Water and electricity usage for long term stays.

[Walter813]

I would like to inform people that make a booking for more than one month about extra cost for the water and electricity consumption.  What would be the best way to do that?

[Walter813]

I found a good place to put the info: Under Listing, Description, Other details

[Helen3]

Definitely put in your house rules too and in your booking confirmation message @Walter813 

[Elisa]

Hi @Walter813 😊, 

Thank you for bringing up this topic in the community, it's really interesting!

Have you already received bookings for more than one month?

I'm tagging a few hosts who have discussed this here: @Marianne676, @Thomas3227, @Mike-And-Jane0, @Tariq52, @Nahid26, @Shaun571, @Gloria53 and @Snehal1.

Thank you in advance, everyone!

Warm regards, 🌻

[Shaun571 · Accepted solution]

Hi - I like to repeat key details so I recommend putting the information under listing with a brief blurb and under other details for more specifics. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Walter813 So if I assume you give a discount for visits over one month you then plan to recoup that discount by charging for water and electric. Great business model for the host but not so good for the guest.

[Walter813]

Guests have extremely different power consumption. We have 33 degrees in Thailand and electricity is not cheap there too. So people that use the Aircon 24/7 on 21 degrees would create unbearable cost. How would you handle this?

[Tariq52]

Hello @Walter813 , 

How do you plan on collecting those extra charges? Though a separate payment gateway outside of Airbnb? That's a bad idea. Instead, you should look at including the extra fees through your pricing, either through cleaning fees or otherwise.

Another host mentioned the default monthly discount that Airbnb includes. If you need to recoup those costs then consider getting rid of the discount.

If I'm getting a discount for my stay, then being sent a bill at the end of my stay, no thank you!

Tariq

[Arz545]

To inform guests about extra water and electricity costs for long-term stays, you can include clear information on your booking page, in confirmation emails, and within the rental terms and conditions. Additionally, a friendly notice in the property or a dedicated FAQ page can further clarify these charges. Sending a personalized email to guests before or early in their stay ensures transparency and avoids any surprises later.

[Helen427]

Hello 

@Walter813 

When I first starting hosting English language school students here in New Zealand, we always had the backing up of the Language schools to ensure our guests were aware to minimize water use and that of electricity because in some countries people change their clothes 3 times a day and wash them after one wear due to perspiration and pollution or because they had Gas supply and we tend to have standard electricity.

It may help if you incorporated matters associated with access to water and costs involved factoring into account the situation in Thailand.

To all reading this topic, 'Did you also grow up in an era where one was told to switch off the light when not in the room and go to bed when it gets dark and up as the sun rises?".

Think about it and may be do something about how one lives as there's only so much water or resources available worldwide.

[Nagaraja2]

Hi Managing utility costs for short-term rentals can be challenging, especially when guest consumption patterns are unpredictable. This often leads to hosts bearing unexpected expenses.

To address this, I’m working on a smart utility billing solution that integrates with Airbnb and other booking platforms. This approach not only helps hosts recover utility costs but also encourages responsible consumption—contributing to sustainability and reducing the carbon footprint.

Attached is a screenshot of an electricity bill example (water and gas can also be included). I’d love to hear your feedback on this solution, and I’d be happy to assist if you're interested in implementing it for your property.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Best regards,

[Walter813]

@Nagaraja2 How would it integrate with AirBnb?

[Nagaraja2]

Hi @Walter813,

Thanks for your reply!. We are currently working on integrating our solution with Airbnb through an API, similar to how Property Management Systems (PMS) operate. While the solution is still in its early stages, hosts can manually input check-in and check-out dates to evaluate their property's utility consumption for each stay.

As part of this initiative, we are inviting property owners to participate in a study to analyze utility usage and optimize costs. Our goal is to lead sustainability efforts while creating a win-win solution for hosts, guests, and the environment.

Let me know if you're interested in learning more—I’d be happy to share further details!