Tips on creating your House Rules?

Lizzie
Former Community Manager
Former Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Tips on creating your House Rules?

House Rules

 

Hello everyone,

 

I hope you are having a great week.

 

I often see discussions here in the Community Center where suggestions or tips on the house rules have been given and it is always well received. This is why I thought it would be great to start a discussion on this. 🙂 

 

It would be great to hear tips on things you would recommend including (especially for a new host who is about to create theirs), also ways to write the 'rules' and perhaps even whether less is more in terms of points.

 

I look forward to hearing your thoughts. 

 

Thanks so much,

 

Lizzie


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134 Replies 134
Christine1
Level 10
Glenbrook, Australia

Hi @Tran3, Annettes advice and summaries are great I agree, including the discussion about key security and charges.

If you attach the key to something slightly bulky, or a bright lanyard or ribbon, it helps the guest keep track of it. A clip attached is helpful too. My key has a very obvious place to hang and return it, so guests will see this as they come and go.

Helping the guests to retain the key is an easier pathway, that's for sure.

Happy hosting.

Regards, to all, Christine.

@Annette33 haha nice post. (I never considered hosting stressful before reading all the posts here in the forums!)

I am enjoying hosting and learning the tricks of the trade.

Living next to my listing makes it quite easy to keep everything under control.

We are closed for a week because I am doing some work(new porch, cut an outside wall and put up 2-meter bamboo fence and gate)

Reading the guests messages gives me a the time and understanding of each guest.

My only advice to new hosts is keep it simple stupid and read my lips I will not raise taxes!

Sorry, sometimes I space out in blurbs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

@Bruce0Hey Bruce! You nailed it! You must keep it simple.  However, it's all about interacting with people. I just enjoy observing people! Each one has a life story. By the time my guests leave,  I have a new short story to write. I don't necessarily ask them, but they tell me by their remarks, body language, facial expressions. Life! It's so fascinating! 

I was away from home during our last Airbnb guest stay. Upon returning, I asked my husband about our guests. He was unable to tell me anything about them personally! I felt left out and disappointed...Thank God, they left a great review anyway!

@Welcome0 Thank you for this, it really clarifies for me that we have multiple kinds of hosts -- maybe someday abb will help us recognize them more easily. 

 

First, there are hosts like you or @Allison2 or @Alice-and-Jeff0 where you are actually sharing a bathroom or hallways or the kitchen table

 

Then there are those like me or @Robin4 or @Bruce43 or where the guest is definitely in "our" spacesince we built it and furnished it and run everything and we will likely meet them and maybe even have a chat on the porch but we likely won't bump into them in a bathrobe. 

 

Then there are the hosts who really are nothing more than another Marriott. They're booking out time shares or corporate housing or any number of hundreds of properties that they've never set foot on. 

 

These three hosts have have different issues and concerns but it's not always readily apparent which kind of host they are from the blurbs they write here. 

 

 

I think there is a fourth category: Someone who owns and lives in the home (and only has this one home on AirBNB) but is not there often due to work or other responsibility (or just other travel!). They own their home and do live there on occasion and want guests to treat it respectfully, but have others on the ground caring for it, cleaning it, etc. It's a combination of your second and third category. The guest will not meet us but we certainly want to know them well!

@Bruce0 Hey Bruce! You nailed it! You must keep it simple.  However, it's all about interacting with people. I just enjoy observing people! Each one has a life story. By the time my guests leave,  I have a new short story to write. I don't necessarily ask them, but they tell me by their remarks, body language, facial expressions. Life! It's so fascinating! 

I was away from home during our last Airbnb guest stay. Upon returning, I asked my husband about our guests. He was unable to tell me anything about them personally! I felt left out and disappointed...Thank God, they left a great review anyway!

@Welcome0 thanks, somehow your post has  Deja Vu. 

I grew up in Wantagh....class of 1970.

 

@Welcome0  it's  Deja Vu all over again!

Annette, you have the right attitude to running your Airbnb. Live and let live! Too many detailed rules become burdensome and people tend to ignore or not read to the end. Make it clear and simple. Most guests are on vacation. They want to remember the Airbnb as a pleasant experience by not being lectured. 

 The checking in is the most important moment. It sets the tone for the whole stay.

Most of my guests arrive from the airport tired and hungry.  I usually have the table set ready for the whole group to enjoy a bowl of soup. Sometimes I make it or buy a quart or two at a local farmer's market for $3.99. This expense is well worth it when served with some fresh bread and cheese. I usually lay out $15.00 to $20.00. Milk, soup, bread, cheese, juice, croissants for breakfast. Of course, there is always coffee, tea, sugar, flour, etc available. Thus far, my place has received  5* reviews. They feel as if they are welcomed. Aija

Edda-Maria0
Level 2
Tijuana, Mexico

Hello everyone,

 

What I have done and has worked for me is, I inbox my guests the address and check in instructions. And on another message I send the house rules this is a couple of days to their arrival just so if they did not put much attention if they read them at booking this refreshes it for them. ( I have this messages in the saved messages, much easier)

James88
Level 2
Birmingham, United Kingdom

This works for me too

I send a couple of messages 48 hours before arrival.

One message with clear instructions how to get to me and reminding them to keep in touch with their ETA so as not to onconvenience either of us.

The second message reminds customers of my house rules which include removing shoes in the porch before house entry...but still people arrive and march straight into my home with wet or dirty boots.

I have a more extensive list of rules based on real life experiences. You cannot assume people have "common sense"  e.g i have had numerous guests who leave my home without locking the front door !!

Rules are there to be enforced or to be flexible ...its much kinder to allow someone to bend a rule than tell them they werent allowed to do it 

I have a rule that no one should shower (loud motor) after 11pm which was implemented after a previous guest got up at 3am because their  body time clock was in another zone. That guest woke the household.

But if a guest asked me if they could shower around midnight and no one else woould be inconvenienced then id happily oblige

Give flexibility ..but remember ..air bnb will only get your back on a rule breaker if they break your rules which have to be in writing on your listing and not just in your home 

 

@James88   You are dead right about guests not checking in with "common sense".  I had no idea that some people would show up at check in wearing no shoes, having black feet and think its ok to walk into my home that has WHITE tile flooring and gorgeous cream colored carpet.  I have now arranged a special area in my garden to give them an opportunity to wash their feet when needed with a hanging towel nearby.  I make it very clear that they will be expected to use it if they plan on walking around with no shoes.  I have a great way of reminding my guests they should pack  "slippers", "flip Flops", "thongs", (whatever ppl call it) by sending them a fun photo of me pointing at a 50 foot size slippers that was on the beach in New Zealand....My guests just love the photo and its fun for me to send it 3-4 days before they arrive.   Sometimes a sense of humor does help with reminders about my House Manual about not coming into my home with dirty feet and always always removing their shoes at the front door.   Slippahs make it easy to do that.  Yes, that's what we call it in Hawaii, Slippahs.  hahaha

 

I like my current 12 House Rules and its helped alot with my guests ......I started with 4 in July 2015.  But after a few people showed up with no common sense, I realized I needed to put the necessary common sense into writing in the form of rules. And I agree.....its absolutely good hosting to be flexible like the first morning when a guests leaves and forgets to turn off lights and ceiling fan, and I just send them a friendly reminder to their phone....and I always thank them by saying; " I appreciate that you remembered to turn off the fan the next day".  My rules are a guideline.....because as I have clearly realized, not everyone was raised by a Special Forces / Green Beret Army Officer like I was.  LOL.  Feel sorry for me?   He actually wore white gloves when he came into my room at 6pm Friday.  Can you say....Dust Check?!?  😉

If you feel that me or another host have helped you, feel free to click on the "thumbs up" button at the end of any post. Thank you so much.

Aloha, Momi

Great way to contact Airbnb or via Twitter at AirbnbHelp / Facebook


Dev4
Level 10
Toronto, Canada

Dear Hosts

Great comments. I have been hosting for over 2 years and have hosted over 200 guests. I started with a few house rules and ended up adding a few more based on experience with guests and suggestions from Airbnb Customer Centre. 

For e.g. I was advised to state that early check-ins and late check-outs will be charged $XX.XX after one guest agreed to pay but declined the resolution request. 

Now, I have detailed house rules on the listings and have it pasted inside the property so that guests are aware of it. I also have a shorter version of the house rules that I email to guests prior to checkin.

All of my rules have been covered except one:

Guests are requested to contact me in case of any questions. Please do not interact with the neighbours or building security, unless absolutely necessary. I live in a condo building in Toronto and Airbnb is a very sensitive topic.

Margaret172
Level 1
Grand Rapids, MN

I only feel comfortable booking people in my rental if I know the guests name, address, phone number and I would feel best if I had their Credit card number.  That is how I have always booked my rental. I'm not comfortable with only a photo.  If we could speak with guest prior to booking we could avoid a lot of problems. 

 

photo.  And if we can talk to guests 

 

 

 

@Margaret172  Just to let you know.....I call every single guest ONCE they have booked to introduce myself with a smile and cheerful voice.   Including those overseas via Skype or Facetime.  (Video calls are my fav)

 

It makes for a more comfortable stay for both parties.  But, before I call, I always send a message through Airbnb letting them know I will be calling and ask them what is the best time to do that.  My guest just love this service and it gives them a chance to get to know me over the phone and ask me questions. I love the conversations with my guests and always end up laughing with them over something about their upcoming trip, which is good thing since a Sense of Humor is needed for those who stay in our home.  You absolutely can do the same thing.  

 

There was ONE time in the last 2 years that I called and the call did not go well at all because of the guests boyfriend, (he even yelled at Airbnb manager too), and Airbnb was immediately contacted to have them stay somewhere else.  It was no problem and Airbnb appreciated that I actually help relocate this guests to a listing that was better suited for them.  Win Win for everyone.  My place was re-open and rebooked by a guests that had me laughing almost every minute.....its your home.  Treat it as such.  Airbnb does NOT own your home.  They are just a booking agent to connect to your guests.  You have to feel comfortable living in your own home and that doesn't mean you have to host every Tom, **bleep** and Harry....Or Mary, Sue or Christine....Make sense?  I have no qualms having someone stay somewhere else if I dont' think they won't be a good fit for my family because as I clearly state in my House Rules..."This is OUR HOME.  While you may be a paying guests, you are a guests nonetheless."

 

Hope this helped you.  If so, feel free to give it a thumbs up.

If you feel that me or another host have helped you, feel free to click on the "thumbs up" button at the end of any post. Thank you so much.

Aloha, Momi

Great way to contact Airbnb or via Twitter at AirbnbHelp / Facebook