How do you encourage guests to read your house rules?

[Paula]

Hello everyone 😊

House rules are a key part of creating a great experience for guests and Hosts alike. Many Hosts in our community have emphasized the importance of encouraging guests to read and follow them. Some Hosts have mentioned that, once the booking process is complete, they share this information through a message via the Airbnb app. Other Hosts have preferred to leave a printed copy in the accommodation.

Today, we invite you to share your strategies for encouraging guests to read your house rules. What are some of the most successful strategies you've implemented?🌟

Please share your thoughts in the comments, and thank you so much for sharing.

[Andrea6232]

Ciao @Paula , my house rules are very simple and so far I have never needed to highlight them to guests 😀

[Paula]

Hello @Andrea6232, thank you so much, as always, for sharing your experience.

This is a great example. Have you ever dealt with a situation where guests arrive with extra guests without prior notification?

Regards,

[Andrea6232]

Ciao @Paula , luckily it did not happen until now 🤞

[Sara-And-Rob0]

We call them House Info/Guidelines and are the normal, basic group of rules, no smoking, no shoes inside, etc..Our rules are printed in the apartment as well on the listing. 

As far as what guests read, nothing can help that, currently, most guests read almost nothing, main picture, price, book, and then ask questions that are all pre-answered if they had read the listing.

We recently had a 3-star review from someone who claimed 'Too much rules' and 'Have to walk down three flights of stairs and not an elevator'.

However, these things were all outlined in the description before booking.

In conclusion, not a problem with rules or where to post them.  

[Joelle43]

Hello @Sara-And-Rob0 

I  ❤️ the name that you've given to the all important "house rules" and have stolen your idea and changed the wording on my quick messages that I always send to guests when I receive a booking reservation or inquiry!  Sounds far less formal and threatening for guests so thank you !!🤗

I ask any prospective guest to take a few minutes to read the "house info" and to let me know if they are OK with them and if not then maybe my listing isn't a good fit for them or their group and no hard feelings.   So far so good😉

All the best

Joëlle

[Paula]

It's great to hear that everything has worked out well for you so far, @Joelle43. Thank you so much for sharing your experience 😍

@Sara-And-Rob0, your idea about naming the house rules as House Info/Guideline is excellent. Hopefully, this will continue to inspire more Hosts.

Regards,

[Lois62]

I put in my guidelines info for them to read my rules, and I have had two violations trying to book the room

My first rule is no children under 12 the second Rule was Two Person occupancy in the room at all times and this person was Going to send three kids to sleep with their dad in a queen size bed, and it was a third-party booking and best of all she was an Airbnb Host 

[Joelle43]

@Lois62 

Wow that's impressive coming from an Airbnb host!!  You would hope for better coming from a host.  The mind boggles, really.

Same as you, for security reasons I only welcome children from 12 years and up but still get lots of requests for children under that age limit which is frustrating both for them and for me as Airbnb still put forward my listing to guests with young kids😡  Like you always send my house info and ask guests to read through them before accepting any reservation.  Am not on IB for this reason

[Aqsa4]

To encourage guests to read your house rules, keep them clear, concise, and accessible. Highlight the rules in your welcome message and provide a printed copy in a visible location, such as the entryway or kitchen. Mention the importance of the rules for ensuring a pleasant stay for everyone. You could also incorporate a friendly reminder during the check-in process. Offering a small incentive, like a welcome gift for those who acknowledge reading the rules, can also be effective. Additionally, emphasizing key points in bold or with bullet points can make them easier to digest.

[Paula]

Hello @Aqsa4, thank you so much for sharing these ideas. Do you implement all of them? How long have you been hosting? What has your experience been like? 😊

Please keep us updated 🙏

[Adeola20]

Thank you @Paula. I tend to signpost them to the rules in my welcome message. It may be a good idea to also print, and leave copies in the room.

[Paula]

Hello @Adeola20, sharing the house rules in the welcome message is a great idea. Do you highlight the most important ones there, or do you include all of them?

Thank you so much for sharing 😊

[Adeola20]

@Paula I list them all. There are not a lot of them though. 😊

[Cyn1627]

When I receive a request , I remind them of the house rules, in case they accept them I accept their request , otherwise not.