools, a major subject with my guests ...
Hi everyone, Swimming pools, a major subject with my guests and enquiries, many guest want to know if the pool is shared (by ...
Im trying to gauge a reasonable amount typically charged for guests with pets, and if this is more often charged as an upfront fee as opposed to a deposit, held and returned.
The listing is a 2bed house in Los Angeles, accommodating a small or medium sized dog, for a week, 2week, or month=long booking.
Any advice is appreciated.
Hi!
I would request a deposit and base the amount of deposit on the risk factors, such as carpet vs wood flooring, Upholstery…. colors styles etc. some homes are pet proof some aren’t, is yours ? Also, I would be specific on breeds. There’s is big difference between a chihuahua a pit bull or Saint Bernard. A lot of details to consider in this decision. I have a no pet policy but I’ve made exceptions. Every case is different.
Maggie 😊
Hello @Thaddeus15,
According to Airbnb's policies, hosts are not allowed to charge guests a security deposit through the Resolution Centre or outside of the Airbnb platform. Instead, Airbnb informs guests at the time of booking that their payment method may be charged if they cause damage during their stay.
Pet fees can vary depending on many factors, such as the characteristics of the home (e.g. quality of flooring, furniture) and the breed, size and number of pets allowed.
More information can be found here:
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/resources/hosting-homes/a/what-you-need-to-know-about-hosting-pets-463
Kind regards.
Elena
Hello, @Thaddeus15 ,
nice to meet you, I'm Vincenzo, a fellow host and long-time user from Sicily, Italy.
There's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to pet fees.
However, from my personal experience, I've seen some hosts usually setting a pet fee anywhere from 50$ to 200$.
It really depends on what you want to do as a host.
You should ask yourself:
- do I want to incentive guests with pets to come at my place?
In this case, you can set a lower pet fee, just to cover the extra cleaning expenses that the pet will bring.
This is also kind of a marketing tool. If other hosts are requesting a higher pet fee or are not allowing pets, you will attract more travelers that go around with pets by setting a lower pet fee and allowing pets.
- or do I want to avoid travelers with pets and have them stay with a pet only if they pay a lot more for the pet?
In this case, you should set a higher pet fee.
By doing so, guests with pets will see the price is higher if they select a pet, and will bring the pet only if they really have to.
So the end result should be that fewer travelers with pets will come to your place.
I checked your listing and I see it doesn't allow pets currently.
If you decide to host pets, you should definitely mention the maximum size you can allow in your House Rules, to avoid any misunderstanding with guests (https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/472).
In these situations, clarity is king, so you should clearly advise the guests that your place can fit small or medium-sized dogs, and clearly explain what you mean by that (even making examples).
Besides that, you can also check what @Elena4354 already attached:
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/resources/hosting-homes/a/what-you-need-to-know-about-hosting-pets-463
Happy hosting!
Vincenzo
Hello @Thaddeus15, welcome to the Airbnb Community Center!
Our experienced Hosts have shared their opinions. Have you had a chance to read their comments?
Please keep us posted 😊
Hi Thaddeus,
I recently started allowing pets in one of the listings I cohost and I remember from a zoom call I had with other airbnb hosts, they are normally charging 150-200 dollars (non refundable) pet fee and stating somewhere that if there is an excessive cleaning required after checkin, there would be additional fees charged. I would say keep it around these figures.
Rose