How do you handle local regulations vs platform guidelines smoothly?

[Chtari0]

Hello fellow hosts! 👋

I’m managing my listing 'Earth Home' and I’m curious to know how you balance local legal requirements with the platform's standard hosting flow.

For instance, in our local market, we are strictly required by law to verify specific personal and civil documents (like marriage certificates for certain couples) before check-in.

Since we keep Instant Book deactivated to manually review these compliance details, I’d love to hear your best practices:

How do you communicate these local legal rules in your initial message without sounding unwelcoming?

Do you put it strictly in the House Rules, or send an automated message right away?

Looking forward to learning from your experiences! Thanks in advance.

[Patricia2526]

Hi @Chtari0 

It’s best to clearly state all of your restrictions, requirements, and local regulations in your listing description, booking requirements, and House Rules (Additional Rules section). This helps set proper expectations before guests book and reduces the likelihood of misunderstandings or cancellations later on.

If local laws or community regulations require guests to provide a valid marriage certificate or marriage contract, make sure this requirement is clearly disclosed in multiple places on your listing. Potential guests should be aware before booking that this documentation will be requested once their reservation is confirmed, as you are required to comply with local laws and regulations.