Pet-Friendly Hosts...How do you collect a pet fee?

[Suzanne302]

I am just curious as to the different ways hosts collect pet fees. After realizing it's easier to get a guest to accept a refund (via change reservation) than it is to request extra money, I build my pet fee into the cleaning fee and simply change the reservation to $25 less if a guest is not bringing a pet.

This has worked quite well, but I've always wondered if:

1) I miss out on some bookings from guests without pets, because my price will seem high in a specific date search. (although I had 100% occupancy in June and 91% for July)

2) If this method screws up my stats, because in order to change the reservation, I can only adjust the "per night" price and a $40 night suddenly goes down to $15 per night for a one-night booking.

Thoughts?

I'd love to see other ways hosts handle this just to compare. (I've searched the forum as well) This would be sooooo much easier if ABB would just add a freakin' pet fee button already!

And for the record, I love hosting guests with dogs!

[Suzanne302]

Hi @Maggie489 !

This is an old thread so my strategy has changed over the years. I do not allow a dog in the house until I've received the pet fee. No exceptions.

I've found it most effective to send a request for the pet fee immediately after booking (via the Resolution Center). If it hasn't been paid within 3 days of arrival, I remind the guest again that it must be paid prior to check-in. If it hasn't been paid by the day prior to arrival, I send this message:

"Hi! Looking forward to your arrival tomorrow! Once the pet fee has been paid I'll go ahead and send your check-in instructions, including the door code to access my home. Please note your pet will not be permitted on the property if the fee has not been submitted but I am happy to provide a list of boarding kennels in the area if you'd prefer to do that."

I've had to send a reminder for a few guests, but the second message only once!

[Maggie489]

Hi Suzanne, 

Thank you, this has been SO helpful!   I really appreciate the response.

Maggie

[Sandra1768]

I have in my detailed listing the nightly pet fee and also remind them in my welcome email upon booking the per pet per night fee and city taxes are not always included in the AIRBNB listing. I have found giving them my PayPal and Venmo address has worked out okay but unfortunately I often have to repeatedly remind them and often still have not received the fee. I also assure them that we provide dog bowls, extra towels, treats and even back up food if needed. I also remind them that the pet fee does not include the host picking up their poop but it seems almost always we do end up doing so.

I have an upcoming booking who notified me they are bringing their small dog. I reminded them of the pet fee and they have now deemed that their dog is a Therapy Pet due to COVID PTSD and therefore legally I cannot charge them. They are also under no obligation to prove this via a doctor's note.  I do have a business license for The Hummingbird and everything is on the up and up and I am curious what legal recourse I have.

I live on the front of the property in our own home and, when guests bring pets, restrict our access to the additional side yard garden to allow extra space for their pets. And of course, regardless of well-behaved a pet is, there is also additional cleaning of the cottage and repair to the garden. 

[Claudette87]

Any normal apartment requires a letter for emotional support animals or certification for a service animal. Service animals are actually trained and have a certification. ESA are not and usually people get a therapist or doctor to write them the letter. You legally can require the letter indicating what the animal is, especially when normal rentals, even airplanes, can. 

[Robin1115]

I'm curious, when there is a pet at a rental, the cleaner has extra work with making sure all the pet hair is removed, accident stains cleaned etc so who gets the pet deposit? The host or cleaner? 

I would think the cleaner because they have a harder clean, but want to understand whare that pet deposit actually goes?? 

[Jalaire0]

The host can pay the cleaner the extra pet deposit money.

[Melinda187]

It comes to the host’s bank account

[Robin1115]

Really? I makes no sense.

The host isnt the one spot cleaning the stains, making sure all the pet hair is gone or picking crap off the lawn. It makes for much more work for the cleaner. The rule should be changed. 

[Denise1608]

In my case as the host i am the one doing all of those things. Not everyone has a cleaner.

[Sue2024]

How can an owner charge an additional pet fee when it wasn’t on the listing and we’ve aleady paid in full on airbnb

[Steve3689]

I just had this happen to me too. I travel with my pet all the time and no to look for the cost of the pet. I never saw anything that reflected a cost for the pet, but on there amenities it said pets welcome. I get to my Airbnb and the owner tells me there's a $20 a night fee! Bs! He can't show me where it is on his listing and he doesn't know where it is on the registration form so why am I to believe that he's not doing a switch and bait?

[Ruthie12]

To find the pet fee, you have to click on the drop down box next to number of guests.  I didn't know that either, but recently when I traveled as a guest, I mentioned in my first message to the host that I was traveling with my dogs, and she showed me how to find the information.  Airbnb doesn't make it easy!  And another note, we don't allow dogs at our listing (even my own dogs!) and include that information in the house rules.  "Number of pets" still shows up as a choice but you can't click on the plus sign.

If you're traveling with a pet, add the information in the search page under "Who."  If you list a pet, the only listings that show up will be ones that allow pets.  It took me a long time to figure that out.

[Bettye6]

I am a host with a dog but do not allow any pets due to past damage done with no resolution costing me thousands of dollars.

I just had my first experience with a pet owner bringing in a dog.

The couple claimed they did not see anywhere that Pets were not allowed. I did talk with the couple, showed them the app and they were very embarrassed but seemed honest in their response.

They also stated that they put in for having a dog and my place just popped up! I never allowed pets so not sure how that happened. 

I agree that NO PETS should be something that if very clear on the app. As for travelers it should be very intuitive for them to see that NO PETS are allowed.

[Nancy2034]

I just recently rented an airbnb that said pet friendly numerous times on their listing and never a mention of a fee.  Apparently they had it set up so the daily rate was higher to compensate the $50 charge.  I found that to be very unfair because unless you look at the breakdown of charges you'd never know until after you pay that there's a fee.  

[Dave-And-Constance0]

Our listings list as an amenity "Pets Welcome" - and we have set up a Pet Fee of $50 per stay under "Pricing and Policies" ... but we just had guests check in with a dog, and when I looked at the payout details, there was no $50 payment for the Pet Fee. When booking are guests with pets expected to select a specific setting to indicate they are bringing a pet, and then charged the fee? Or how is the Pet Fee intended to be charged / collected?