Extra charges for water and electricity

[Mireille9]

Hi

As a host, how does one go about charging extra for water and electricity when it is applicable?

Thanks

Mireille 

[Layle2]

My AirBnB property is in the Caribbean.  Cost of electricity is very high.  We can not factor in the cost of electricity to the rental price.  If a guest would run the AC all day and night we would have to put up the nightly rate too high and thats not fair to all the guests that don't use AC (just for example).  It is standard here to charge extra for utilities.  We say $0.50/kwh and do a meter reading at check-in and check-out.  I comment this in the house rules and also in the main body of the listing.  I agree with the other commenters.  It would be good if AirBnB allowed a dedicated field and value set for this kind of extra charge.  

[Rojian0]

I may stop renting my place using Airbnb unless this is resolved. Electricity costs way too much money to stay competitive in the market. I may opt for long-term renters instead.

[Brian-and-Petra0]

Charge for utilities. 

Meter reading on arrival and departure. State in on your rules.

At the end of the if you rent a house/appartment its self catering. 

Like renting a car.. can one expect fuel to be fully included in your car rental.  

In ireland 1000ltr of oil can be burnt in 5/6 wks in winter. All one does is put it on constant. 

Airbnb should make it easier to collect this fees, 

Airbnb is a holiday home  rental website, 

[Julie4372]

I agree Brian & Petra, I have made significant losses on renting so not doing much now. It’s quite a relief not to have to replace the linen and worry about the place constantly.  Hmm, and why do people leave the linen splashed with bleach?

[Julie536]

I agree Rojian but beware. I have a place in Spain - Costa Del Sol. Tired of so few bookings through Airbnb & extortionate fees for cleaning / laundry I rented my apartment on an 11 month contract. The tenant refused access for tradespeople, kept two dogs in my one bedroom apartment leaving a bed smell and mildew on the walls because she left the windows closed,  broke the TV and took several items with her😟 The property managers advise the place cannot be rented until fixed.  She has also failed to pay the electric and water bill, Total bill so far over €2000 . I have contacted the insurers. Thinking of selling.

[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,

*[Content edited by request of OP - OCM]

[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,

[Bob297]

@Nagaraja2 
I ask for a deposit
Make pictures of the meters at the beginning and of their stay and refund the remainder of their deposit.
It's mentioned in my advertisement and my confirmation.
I also explain that energy-conscious guests are rewarded this way.
Never had a problem since 2016

[Nagaraja2]

Great to hear that you’ve found a way to manage this issue manually!

The solution I mentioned automates this entire process by tracking real-time utility consumption, freeing you from manual efforts.

✅ Reduce Energy Waste: Automatically turn off AC, lights, or adjust energy-efficient settings when no guests are booked—helping you save approximately $50–$100, depending on your property type.

✅ Engage Guests & Encourage Efficiency: With a gamification concept, guests are rewarded with Eco-Star ratings and gifts for mindful energy use. This not only lowers costs but also contributes to a smaller carbon footprint.

If you think this could benefit you or someone in your network, I’d be happy to share more details! 😊

[Greystone0]

Hi @Mireille9 ,

This is a tough one to control for. It's shocking how some guests treat heating, cooling, water consumption. You may have already considered, but here's some insight from our end:

- surprise charges are a no-no and it is ideal to 'include' costs in your overall rates to account for this type of stuff.  But even that doesn't always catch the extreme over consumer and really takes the fun out of any of this. It's hard not to be offended at how people treat things sometimes. 

- to take the route of 'adding' a charge, your listing would have to accurately outline when/how the charge is calculated and added. I have seen listings where 'heating the pool' is an additional charge.

This makes sense to me and seems reasonable to me and probably something a host/homeowner has a firm grasp of what the charge is. 

- To 'add' a charge via AIRBNB you can go thru the resolution center and 'add'. The guest then has the option to 'accept' the charge. In theory it can also not be accepted, so then what does one do? I am not entirely sure. If you have it stated in house rules you would be protected, in theory.

- Alternatively, you can go the "additional charges" option in the calendar settings. You can review what is there and see if there is a method that might match your situation. This would apply to all reservations though and might not suite.

- We have been adding in WIFI enabled options over time that allow us, remotely, to turn off and on or turn up or down. Our lights are on a LUTRON system and our thermostats are on a NEST system.  We've learned, to our chagrin, that just about every guest is leaving the house ablaze in lights 24/7 and heating or cooling at temps we wouldn't ever consider necessary. For the salvation of our own sanity we have found the cost of installing this stuff worth it.

- we account for 'extra' fees by charging a little extra per person/per night, over a certain amount. I originally set this at 6 people (we can have up to 10), as our average occupancy was 6. I sometimes set at 8 or 9 but no matter it allows me to collect a little extra to account for the extra that can come with more consumption, if that makes sense.

- And when we get a really good guest, I sometimes 'refund' a part  of the cleaning fee as recognition and a thank you. Or if they had a pet and we charged a pet fee and there was no issue, and our cleaning crew reported nominal dog hair to deal with etc, then I refund that. You could deploy as similar tactic where you charge a fee and then if the consumption was less or the fee wasn't necessary you can credit back.

Wishing you much success!

[Nagaraja2]

Thanks for sharing your insights! As you rightly pointed out, predicting guest consumption patterns is challenging, often leading to unexpected charges and conflicts between guests and hosts. These issues motivated me to work on a fair and transparent solution that benefits both hosts and guests.

The solution I’m developing provides real-time visibility of utility consumption for both guests and hosts. If guests stay within a pre-defined usage limit, they will be rewarded with an Eco-Star badge and eligible for discounts—creating a win-win situation through a gamification concept.

Key Benefits:

✔ Track real-time utility consumption to optimize utility usage.
✔ Engage guests with gamification—rewarding efficient energy use.
✔ Ensure fairness by allowing guests to pay only for what they use.
✔ Reduce energy waste by optimizing settings when no guests are booked.
✔ Lower utility costs by approximately $60–$100 per month based on the property type while promoting sustainability.

Would love to hear your thoughts on this! 😊