Hi, I'm looking for suggestions from other hosts. I have a small cottage in New Hampshire. It is under 600 sq ft, has no garage and sits in the woods on single lane, gravel roads at the top of a sometimes icy/snowy hill. There is no washer/dryer, one parking spot and the town has no trash pickup. In addition, it is on a private well, so should we lose power in a winter storm, the cottage has no power, water or heat.
Despite the cold and snow, we manage our share of sporadic rentals through the winter. However, we have had several occasions where people inquire about extended stays (weeks or more). Before I take such a booking, it makes sense for me to have a conversation with the potential guest instead of a time consuming back and forth thru AirBnB messaging. There are tons to consider before renting here for an extended time... and I don't want to be stuck with a disgruntled guest. I need them to know access requires a vehicle that is good in snow and ice. I need them to know the hill to the cottage is sometimes treacherous, and as it is a private road, sometimes doesn't get plowed until afternoon. I need to ask if they want weekly trash removal, or will they take it to the dump themselves and save some $$. I need to see if they want regular cleanings and linen swaps, or will they do it themselves. I need to know if they intend to have guests. I need them to know about the power situation in a snow storm and see if they want me to leave them a generator (that they would be responsible for). I need to see if they want their walks, deck and parking shoveled each storm or if they want to pay to have it done. This is a lot to discuss via a back and forth message using this platform. I don't want to have to write a novel that chases a possible long-term guest to another property.
In short, I never book outside of AirBnB. I never collect money outside of AirBnB. The vast majority of my bookings are short term, vacation rentals and there is no need to communicate outside of this platform. However, I recently got reprimanded for writing my tel# longhand into a message so I could have a lengthy conversation about the pros and cons of renting my place long term through the winter months. I booked it through AirBnB, but they scolded me for giving them my tel# for direct contact.
How does everyone here work through the situation I have here? How do other hosts efficiently communicate complex situations with a potential guest prior to them actually booking?
