less upfront cost for guest when booking

[Tom3171]

I have someone that wants to book for three months starting 2 1/2 months from now. She is a traveling nurse. When she tried to book Airbnb wanted $3000 right away. She can't afford to do that while paying her current rent. Is there any way around this? Frustrating that after 12 years as a host and all that I've earned for them I have to ask here instead of asking them directly. 

[Debra300]

@Tom3171,

Tell the guest to make a reservation for the first month.  She will have to pay according to the payment plan.  You can block your calendar for the subsequent two months after her initial reservation.  Inform her that you will re-open the calendar XX days before her reservation ends, and that she can submit an extension request for another 30 days.  Remind that you two will need to sync when this happens, because the calendar will be open to the general public, so she will need to submit her request immediately after the calendar re-opens.  You can also set the minimum stay for 28 days during the three months, and that should prevent someone sneaking in with an unwanted shorter-term booking if she's unable to submit her extension request right away.

[Linda108]

@Tom3171   I wonder if the split payment option can be used on a long term stay.  That is the guest pays a portion before the check in and I think 2 weeks before they pay the balance.  Does anyone know if this process can be used here?

[Debra300]

@Linda108,

For stays longer than 28 nights, e.g. 75 nights, the guest is immediately charged for the first 28 nights.  Then seven days before the end of the reservation, Airbnb charges the guest for the next 28 night reservation.  If the guest's payment is not authorized, Airbnb sends the host a notification that there is a problem with collecting pay, and provides the host a penalty-free opportunity to cancel the remainder of the unpaid portion of the reservation.  Guests have until the night before their current is scheduled to end to make good on the payment.  When this doesn't happen, Airbnb will cancel the reservation and notify the host to have the guest vacate the property.  Otherwise, on day 49 of the paid reservation, the guest will be charged for the remainder of the reservation.

[Brian2036]

@Tom3171 

If I wanted to rent long-term I would offer her 2 weeks through Airbnb, possibly at a discount.

Airbnb gets a reasonable fee and you get options.

If that goes well and you want her to stay you can offer her a formal lease on a month-to-month basis.

Airbnb is not designed for long-term rentals and I think you’re better off on your own.

[Sarah977]

@Tom3171 @Linda108  I don't know if the split payment option is offered to guests on a long term booking- I would suspect not, since the long term policy seems to be set up to ensure guests can't just cancel after holding a host's calendar hostage for a month or more and expect to get a refund.

But either way, the split payment option isn't something a host has any control over, nor something a guest can request of Airbnb, as far as I'm aware. It is either offered to them as an option, or not. 

What Airbnb's criteria for offering it or not, I have no idea. How far in advance a guest has booked is likely a criteria- if they book for a check-in in 2 days, I don't think they'd be offered that.