Helping each other out.

[Robin4]

I am fortunate to have a strong relationship with 4 other Airbnb hosts in our area. Every now and then one of us will have an issue that needs just a bit more than what customer support can offer. Previously I had to call on the help of one of these 4 when I ended up with 2 confirmed Airbnb reservations on my property for the same night.

This afternoon I received this email.....

Help, oh yes, I will do anything I can to help here, and it's got nothing to do with the additional reservation! With the guests approval, between CX, Liz and myself we will see a seemless solution to this hosting situation. We have done it before and we will do it again.

It really is comforting  to know a few of us neighbouring hosts have each others backs covered!

Airbnb go to great lengths to say they have our backs covered,  but when 'push comes to shove'....we here, actually do!

Go out of your way to make friends with hosts in your area....only good can come of it!

Cheers......Rob

[Zeina3]

Hello everyone. Hope you're all well. I have a question and i could use some advise. I am renting out rooms in my villa and received a request for a room for 3 nights. However the guest is asking if she can host a birthday party for 15 people during one of the days that she is staying. Is that something that comes along with staying at our place? Do we charge extra for the use of the space? I could really use the advise on this. 

Thanks in advance.

Zeina

[Robin4]

@Zeina3 

My response to that Zeina would be to tell the guest,  I don't host parties. The problem with parties is the guest lets their guard down and things get broken, lost and they just can't keep control  over lots of different people.

Just say to this guest....."I would love to host you for the 3 nights that you have requested but I would ask you to consider having your Birthday party at a local venue that is equiped to handle that number of people. My property is not suitable for 15 persons and I would hate to see the experience  not turn out to be great for either of us. I am enclosing a number of establishments that may be able to cater for your requirements"!

Zeina, guests who want to push your boundaries do not turn out to be good guests to host. Better to have an empty property than a heap of problems!

Cheers......Rob

[TamaraAndSteve0]

No, it does not come with their rental.  It’s your property and you get to know who is staying. It’s for the number they specify.  We do not allow parties due to damage and noise and impact on neighbours for parking, etc.  respectfully turn down their request, with a limit of your guest capacity (3?). Suggest restaurants or other venues. You might not want them anyway.

[Lawrene0]

@Robin4 , that's wonderful advice. 

I was alone here, the only host in the hinterland, until an acquaintance mentioned maybe Airbnb-ing his bunkie. Cute and clever little place at the edge of a pond in the midst of a meadow. I leapt at the chance to help him with that, partly for him, but partly, too, for me. 

When other hosts are not competition, but a backup, a sounding board, a network, a friend, it is just as you say. You have each others' backs. 

Best to Liz, and to you. 

[Robin4]

@Lawrene0 

Lawrene, where ever you are in the world, you would never be alone, you and Harry are too finer people for that to ever be  a reality!

Cheers......Rob

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Robin4 

I always said - if you have a business you have to build your network/community.  We are also connected with hosts in our street and neighborhood and we help each other in case of emergency.

We had a group of 3 guests and the next day our boiler broke and start leaking. No hot water, no heating. I called my neighbor and transfer my guests to her in the next building. 

We need each other 🙂

[Robin4]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 

Good on you mate, you are quite right, we need each other.

I am sure many hosts would have relationships with nearby competition but we never hear of it here Branka, it was great to read that @Lawrene0  has coupled up with a buddy in her area and even helped him out with his listing. One would expect that with only two listing servicing a very unique location they would probably rob business from each other and tend to be rather insular. 

I am hosting a wedding party here later in the year and through my Airbnb friends here have managed to secure location close to here for at least 10 of the party, and probably 16. The guests are thrilled to have someone else do the leg-work for them, and it not only makes us at the host level look good it makes Airbnb look good as well.

I started this thread because we don't seem to hear of close relationships with neighbouring hosts, we only hear of them pinching each others listing details or claiming false location pins to gain some sort of advantage. I want to hear of how well our community can work together and perhaps spur other hosts to reach out to fellow hosts.

Cheers......Rob

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Robin4 

yes, we are competitors... but there are other few thousands of competitors in our city as well so a few more or less in the neighborhood can't hurt as much as can help 🙂

Before we even bought our apartments we knew a host across the street. She and her boyfriend helped us a lot with advice and suggestions. Without them, I would never think of buying an STR and we wouldn't be here today.

A few years later I have phone numbers of another 7 hosts in my and nearby buildings and streets. They contacted me or I contacted them and we were all happy to connect to each other.

I remember when my guest broke a window and I had less than an hour to fix it but I had to take a photo and my phone died. I went to my neighbor host and she came and took a few pictures so I could send it to Airbnb for damage claim. She also helped me to carry the broken window to my car. I was so happy she was there when I needed her 🙂 She is also off-site host so it was a pure luck.... as we are all off site hosts  it is good to know a few of them because not everyone is there or close by 24/7

[Suzanne302]

Yes! Networking with local hosts is so helpful! Some are snooty about it and don't want to mingle with the "competition" but those of us in the local group help each other out with referrals and other things when needed. We all have something unique to offer.