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,

[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,

[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 😊

[Cyn1627]

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

[Paula]

hello @Cyn1627, this is interesting. How often do guests accept the house rules before completing the booking process? Do the majority of guests accept them?

Thanks for sharing.

[Kerri309]

as a part of the guests welcome gift is a copy of our hiusemanual & guidebook in print for the guests to use for rederence and keep asa momento when they leave.  our House rules is page 2 as not only a refresher to the guests but to also stress the importance of the rules. I also have our house rules and safe use of the firepit done up as a form that requires the guests signature. I send this form via email to guests upon confirmation of booking. Having the signature  form has prevented alot of what could have been issues with guests that failed to read the rules in the listing.  

[Paula]

Hello @Kerri309, this is great.

Thanks so much for sharing 😊

[Craig949]

Since we don’t use instabook specifically for this reason, we get the opportunity to touch base with the prospective guest before they book. In our greeting letter we ask them to verify they have read the house rules to ensure the home will work for their stay. After they have read the rules and confirmed the home will work for them including the house policies they then contact is back with a confirmation statement and we confirm their booking. That encourages them to read everything but does not guarantee they will.