Long Term rental

[Annette790]

I am new to hosting and getting ready to list my townhouse for long term stay (30+ days), which is the minimum my HOA allows.  For those of you who have done long term rentals, how do you handle cleaning during stays? Should my listing state that there will be weekly cleaning? if I charge this as a fee, I am concerned the cleaning fees will look outrageous and guest may not want to book? Am I to do a full clean or just change sheet and towels? I kinda feel like it should be a full clean. My other concern is around garbage. I am assuming that guests are expecting to taking the garbage out themselves to the curb and bring back to the house, right? I know these seem like basic questions, but I do not want to assume.  

thank you.

[Debra300]

@Annette790,

I offer long-term stays at my Atlanta apartment, and do not have cleanings during a guest's stay.  My house rules explicitly state that guests are responsible to clean up after themselves during their stay, but are subject to an extra cleaning fee if it takes additional effort to turnover the place after checkout.  I also point out that the cleaning fee is to prepare the place for their arrival, and not to clean up after them.  The house rules also state that the guests must take the garbage to the curb weekly.  

I don't know what the going rate/living wage is where you are, but I'd offer cleaning service no more than semi-weekly and for four hours or less per visit.  If I offered this service, the guest would be charged a cleaning deposit via the Resolution Center.

[Annette790]

@Debra300 @Thank you this is helpful. Can we really charge after they paid via Airbnb. I thought all payments were done on the Airbnb platform when they first book. Just wondering how you go after them once they’ve checked out.

[Debra300]

@Annette790,

Yes, you can always request money after the reservation has been made.  It just must be done via Airbnb's Resolution Center: https://www.airbnb.com/resolutions.  Please note that guests may not receive the notification or be able to see where to pay if they are using the mobile app.  You should always send your guests a message via Airbnb to inform them that the request has been sent, and provide them the same link that I shared.  You would also handle any refund of the collected deposit via the RC (never perform a refund for a reservation, always let Airbnb handle those types of refunds).  Another note, write in the Things to Know section and your house rules that housecleaning is required to rent your space, and guests must agree to pay $XX via RC, and complete the payment before they check in.  When you send your greeting message to new guests be sure to point out this stipulation.

[Annette790]

Thank you

[Brenda1116]

I was told that for rentals over 31 days we don't have to pay the GST Can anyone elaborate for me ? He is asking for a discount.