Long term rental concern and questions

[Arnie89]

I have a inquiry from a new profile,  no ratings yet, for  a long term stay of almost one year.    First of all if I approve and they check in does Airbnb charge them the full amount up front or somehow do it monthly?    Also this is a new user who appears that their identity has been confirmed but no other information.  What could be potential red flags or do I have some protection with them going thru Airbnb if they turn out to be bad renters or dead beats?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Arnie89 

Airbnb charges the guest for the first month only. After that, if the guest doesn't pay Airbnb then you will not get your rent. Also, Airbnb doesn't collect the actual security deposits. So the best would be to talk with your potential guest to find out why is he coming to town, where does he work etc...  and then maybe, allow him to book for a week or two through Airbnb so you have a chance to get to know each other. Then, if he is a good match for your place and your place suits his needs, you should sign a contract and collect a security deposit like with any other tenant outside of Airbnb.

[Arnie89]

Thank you for you input,  I appreciate it.

[Ann72]

The potential red flag @Arnie89 is that anyone trying to get a long-term rental on a short-term rental platform probably will not pass a landlord's normal screening process.  Do you want someone whose credit might be that bad?

If you turn him away you'll make more money by accepting a series of short-term rentals, even if you don't have 100% occupancy.

[Arnie89]

Thank you! That is good advice.

[M199]

@Arnie89 

Listen to the experienced hosts here and don't do it.  Please  search this site for long term stays and tenancy issues. Also search for threads  about guests with few, zero reviews. Just judge from other hosts past experiences.

[Arnie89]

Thank you.  I did decline and also changed my max stay limit also only to guests that can be verified.  I appreciate all the input.

[M199]

@Arnie89 

We are all here to help and supoort each other through our learnings and experiences. Good luck with your rentals.