How safe is renting long-term?

[Brent116]

Hello,

My GF and I just made our first multi-month rental on airbnb for next winter, we understand the consequences if we were to cancel but what about for the host? How protected are we from the long-term rental being cancelled on us between now and then?

Thanks!

Brent

[Tim-and-Holly0]

@Brent116:

Hosts, just like guests, can cancel reservations, however the host is penalized unless it is certain extenuating circumstances. The host can be required to pay Airbnb a fee, their calendar can be blocked from future reservations during the time period you booked, if the host is a SuperHost they can lose that status for a year, and in some cases the listing can be removed from the platform. It is a very serious thing when a host cancels.

As for your payment, normally Airbnb does not pay the host until within  24 hours after your arrival date, so the host cannot cancel and keep your money.

With that said, booking in advance with Airbnb is fairly safe and guest-friendly should something go wrong. If you want even more security you can always purchase travel insurance through many reputable sources.

I hope you enjoy your winter adventure!

[Noel102]

If the host is willing to take the hit to their rating for canceling, there isn't much you can do about it.  If the host is a superhost or pretty well experienced, you'll probably be okay.  Hosts who have been at it a while are going to settle into what they are comfortable with.  Take a look at the hosts reviews to see if they have a lot of reviews and what the reviews say.  99.9% of the time, a superhost won't cancel because it's like the kiss of death for their superhost status.

[Sarah977]

@Brent116  Have you exchanged any messages with the host, or did you just Instant Book it? It's always a good idea to start a conversation with the host, get a feel for who they are, and if you feel comfortable with them and can establish some kind of rapport. I'm not saying you should be messaging every week, but something at booking time, then another a month or so before the booking (seeing as how it's a multi-month booking) to make sure all is still good, and then of course a week or a few days before arrival, to nail down check-in arrangements and any other details.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

@Brent116 

Unless your host has a lot of experience with long-term stays or is like me and actually prefers longer stays, most house rules and the way things are set up will probably be more suited to short-terms stays and therefore a separate discussion with the host would be ideal for both you (guests) and the host to manage expecations. Regardless of length of stay, any cancellation by the host will be a huge blow to us, unless the reason falls under extenuating circumstances so I wouldn't worry too much but it's best to be in direct communication with the host to make sure they have no intention of cancelling on you 🙂 

I would suggest you contact the host, explain the purpose of your trip, what aspects of the listing were most attractive and why you booked there, and ask questions (if any) about amenities, laundry, mid-stay cleans, trash disposal/collection and about the area/neighborhood. Then about 1 month~2 weeks prior to the actual check in date, follow up to confirm and get detailed check in information. Anyone staying somewhere for longer than 1 month is "living" there, not "visiting" so you will have very different needs than a couple that will be staying for 3 nights. 

My listing is tailored to target long-term exchange student guests so if you need ideas about the type of things you need to agree on with the host in advance, please feel free to check out my listing for ideas. Good luck~