New to hosting? We’ve got you covered!

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Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

New to hosting? We’ve got you covered!

 

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Hiya everyone,

 

We’re very pleased to announce a brand new board on the Community Center: the New to Hosting board!

 

This is a dedicated space where new hosts can share their beginner questions and stories, and we encourage all of you lovely experienced hosts to share the wisdom of your journeys and support of new members.

 

We’ve moved some amazing threads over to the board already so there’s some great tips to get new hosts started: a big thanks to all of you who contributed on them over the past few months and years.

 

What’s the best tip you’ve received on the Community Center?

 

It’ll be great to see how the CC has helped all manner of hosts in different ways and share your appreciation for your fellow community members.

 

Thanks,

Stephanie

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Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

This content is in our Archive board.

 

You can still access it if you have the link but it won't appear when you search the Community Center.

 

To ask a new question in the Community Center, please click:

 

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Thanks

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74 Replies 74

@Carla1205  That's what I was trying to get across. If it's just an Inquiry message, just messaging back counts as a response. You don't have to click on Pre-approve or Decline. If you decline, it dings your Acceptance rate and if you decline a lot, Airbnb starts sending you warnings about suspending your listing.

 

(Accept is not one of the options on an Inquiry, Pre-approve is.)

 

But if it's a Booking Request, you absolutely have to either Accept or Decline within 24 hours or it will lower your response rate. Or convince the Requester to withdraw the request if it's inappropriate, so you don't have to decline.

 

The way it works is that if you pre-approve an Inquiry, the guest still has to take another step to book.  If you accept a Booking Request, Airbnb right away charges the guest.

 

So even if you pre-approve an Inquiry, the guest may not follow through and book. If you get a request in the meantime for the same dates, which you accept, that booking will override the pre-approved Inquiry. First to pay gets the booking.

@Carla1205--  I agree 100% with @Sarah977 .  You don't want to book that long a tern through Air B'nB.  We've had the most trouble with our long-term bookings.  They seem like they'll be easier, but the guests are generally VERY dirty, and treat your space with less respect than if it were a motel.  I've had so much damage and annoyance from longer term rentals, I'm about to turn off that option.

 

Short-term guests aren't there long enough to REALLY make a mess--so the cleaning is actually easier, even though you're doing it more frequently. 

 

The claims process has been helpful to me on two separate occasions, but it's a hassle having to do it.  The last long-term "guests" that left our space did so much damage and made me so frustrated and angry that I didn't even lodge a claim with Air B'nB because it took me too long to clean up and repair their mess that I missed the window.  Broken light fixtures, stained carpets, damaged countertop, towels covered in cat feces from an unapproved pet... It was so much time and work that I ended up having to cancel someone else's booking because the unit wasn't habitable.  All that, AND they got a discount for a longer-term booking, so they didn't even pay full price.  I was so disappointed in the guests because we had liked them.  When they arrived here, we had welcomed them with open arms and even took them out for a drink to introduce them to the neighbourhood and the province.  They were just gross and inconsiderate humans.

 

If you want a long-term tenant, lease the unit out and find the tenant yourself.  In a lease you get to inspect the space before they leave, and you can put the cleaning requirements right into the leasing agreement.  You also have legal recourse if they don't live up to the contract.

We won't be accepting any more long term bookings going forward.  The problem is that we're booked out until September--so I have 3 more between now and then that we need to get through.  I'm just holding my breath and hoping these humans are better behaved. 😞

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Carla1205 Eight months is good money but I assume discounted from your short term pricing. If you don't get on with the guest 8 months is a very long time. Also Airbnb are not overly suitable for long term lets as there is no proper rental agreement, no deposit and only the first months rent collected. 

Marza2
Level 1
Warsaw, Poland

Hi, 

I'm hosting for few months and I have 2 rooms for hosting. One of it have been hosted for long time. More than month. Another could be host from 1 till 30 days. 

 

Yesterday I received strange information. The guy made a reservation and send me a message on the same time to cancelled it. I done what he was asking about, but was curled what had happened. He wrote time that my offer was not available from 02.07 till 20.07  and he mistakely tried to make a reservation from 02.07 till 15.07 that is why he was asking for canceled.

 

If that possible to get some help with that situation. The place was free for rhat time and i doubled checked that i give the permision for staying max 30 days so that should be all right.Screenshot_20210702-115157.png

 

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Olga976
Level 1
Odesa, Ukraine

Good day
I have the problem with search my apartment through search and map Whom can make my apartment visible 

 

Chanel61
Level 1
Houston, TX

Hello I’m interested in co-hosting in the Houston Texas area preferably in the downtown galleria area . 

Jackie719
Level 1
Oxford, United Kingdom

What are the rules or standards about entering the property whilst a guest is occupying it?

@Jackie719 It certainly shouldn't happen without the agreement of the guest unless it is a true emergency and even then the host should try to contact the guest first.

Hi Everyone,  

 

We have just hosted our first guest for 27 days and let's just say it has been the most bizarre experience ever!  

 

We had an enquiry just about the day after the house was posted.  It was originally for 18 days as they were building a house that wasn't completed yet.  I was there to meet them when they arrived.  They were very happy with the house and wanted to stay longer - so we agreed on an extra 9 days.  They came back asking if we would host them for several months as their house now wasn't finished.  We said no for all of the reasons the original post did here.  

The last day they were meant to be out by 11 however they slept in and asked for longer time and offered to pay.  I told them that was fine, and tooing and froing meant they eventually left at 8pm.  No big deal, we didn't have another booking until the following weekend.  Here's where it gets bizarre! 

 

First of all in a communication about whether they needed me to pick up washing, the guest told me that she had bought us a coffee table, assuring me that it matched our current furniture.  I thought that was nice of her and said so, as she told me it was a gift.  

Eventually, when I went there on the Monday, I hardly recognised the place - not in a bad way!  She had bought all this stuff, including artwork on the walls, extra cushions, the coffee table as well as a nest of tables, a draught stopper, curtains HUNG over the sliding door and windows (very nice stuff complete with tiebacks), a computer screen on the desk, and numerous decorative pieces.  Lots of things that we were planning on doing as we went along.  I was walking around in shock!  At least she had very nice taste!  

 

All well and good, even though there were a few little things missing, I'm like oh well we've got far more than we've lost.  Except that as I went I found more things missing and today hubby said to me "the Fire TV dongle has been taken out of the back of the TV and the remote has gone."  Now I am concerned.  I wasn't worried about the one set of towels, a doona, a little electric handheld mixer, the 20 wooden coathangers, the comforter that was ruined with candlewax, or the fact she had rearranged all the cupboards and I still haven't worked out completely what else might be gone.  But the Fire TV is a subscription service for which we are paying a monthly fee!  She did leave a DVD player lol.... oh and I forgot she still has the set of keys her partner forgot to leave behind.  

 

I have been going back and forth with her today, asked her to return the keys and the fire stick and because I think she is a little off centre, we are going to change the locks and put in a keypad entry.  What is worse is that we have just gone into a 7 day lockdown (I live in Melbourne Australia) and so this will be her excuse now not to return anything.  

Now tonight I have had an enquiry from someone with no profile and only a verified email address, saying they have purchased a house but settlement won't be until mid December (normally a long settlement here is 90 days not 120) and it is just him and a child.  Ironically that is the same amount of time the previous guest requested.  I did decline the request because I thought just answering his enquiry would not work (lesson learnt).  

 

I thought I would share this experience because I have a couple of friends who have airbnb's here and they have just thought it was the most weird experience they had heard of.  

 

What concerns me is that she has a key and although my hubby is working there during the day,  I'm a little apprehensive that she might come there when she sees there is no one there tonight.  I did say to her I was happy to pack up all the things she had purchased and have them ready for her, but she said they were all gifts.  There was a brand new vacuum cleaner sitting next to mine!  When I said she had left it she said "oh you can have that if you like".  I said to her it was fine I didn't need it!  

 

So that was my baptism of fire into airbnb lol... 

 

I'll be divorcing my husband if anything goes wrong as we currently only have landlord insurance not the one for short term rentals, because he hasn't done the paperwork.  However as it is his birthday tomorrow so he may get to live for another day lol.... 

Hi @Robyn383 I was wondering if these items aren't stollen, you don't know what people are up to these days. Definitely change the locks. I would also shorten the number of days stay. Just heard on the radio that people are being evicted because of non or reduced rent payments has been passed in the Victorian courts today that landlords can now legally move people on. I would ask yourself do you want short term rental or permanent rental accommodation. 

Heidi639
Level 2
Charlotte, NC

Hi Everyone!
I am new to hosting my unit, and will be off of my property managers contact starting the 18th of this month.


I've seen this happen before, where the property manager will not remove the clients listing off of Airbnb and other booking sites for months.

They do this to get guests inquire about that specific property, which is no longer being managed by this property manager, and the property manager will say "Oh, that one is booked, but here is another one that we manage and is available."

So basically using an ex clients photos/property when the client is no longer with that property manage, to promote their website and/or get them to book off of the booking sites.
To me that is fraud.


IF my ex property manager does not remove my listing off of Airbnb and other booking sites, what steps do I need to take?
How long should I wait till they remove the listing off of Airbnb and the other booking sites?

I have no direct experience in this, but my first step would be to send the company a cease and desist letter. 

Serj0
Level 2
Los Angeles, CA

Hello,  I am contemplating whether to rent out or AIRBNB host my house? I m planning on moving out of state ASAP and don t wanna sell the house. I can rent in out ~$3000-3500/ month wondering if it s more profitable to Airbnb??? 

Any pointer will help , thanx.

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Serj0 You need to look at Airbnb prices for similar properties and then do the math. Bear in mind that you will be responsible for ALL utility, cleaning  and other costs when running an Airbnb. See what the break even point is with respect to occupancy. If it is high then commercially it will be better to rent long term. If it is low then perhaps short term rental is best.

BUT please do recognise that STR from out of state is going to be very difficult as you will need good (expensive) local support backed by insurance (again expensive).

Good luck

@Serj0  There is more to consider than just the dollars and cents. A responsible, hassle-free, long-term tenant, who has presented you with references, has a good, secure job, from whom you have taken a reasonable security deposit, and who will treat your place with respect can  be worth their weight in gold. 

 

Short term guests are luck-of-the-draw, and having to repair and replace things on a regular basis, not to mention the scammer guests who try to get refunds for bogus complaints and leave bad reviews, etc, just make your life stressful and what you anticipated as profit goes down  the drain in repairs or Airbnb deciding to believe the guest's lies and refunding them.

 

There are also expenses you may not have considered, like having a reliable co-host, a good cleaning service, constant replacement of bedding and towels, maintenance services (short term guests tend to be hard on things), yard and pool maintenance, high utility bills (guests will leave the AC blasting even if they are out all day) city licenses and short-term rental insurance.

 

If your place is in LA, that seems to be one of the areas that attract partiers who trash houses. I certainly wouldn't want to try to remotely manage an entire house listing unless it was somewhere in the boonies that just attracted quiet, responsible guests.