Has anyone used the new Rule-Sets in the new Host Tools?

[Matthew285]

So the new Host Tools includes Rule-Sets, which seems to give hosts a lot more flexibility with pricing and availability settings.

You can set custom discounts, length of stay rules, and check-in and check-out restrictions, and make them customized to specific dates on your calendar.

I know a lot of people have asked about being able to set days the people cannot check-in AND days that people cannot check-out.

And also to have custom check-in and check-out restrictions for specific dates/months.

The new Rule Sets seems to offer that. (Along with a lot more custom pricing and such.)

Has anyone tried setting them up yet?

Here is the help page on them: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2061/how-do-rule-sets-work

[Lizzie]

Thanks for sharing this @Matthew285. It is great to hear you think this is going to be handy for you. 🙂

What do others think?

[Marit-Anne0]

@Lizzie

These are fabulous news - now perfectly adapted to holiday rentals.

Seems not to be rolled out in my area just yet @Matthew285

[Gillian19]

@Matthew285@Marit-Anne0@Lizzie Yes, perfect for real estate company property managers who have strict controls on check in/check out days. Nothing I would use. Again, heading in the direction away from the individual property owner to the larger management organisations. I would prefer something that let me have the ability to change the number of guests that are included for the basic nightly fee. In summer I just want a set price, regardless of the number of guests, whereas in winter I would like to attract couples by charging less for 2 people. Apart from offereing a discount after someone has requested to book (at which point offering a disount seems pointless) there is no way to do this.

[Sarah977]

And this is only available to those with multiple listings.

[Matthew285]

@Sarah977, I have only one listing.

You do have to activate the new Host Tools, though.

[Sarah977]

@Matthew285  In the Help articles you posted, it stated that it was for those with multiple listings. Where do you find the Host Tools?

[Matthew285]

@Sarah977, I wish I could tell you.

One day when I logged into my Host Dashboard, there was an annoying promotional box at the top of the window promoting the new Host Tools. I clicked on the button mainly to make it go away.

The next thing I knew I had Multi-Calendar (for one listing). Not so exciting. Now it took 2 steps to see my calendar.

But a few days later, this Rule Set thing appeared.

But I still don't know why the Host Tools were offered to me. I have always so far only had one listing.

[Emily145]

How can I gain access to these tools? I need them badly in order to set custom check-in/check-out requirements so that I can maximize the availability of my listings.

I will be taking several 2-3 night trips this spring and do not wish to have anyone arrive while I'm gone, but I don't mind their trip extending past the day I leave town. I just want to be home to check them in and make sure they have everything they need on their first night, so that my local back-up contact only needs to be called if a pipe bursts and not for basic things like supplying extra towels or remote batteries. 

Without access to these new tools I either have to turn off Instant Booking for all my listings, block off the nights I'll be out of town even to people who would be arriving before I leave, or risk getting an instant booking I'd have to choose between cancelling or potentially getting a 4-star or less review if I'm not there to make sure they're happy upon check-in.

[Kevin-and-Barb0]

Since these tools are available if you have multiple listings, create a second listing that is unavailable by default and see if the tools become available to you.

[Emily145]

I already have two listings, but still don't have these tools. I notice there's a weasel word in the linked help article that those with multiple listings "may" have access to the tools. Seems AirBnB neither wants to give us all access to these tools, nor explain what determines who gets them.

[Rebecca181]

I have more than one listing at my address. I appear to have no access to Host Tools. Anyone know why? (Lizzie? Who I cannot tag or I get an error message...)

[Matthew285]

Rebecca (I really hope they fix the tagging soon),

So if you already have 2 listings (and so have the Multi-Calendar), how is it that you don't have the Host Tools? What do you see in place of the Rule Sets?

[Rebecca181]

Matthew - I would show you via a screen shot, but can't, as I get an error message if I try to include photos. We are on some kind of a lock down here lately, aren't we? Oh yeah, it's just another computer glitch, sure to be straightened out soon... 

[Aogán0]

Hi Matthew,

I've been using these since adding our second listing a few weeks ago (our first listing is snoozed, as we only rent out our main house if we go away on holiday). We run a holiday let, and only allow Friday check-ins so this works perfectly for us! Very happy to have the new tools 🙂