Need encouragement

Dorothy206
Level 2
Sugar Land, TX

Need encouragement

I am new to hosting and am almost ready to start renting out. I have read numerous situations from many about complaints they have dealing with renters trashing their place or the difficulties in getting Airbnb to assist with damages.  Is it worth the hassle? I’m sorta getting discouraged and I haven’t even started yet. Can someone give me some positives about renting out please. 

22 Replies 22
Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Dorothy206  What you have to realize is that for the most part, hosts come to this forum and others when they have a problem. So you are only seeing a small slice of experiences here. Most hosts don't come here to say that they have been hosting for years and never had a problem. Yet that is true for many, many hosts, if not the majority.

 

Now of course there will always be small or large issues a host has to deal with. Maybe the guest wasn't trying to do anything wrong, but just didn't realize they couldn't bring an extra person. That happened to me, but the guest and I worked it out with no hard feelings.

 

Maybe your water heater breaks down and the guests have no hot water for a day. You deal with it.

 

Not every issue has to be something that requires looking for Airbnb intervention, or having guests demanding refunds, or leaving bad reviews, or trashing the house. In fact, most situations don't. Most stays go fine, most guests are fine.

 

I have a private home share listing, and while I have been closed to bookings since March 2020 due to Covid, I have hosted since late 2016 and never had a "bad" guest. Never a bad review, never any damage. I've met wonderful people from all over the world who showed their appreciation in many ways. I keep in touch with some of them. I have never had to call Airbnb about anything regarding a guest, aside from a couple times when the guest wasn't answering my messages pre-arrival, and I asked Airbnb to try to get in touch with them.

 

You don't say what kind of listing you would have- home share, entire private suite or home where you live on site or next door, or an entire place where you don't live. 

Each if those hosting models require different approaches. I don't need surveillance cameras because I live here. Guests can't throw a party, sneak in extra guests or pets, I don't need a long list of rules.

Entire home hosts require a different hosting model to avoid problems.

 

Some hosts, like me, refuse to use Instant Book. I want to be able to communicate with guests before accepting to share my home with them. I value quality over quantity and don't rely on Airbnb for my main income.

 

Other hosts are in it for the revenue, and want full occupancy. They like Instant Book. They may never see or meet their guests, who self-check in. They need surveillance cameras, and other security measures.

 

You have to think about the hosting model that works for you, then prepare for that.

 

One of the main things to realize is that you really can't expect much, if any, support from Airbnb. They are just a giant corporation now, they aren't our "partners". If you go into hosting with your eyes wide open, ask questions and get advice here from other hosts, and know what needs to be done to protect yourself, you don't need to be scared.

 

Don't make a huge investment, simple can be beautiful, and have a plan B, in case you find you don't enjoy it, or find it stressful. 

 

 

 

Thank you for your encouragement. I have a beach house that will be rented out in it's entirety. I do not live on site but maintain it regularly with bi monthly visits. I live 1.5 hours away so am not there to supervise anything. I may change some settings on my listing based on your response. Thank you again.

@Dorothy206  So it sounds like what you will need is a co-host if you live an hour and a half away. Someone who can attend to emergency situations, maybe meet and greet the guests when they arrive (guests tend to behave better when there is a human face around who they know is keeping an eye on things).

 

Someone who can do a walk-through after the cleaner is done (or clean it themselves) to make sure it all looks good and there aren't dust bunnies under the bed.

 

It could be a neighbor who's retired or works from home and therefore would be flexible as to when they are needed. It could be another host who lives nearby. It could be someone who is already co-hosting in the area for others. You could see if there is a hosting Facebook group for your area where you could explore these resources.

That would be great but I don't believe there is anyone available close by. I will have to think about that. Thank you.

You dont have to personally supervise . We live 5 minutes away and we dont supervise anyone once they moved in. I even rented when both of us were abroad and all went fine. 

I am doing it for 6 years and all my troubles came within first year. With time I developed intuition, experience with people behaviour, obvious signs that were not obvious for me at the beginning. 

First and for most do not make your minimum stay 2-3 days, you will have party people. With beach destinations it's very possible to have a week long stays minimum. 

Second,  multigenerational families are the best guests. When there are kids and grandparents there are less drinking, late hour noise, etc.

Second get a good cleaning lady. I cant stress it enough how a good cleaning lady makes a difference. My cleaning girl is so excellent that I dont have to worry about anything to get house ready . She buys toilet papers, all toiletries, knows exactly what to wash and what to replace. She calls me if bathroom rugs need replacement or shower curtains. I pay her extra 20$ if needed for her to get at the store if I am out of country. 

Few times a year I give her bonus so she would never leave me.

Third get a good handyman, or few. I have 3 guys who I call if there is something needs to be fixed when my husband is away. Ussualy it's not often. May be 2-3  times a year. 

 

And the most important: dont hesitate to interview your guests. Be very upfront about your rules and be cautious about those who are poor communicators or start negotiate with you about your rules . 

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

@Dorothy206 To add to other answers - People typically only report the bad things that happen in forums like this. The hundreds of thousands of good experiences are totally ignored. In fact if we reported all the good experiences they wouldn't get many comments as it just 'doesn't make good TV'.

Be prepared but don't be paranoid. Also don't leave anything in the rental that has huge sentimental value as accidents can and do happen.

Good luck going forward.

Thank you.  I have already removed all sentimental items and anything I would be concerned about losing. I appreciate those of you who have replied to help me feel better about renting. 

Dale711
Level 10
Paris, France

Hi  @Dorothy206 

Welcome to the community 😊

 If you do not have short-term rental insurance of Airbnb, do start a plan before the listing publishing

 

Airbnb hosts do need additional insurance. Having the right insurance to protect you and your property it's essential to save you from facing mutilation problems. Hosting with any accurate frequency is likely to void your current homeowner's policy, and Airbnb's protection is inadequate.

Do consult with your local insurance agency for additional protection and the insurance procedures.

 

On the Airbnb help page, links as below, 

Host Guarantee 

https://www.airbnb.com/d/guarantee

 

Although the host guaranteed it is not easy to get support from Airbnb. Some members are verifying to get the protection program in these rare cases.

It is crucial to follow the Airbnb host guarantee to progress and get the support of the claim.

 

 

Host Protection Insurance

https://www.airbnb.com/d/host-protection-insurance

 

What's the difference between Airbnb's Host Guarantee and Host Protection Insurance?

 https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/938/whats-the-difference-between-Airbnb - Host - Guarantee - and...

 

In addition, an Airbnb deposit is not an actual deposit.

 The Resolution Center lets you request money from the guest; you can claim the guest recordings, the receipt of the damaged items, and the repairing cost.

 

You need to take the evidence photo of all the damaged items as proof and the invoice present to the Airbnb thought to the resolution center.

However, you'll need to submit your request to the Resolution Center within 14 days of your guest's checkout date or before the following guest checks in, whichever is earlier.

 

The guest must respond to your request within 72 hours.

If you cannot reach an agreement, you can ask Airbnb to make the final decision 72 hours after opening the request.

 

What is the Resolution Center?

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/767/what-is-the-resolution-center

 

Airbnb: Advantages and Disadvantage help articles by Investopedia

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/032814/pros-and-cons-using-airbnb.asp

 

Analyst, Airbnb protection program is not enough to protect you, your home, and your activities.

It would help if you had short-term rental insurance [ not your standard homeowner's insurance ] to protect home and business activities.

 

Happy Hosting ✌️  

 

Laura2592
Level 10
Frederick, MD

@Dorothy206  about one in 10-12 guests will cause an issue. I am not saying a major issue, but that's about the percentage who I would deem "difficult." We have some very entitled folks who book our cottage but the vast majority of our guests are delightful.

 

The thing that really helped us attract better guests was to increase our nightly prices. There are definitely correlations between the overly frugal (to be kind) and the hosting experience.  Start out with prices that are competitive but not under market and you will be much happier with your guests. 

Thank you for the encouragement. I appreciate it.

M199
Level 10
South Bruce Peninsula, Canada

@Dorothy206 

 

I was a new host Sept 2020 and got Superhost status by the end of Oct.  How did I do it?  I'm about a half hour away, so can be there for guests.  Of all my bookings I have not had guests need to get ahold of me.  I make sure to under promise and over deliver.  It makes it hard for guests to find an excuse to give a bad review.  Also, fine tune your listing to your expectations.  We have a 450 sq ft cottage in the woods, ideal For families of 4 or hikers, so listing is tailored that way.

 

@Dale711is absolutely correct, homeowners insurance does not cover short term rentals (STR) and running one will likely avoid your homeowners insurance.  Not worth the risk!

 

A neighbour where we live rents his cottage, he was astounded that we got Superhost that fast.  He stated it took him over a year to figure things out.  His mistake not regularly following the community center and learning from there.

Just a final note, keep in mind, you are running a business and most guests will not think about you after they leave, unless they've had an exceptional experience. Temper your emotion and reactions with common sense logic in less than ideal situations.

 

Wish you well in your hosting journey!  It can be fun, exciting and scary all at the same time until you gain some experience.

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Dorothy206 

This is going to have to be a bit brief as l am on the road at moment but revelling in having the CC available on my phone.

Dorothy, hosting here on Airbnb has been one of the best things l have ever done. I have had, over the last 5 years, more than 500 guest stays and l have had less than a handful that l would not want to see again. You are going to get an unrealistic perception of Airbnb from the community centre because we very rarely see good stories....we see the problem end of hosting. Honestly, you don't realise how many wonderful people there are in the world until you short term host.

Learn from the issues that others bring here but, don't allow yourself to be dominated by them. Take heart that almost all your guests will be great guests and will enrich your life.

All the best Dorothy.

Cheers.......Rob

 

Thank you. That was very sweet to say. I appreciate it.

Brian1613
Level 10
West Palm Beach, FL

I’ve met some truly lovely people, from all over the world!  We touch a lot of lives, in hosting, and make stays memorable, if we do hosting well.  We try to make every stay experiential. We take great care to know how much our guests want interaction, or just a place to stay. Give them some touches that let them know that they’re special, and valued.

 

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If you’re here, for the right reasons, it can be very rewarding. Welcome to Hosting!

 

Brian Ross