Written House Rules vs Online House Rules

Gary1013
Level 2
Crestview, FL

Written House Rules vs Online House Rules

Screenshot 2022-02-08 at 11.49.25 Large.jpeg

 

New to the hosting community so please forgive if this has already been addressed.

 

What's the community's opinion on having written House Rules in a binder located in your house vs having guests view the House Rules via the AirBnB app (and then probably forgetting all about it)?

 

Any opinion one way or the other?

 

Thx

3 Replies 3
Colleen253
Level 10
Alberta, Canada

@Gary1013 You should have both. Your rules need to be disclosed on your listing to be considered part of the contract. The majority will not read them, but by booking, they agree to them. 

 

It’s also a good idea to post the most important rules/info physically at your listing, so that all guests attending are aware of them. I place the most important things I want all guests to be aware of in various places around my listing, and I have a ‘welcome’ house manual with a page dedicated to house notes and also some other important items. The last item on the page is the wifi password. I don’t include the password in the ‘info for guests’ section of my listing on purpose. I want guests to have to read the house manual to get it

 

 



Excellent advice; thx Colleen!

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Gary1013  Colleen has given you a perfect answer. 

 

Also resist the urge to have a huge long list of house rules- it can make the host appear to be overly fussy and controlling and give guests the idea that they would be afraid to touch anything. Or worse, not bother to plow through and read them.

Try to keep it to the most important things that you would want to have back-up on if a guest ignored. 

 

It's fine to have a list of "please dos" like using coasters under drinks, not moving furniture, etc, but everything you can think of that you would like guests to do or not do doesn't need to be a "House Rule". 

 

It's best to outfit a rental to be as bulletproof as possible, rather than have to take guests to task because they ignored the "no street shoes inside" and got footprints on white carpets.