What is the percentage of the guest service fee? What is the percentage of the host service fee?

[Sandy33]

What is the percentage (or $ amount) of the guest service fee?  What is the percentage (or $ amount) of the host service fee? Are these service fees a percentage of the monthly rate set by the host?  

I charge $1650 per month plus a $120 cleaning fee for the entire stay.  I am renting a fully furnished 1200 s.f., 1-bedroom, 1-bath apartment with a dedicated laundry room for the apartment only, an office with a wireless inkjet printer/scanner/copier (paper and ink supplied) and office furniture and a furnished, covered brick terrace overlooking a ravine -- all of this in a close-in location in Atlanta, GA.  

A potential guest (referred by a previous guest which is why she has my contact information) just wrote me and told me that Airbnb is quoting her $1903 per month for a stay of May 14 -- July 30. That is way out of line!  Her friend (the one who referred her to me) was here last summer for the same amount of time and she paid $1737 per month. As I was looking up these transactions I noticed that a guest who was here last summer for a month and a day paid $1829.  Meanwhile, my current guest who arrived February 1 and will be here through March 31 is paying $1690 per month.  None of this makes any sense.

I do not allow my rates to float (as Airbnb wants me to do).  My rates are always the same.  I rent exclusively through Airbnb, to business travellers who will be here for 30 days or more.  Looking at this wide variance I may have to re-think my loyalty to Airbnb.  But what do a tell the potential guest who is being way overcharged, I think -- and as a result may not stay with me?

Sandy

[Sara455]

Yes, everything should be itemized and transparent to everyone. It is not. Makes it hard to tell what is going on, when your bookings all of a sudden stop coming in, look at the prices.

[David1361]

Happened to us as well. Neither I nor the Host(ess) new of the sneaky charge on our first go at AirBnB. We assumed the cost above the quoted price was taxation (another organization that can't seem to get things right), and found later when submitting for reimbursement (major University), that the fee would not be reimbursed because it was not related to the cost of the stay nor to government taxation.
My main problem: it's sneaky (I'm sure they would claim "unconventionally creative").

[David1361]

Ooops, I thought by "Replying" to the message from Katie, that the conversation would be threaded. 😞
"Thumbs down" for the Community discussion/question forum design.

[David126]

@David1361 AirBnB do not do it for free, any service you use charges fees, more interested in why you could not be reimbursed, I assume you were travelling on Business?

[David1361]

Your first thought goes w/o saying. No one here has argued the contrary. I first became aware of AirBnB's so-called "Customer Support and Service Fee" (wording from my iOS App) of 12.72% when our HR team of my employer, the largest University in USA, rejected the receipt due to it being flagged as an "arbitrary fee". Clearly I missed it during Checkout. Why? Because it is an *uncustomary practice* -- all USA'rs expect taxes & shipping prices to be itemized following a purchase, not additional costs arbitrarily itemized. (Contrast w/ open & clear practice from Amazon: Prime Annual Membership.)

[David126]

It is not an arbitrary fee, nor is it uncustomary practice.

I have Amazon Prime and use their free 2 day shipping, but obviously it is not free, part of the price they charge.

A better example would be Ticketmaster.

[Elizabeth457]

 The point is that the fees are inflated. It is an astronomical cost which has a negative impact on potential earnings for hosts, and frequency of bookings. 

[Mark442]

Spot on Elizabeth. If a guest is wiling to pay your price plus 15% (that's what AirBNB is adding here in Australia), then you are losing a total of 18% with the 3% Host service fee. It restricts real, genuinely priced listings. 18% is a SCAM!!! 

[Kandyblues0]

Hi There,

I have been using Airbnb for my travel as well as hosting for almost a year now. I have had similar issues with the deduction while and inconsistent charges from Airbnb while hosting. So it would be highly appreciate if you please send me any research or chart you may have on this so that I can understand it better and make adjustment to my prices

[Kandyblues0]

My email address is [personal information hidden]

[Elizabeth457]

I would also appreacite a contact with any related information. Thanks! Scroll over the users name to send a direct message. Check your inbox here in the community forum at the top right corner of your browser. 

[Holiday-Villa0]

Hello Mandi,

I am encountering the same problems with our properties. Are you able to share me your spreadsheet please?

Thanks,

TJ

[Lary0]

In the process of trying to find lodging in Japan for my family, we have discovered some less than transparent practices that appear to be common place In the AIRBnB community in Japan. For exam

le, when we sent ina booking to a house that was listed about US180 dollars per night. after booking for 9 nights, we were informed that the total cost would be 2,600 US dollars.  Not sure that my math skills are acute but that appears nearly to be about a 50 percent markup. Then, my wife was informed in very formal Japanese that the price was next .  Are you kidding me?   Who controls the agents that manage these proporties?  Is it acceptable? Who is in charge of these graft artists?  I am convinced that the entire system ina scam, at least in Japan, and discourage others from using these services,  at least in Japan. 

[Elizabeth457]

I have experienced similar circumstances in south east Asia. 

[Christy46]

I just spoke with someone at Airbnb about the guest service fee. It was over 12% for an $850 booking. I had no idea they were charging so much. The person on the phone was not able to explain what aspects are used to calculate the fee, except that it had to do with the total. As I asked more questions, she hung up on me. I kid you not. Does VRBO charge the guest 12%? I don't think so.  I just booked a place on VRBO and I only paid 4%.