New to hosting and I'm nervous about people being in my apartment when I'm not home.

[Jason33]

Anything to ease my mind?  People will come get the keys and just go in and make themselves at home.  I still can't seem to get used to it. 

I'm also afraid of having my things stolen even though I don't have anything of any real value in my home.  Just a tv and some electronics.  I also have a lot of books and dvd's and I'm a little paranoid about people taking them.

What are other people doing about this?  And if I were to have things stolen, would I have any recourse?

[Maria-Lurdes0]

Hey @Jason, you've taken a leap of faith to be a host if you're having these doubts.    How would you act as an airbnb guest in someone's home?  THat's probably how 90% of the people will act.

1) Don't allow instant book until you have a lot of experience hosting

2) Make sure that you have very precise and comprehensive house rules.  Let them know what is ok and not ok.

3) Screen guests carefully.  Why are they coming to your town, what do they plan on doing during the day, who are they travelling with, etc.

4) Don't accept any locals

5) Lock away your valuable and cherished items.

[Donna15]

@Jason33, good tips from @Maria-Lurdes0. 

I think it's especially important to know the purpose of a guest's visit so that you can be more or less sure that they'll be out of the house most of the time.

I always like to determine whether guests will be out and about all day, in particular because I work from home, and require a relatively quiet atmosphere and no disturbance. I state this clearly in my listing as well.

I've had seven lots of guests so far, and in each case they were all out the door by 9-10am and often home late in the evening. They'd come to Delft to visit family or friends, or to attend a festival, or study course, or to sightsee around the city and to cycle to other places (e.g. Den Haag, Rotterdam), and so on. Ideal. 🙂 (Though of course it wouldn't be a problem if a guest needed to be at home during the day on occasion. Maybe a headache, or needing quiet time, or wanting a nice chat, or whatever. I'm not heartless. 🙂 )

And for sure, keep any valuable items locked away. I recently installed a lock on a cupboard in my bedroom, where I keep jewellery and other items of personal value. The bedroom door itself has a lock as well.

A couple more tips:

- set a Security Deposit to cover the costs of any foreseeable damage or theft;

- take photos of every nook and cranny where guests are likely to be; this way you can determine as soon as they leave whether anything has been taken;

- take time to study other people's listings to see what kinds of House Rules they have, and how they indicate the types of guests they prefer to host. 

[Tracy0]

Maybe I'm too relaxed but I was never worried about this. I don't leave valuables laying around - but I don't lock stuff up either.  If I was nervous to let people be in my house when I wasn't there, I wouldn't be comfortable hosting in my home and wouldn't do it I guess.  

If you're committed to trying, the advice here is very good! 

[Donna15]

@Jason33, a couple more things. I've seen your listing. It looks cosy and inviting, but I fear you may be offering potential guests too much freedom. The sorts of things you emphasise that they're welcome to do - e.g. unlimited access to the kitchen, playing your vinyl and DVDs, etc. - are more along the lines of something you wouldn't mind a flatmate doing, rather than temporary guests who need to have clear boundaries. Just my two cents' worth. 😉

I'd suggest changing the age minimum from 16 to 18. For one things, people under the age of 18 aren't allowed to register on AirBnB. 

You might also consider indicating a minimum and a maximum length of stay.

I'd also recommend posting a clearer and brighter full-face picture of yourself as your profile pic.  In fact, AirBnB requires profile pics to show faces.

[Ed-and-Hugh0]

Think about it. Is the best way for a crook to get rich, to make a reservation somewhere where it's documented exactly when they will be there. Also, using a credit card which can easily be traced back to a particular person....just to steal a TV?

Many hosts use cameras in public areas as a deterrent. A video of them walking out the front door with your TV will make a pretty strong case in court. The cameras don't even have to be real. Fake cameras are just as much of a deterrent.

We also had concerns about strangers coming and going when we first started, but it hasn't been a problem at all. We give them a unique door code so even if we're not home, they can let themselves in. With all the modern smart cameras, door-bells, etc. it's very easy to track who's coming and going. We're even able to talk to the guests remotely using the smart doorbell to welcome them when they arrive and help them get in, even if we're not there. We've had super guests. They've all been very friendly, and nothing missing, except a few misplaced local guide books.