Setting up your listing for longterm (long-term) stays

[Ali-and-Sade0]

Hello, for a while I was getting a popup window whenever I logged into my dashboard about Airbnb asking me to setup my listing for long-term (longterm) stays. The popup said nowadays more guests are searching for longer stays. But I 'm not seeing the popup anymore.

I am wondering what getting setup for longterm stays is about. Is it just changing the "maximum stay limit" (Availability > TRIP DETAILS > Maximum stay) ?  In that case, my edit listing page says "(Manually review requests for longer stays)", which implies Airbnb does display my property for stays longer than my max stay of 30 days anyway and just doesn't allow instant booking for stays longer than 30 days.

Or getting setup for longterm designates your listing for a separate designation? 

If so, how do I get setup for longterm? I ask because the popup doesn't appear any longer.

[Ali-and-Sade0]

Hello, it seems Airbnb has a separate category for what it calls "sublets": https://www.airbnb.com/sublets

But I can't find any more information on this. 

Things I'm wondering about:

1. How do I get my listing setup for a "sublet"?

2. What protections Airbnb provides for hosts? For example in California and some other states renters have tenancy rights for rentals of 30 days or longer. Does that also apply to Airbnb sublets and what protections Airbnb provides to the hosts regarding guests who decide to squat and force host to go to court to evict them? 

3. Do hosts of sublets still require a short term rental permit from the city (in the cities that require permits, such as Los Angeles)?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Ali-and-Sade0 I think the property automatically comes up on a 'sublet search' if the dates are available and the request is in line with the hosts booking policies with respect to length of stay.

In other words the search feature is just a gimmick that works exactly the same as a normal search.

With respect to your 2nd and 3rd questions hosts need to research local laws and ensure they understand the potentially negative issues with respect to generating tenants rights, taxes etc. Airbnb are just a booking platform - Until hosts recognise that they are responsible for everything with respect to their listings they will always feel let down by Airbnb.

[Elena87]

@Ali-and-Sade0 

Airbnb rejigged their home page for guests back in April.

As you know, short term bookings crashed and burned, so any port in a storm, there was and is life in longer term bookings but where other websites usually cover this market adequately. Sublets is a subcategory for guests looking for long-term, there isn't any requirement for hosts to join specifically as long as your settings allow.

Airbnb want to muscle in on this turf. 

The perfect home for your longer stay, without committing to a long-term lease.

The upside for hosts is that you might attract students or peripatetic workers.

The downside, as you can see by the marketing fluff, is not ''committing to a long term lease.'' Ouch.

A lease is there to protect both parties with good reason.

Without, you have have guests arbitrarily shorten a stay without agreement, no deposit is paid, if the guest doesn't pay the installment - you are high and dry. You are at the mercy of the airbnb arbitration service. No background tenant checks, airbnb fees are in play, plus you should understand your local tenancy rights.  In summary, proceed with caution.

[Ali-and-Sade0]

@Elena87 very good advice Elena. I was gung ho about the Airbnb sublets category but now I agree that need to proceed with caution. 

[Jerry18]

I am trying to switch from 30 days minimum to no minimum. For the life of me I can't see how to do it. Can anybody tell me what I have to do? I must say airbnb's contact page is useless. HELP>

Jerry