Can I pay to stay in my own Airbnb?

[Neil555]

This is a strange question. I have a second home which I rent out to Airbnb for most of the year. Am I able to book this for myself, and pay - even though possibly a reduced rate? I know I could stay in it for free, for for various reasons it would be better if I paid. Is there anything forbidding this? Thanks for any assistance!

[Emiel1]

@Neil555 

Would create a strange review-situation...

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Neil555 If you are doing this to achieve either the Furnished Holiday Let stay criteria or the Business Rates stay criteria then you won't achieve anything as stays by relatives are excluded.

[Neil555]

Thank you. That is effectively the issue. I wasn’t aware of that rule - I probably should have been. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Neil555 the rule certainly applies to FHLs - Council tax I haven't really had to worry about yet.

[Neil555]

The council tax will make the property unviable to keep, sadly. I currently pay 200% and if it goes to £300, it’ll have to go. I can’t make enough in the time I have it available to sustain that.  Which is maybe what the purpose of it is? They haven’t said it’ll be the full increase yet, but it will be. I do stay there to do work and repairs, so it’s not a “fiddle” , I was just wondering if I could do this. Thanks for the guidance. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Neil555 I see your listing is in Wales - I guess it is 300% council tax then as their stay criteria are massively high for a seasonal location.

[Sarah977]

@Neil555  No, you cannot book your own place. The algorithms would not let it proceed.

Do you have friends who could book and you just refund them privately in cash?

[Neil555]

I did wonder how it would work. Your suggestion would certainly work, but I don’t really want to involve someone else if they aren’t actually staying.  I’m happy to bend any rules, but don’t really want to break them. Thanks for your idea, though!

[Sarah977]

@Neil555  Well, they could stay if that makes you feel better about it. I was more suggesting that you just pay them back. Not much different than you staying and charging yourself, when that money just ends up back in your own pocket, right?