Managing reservations made simpler

[Airbnb]

You’ve told us that managing reservations from home or on the go could be easier and more consistent. As we did with changes to your reservations list, we’ve listened to your feedback, studied hosts’ concerns raised with the community-support team, and run research studies to understand how we could improve your experience. Here’s a sneak peek of upcoming changes built on your input.

Consistent information wherever you go

Soon, whether you’re managing reservations on the Airbnb app or website, you’ll have the same set of reservation details available. What’s more, anywhere you see a reservation—in your calendar, the message thread, your dashboard, or your reservations list—you’ll be able to take action right from that screen, which means it will be faster and more efficient for you to handle each reservation.

More details about reservations and guests

We’re giving you more specific information about the status of each reservation. And you’ll also get more details about the guest associated with each reservation without having to click into their profile. You’ll know how long they’ve been on Airbnb, what languages they speak, and if they’re a host like you, so you can make confident booking decisions and interact with your guests efficiently and quickly, all from one screen.

More payment details

You’ve told us that you wanted your expected payout dates to be even more visible. Numerous hosts called our  community support team about this, so we made sure payout dates were easier to find. We’ve added a link to your transaction history and expected payout dates alongside every reservation.

Answers to your frequently asked questions, right where you need them

By studying the types of questions that come up most often for inquiries and reservations, we’ve been able to anticipate what answers might be most helpful to you based on the reservation you’re currently managing. We’ve added links to reservation-specific FAQs at the bottom of every reservation so you can get the information you need, when you need it.

More consistent tools and views

Previously, if you had Instant Book turned on for a listing, you could only hold dates when you pre-approved a guest on the website. Now you can do so in the app too. And the private notes feature, which was previously available only in the calendar, is now available anywhere you see a reservation.

All these improvements are coming your way in the next few months, and we hope they help make quick work of managing your reservations. Thanks to all the hosts who gave us feedback and joined focus groups. Let us know what you think of these changes and others you’d like to see.

[Marcos211]

I agree 100%. Congrats for your comment!

[Ben575]

Elizabeth,

Looking at this purely from a US tax law perspective, the primary difference between a host and a co-host is ownership*. 

  * Ownership here means ownership of the Listing...the Bed & Breakfast operation itself.  This does not necessarily mean the ownership of the underlying real estate property. My business partner and I rent an extra apartment from a landlord for the exclusive use as an Airbnb -- we do this with our landlord's full support and knowlege of our Airbnb business; she has visited our listing and is a wonderful landlord; she is key in our success, and we in hers.  So, even though I am a renter and a non-owner of the real estate poperty, my partner and I are the owners of the BnB operation therein.    [HINT: It also really helps when your business partner is a tax attorney. ] [Grin] 

A *HOST* is an owner, and has all of the usual responsibilties of a business owner (keeping guests happy, paying taxes, managing money, etc.).  In short, the host has all the responsibility, and yes, all of the headaches, but then shares in all the benefits and risks of the venture. A host has her money where her mouth is and is ready to reap a nice reward, or lose her investment.  (We hope for the former.)

In contrast, a *CO-HOST* is always a non-owner.  While they may have many of the responsibilities shared with their host (from marketing, to meet 'n greet, to laundry, to restock), and even though they often get payment of some sort, the essential difference is that they do not share in the final profits, and they are not at-risk for the losses of the venture beyond their limited scope. 

That part is key from a tax perspective.  With minimal or no direct investment in the startup of the listing, co-hosts are essentially either CONTRACTORS, EMPLOYEES (see note below), VOLUNTEER HELPERS, or in some rare cases OUTSIDE THIRD PARTY FIRMS who perform some of rental functions. In fact,  it is the very lack of the at-risk status for losses, the lack of contribution of capital, and the lack of a right to keep the final profits which makes them non-owners by definition. 

And as co-hosts are non-owners, the tax reporting from the owner-host's perspective is quite minimal (Typically it's just single dollar figure on Form 1099-MISC) or even none at all (in the case of a corporate third-party co-host). 

That is all the host has to do.  File 1099 (and the 1096 with it) and mail it.  20 minutes once a year.  Done.

Of course, the co-host must report their own income and pay tax thereon as all of us must do.  They would use the tax form appropriate for themselves (1040 for US resident Individals, 1041 for Trusts, 1120 for corporations, 1065 for partnerships, and  so on).  But this would be the exclusive privilege and responsiblity of the co-host. NOT THE HOST.

There is the special case of an employee who is the direct employee of the host.  Not a cleaning company employee.....they are a contractor.  I am talking about a full employee of the host.  This relatiohship brings much more complex rules.  In this case, if the purported "co-host" is a bona fide employee,  in that case, I would argue they are not a co-host at all.  They likely have agency of the host, and are thus simply working while standing in the shoes of the host.  The employer/host then likely has has a great deal of control and direction as to the work, and can theoretically hire or fire in accord with the laws in their state.  Obviously, this is complex legal and tax and accounting topic too big for this venue, but I believe that direct employees of the host are also just "hosts", albeit hosts-by-proxy or agents of the host.  Like all employers, a host would still have all the routine payroll tax, wage-hour, and other employer responsilities for employees, regardless of what the worker's job entails.  That comes with being an employer.  But the fact that the bona fide employee helps with hosting duties does not change the tax at all. And it does not make them a co-host.

Whatever they do, and however they do it, the co-host's taxes would have no effect whatsoever on the tax liability  of their host, and the tax reporting of the host would be -- at most -- limited to a 1099-series form, if even that.

So a co-host is not a property owner.  As such, there is no risk of a co-host making a tax mess for the host at all...just that one simple form 1099.

Hope that clarifies.

[Paula828]

Thanks so much very good inf.

[Netie0]

Thank you for your information & time explaining in such detail, much appreciated.  Cheers

[Penny186]

Hello Ben and Airbnb Comrades,

Well, there is still one more "HOST" to discuss.  I have 30 Condo's and I am the HOST....and I do NOT own them, I manage them for 30 individual owners. I will have another 30-40 when post Hurricane Harvey Construction is complete on them.

So, in the end, I will have about 70-80 condos.  I do not have a Co-Host, as I have employees who do the behind the scenes cleaning and maintainence.

Most, but not all, of my properties are in one concentrated area and spread out around town.

There are many Vacation Rental companies now that use a booking engine callee LiveRez, and each owner, has the option of syncing up with Airbnb.  So, when you book on Airbnb, the condo/unit, is automatically reserved and taken out of my booking engine inventory, so we have one "grid" of what is and isn't booked.

I believe, but can stand corrected, but the idea of the Co-Host  was to make the communication and hosting easier for the guest to understand who is who.  If a Host needs to be gone for a while, surely, the Co-Host steps in and the entire booking communication, arrival, guest experience, and departure is still with a name and person they know.

It is all about the GUEST EXPERIENCE, now who gets paid what.  Quiet honestly,, the guest doesn't care!  They just want theiri stay to be flawless, memorable and restful.

I have a CPA that handles all of our payroll and paper work, so all we have  to worry about is taking care of the guest.

I was a SuperHost, until August 25, 2017, and all of our condos were destroyed in Hurricane Harvey.  But, we will earn another SuperHost!

Thanks for letting me share what we have here in Rockport, Texas.

Penny

I could be wrong, but I remember when the Co-Host

[Susan1635]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.  Sometimes people don't know what they don't know!  I am an accountant and appreciate the clarification on the difference between a host and co-host.  A 1099 for helpers, it will be!

[Lisa1704]

Thank you for the info I am new to Airbnb and appreciate all lessons you have from your experience.   

[Wilbert6]

Thank you ,for such clean clarification on these topics.

[Philippa25]

That is a clear description, thanks! We have a different tax system in Australia but overall the same principals in terms of responsibilities/liabilities would apply .  

I would say however, that most co-hosts (here) are paid on a percentage basis, so do have the opportunity to partially share the profit, and equally will earn less if the occupancy or nightly rate is less than anticipated so there is some risk/reward for them in the venture.  It's overall a good model for both parties as it incentivises the cohost to perform well to maximise their own (& the host's) earnings, while mitigating against incurring more loss for the host through a fixed cohost payment  if the income drops for whatever reason! 

Cleaners & other contractors on the other hand are usually paid at a fixed rate, based on the number of hours, set at the market rate for the location. The cost for cleaning (or linen supply or laundry if outsourced) is of course only incurred when there are guest turnovers so it will impact the host negatively if the nightly rate is lowered but not if the occupancy (based on number of nights not guest) falls, and positively if the overall length of stay increases.  I think payment is usually direct from the host, so it wouldn't impact cohost income unless they have delegated this responsibility.

[Philippa25]

My previous comment referred to Ben525's ... this thread is getting very long so just clarifying!

[Mopelola--Lola-0]

Good clarification on host/cohost and taxes. 

[Mike216]

Oh my gosh! Ms. Knowitall!

[Philippa25]

Thanks Mike216, I think!  ... feedback can be useful but!  It's unclear who you're directing yours to  but if me, a bit harsh for an online community page!  Just scroll past if you've nothing constructive to say!!

[Rory15]

We don't pay any taxes down here in darkest Africa, mind you we don't have ant services. So all in all, nothing to mess up.... It's not all like the USA out here, know what I mean?

[Mopelola--Lola-0]

Roy, I am laughing very hard. So, you don't pay ground rent as a home owner too? In Nigeria especially in government housing estates, we pay ground rent. I still do not know what that ground rent is used for. No benefit of any kind goes to  homeowners or community,  hence, homeowners in some housing estates refused to pay that ground rent. Ground rent is a form of property taxes in Nigeria, but no benefits.