Guests Who Request to Rent Outside of AirBnB

Maria730
Level 3
Ashland, OR

Guests Who Request to Rent Outside of AirBnB

We recently had an elderly couple rent our beach home. They initially stated that they could not open the directions emailed to them through the AirBnB

website. We ended up having to email from our personal email before they could open the attachment. They were very complementary about the accomodations when they arrived, left things tidy, overall ideal guests. Then, the evening of the day they checked out, they contacted us by email stating they were having trouble booking another stay through the website. The next day, I sent a "Special Offer" through AirBnB with the dates they requested. Today, they responded with a request to rent our home on a consistent basis, one week every other month. However, they do NOT want to rent through AirBnB, but us directly, as it would be "more convenient". Of course it's appealing to have a consistent renter throughout the year, who was gentle on your home, but it feels very odd that they would approach things this way. Obviously, AirBnB wasn't so inconvenient that they couldn't rent previously. They have good feedback with other properties on AirBnB. It just doesn't sit well with us...why would they want to bypass AirBnB? They even mentioned offering the rental full price, including all the taxes &  AirBnB fees to compensate for our "extra trouble." Has anyone else dealt with this? 

31 Replies 31
Lynette57
Level 10
Gladstone, Australia

@Maria730 Hi I dont think it is odd that they would like to deal with you direct. 

1 By hosting your guest direct especially if you know them they are usually more prepared to give you a security deposit direct, rather than have it go through a third party and have to pay huge fees 

By hosting direct you have more control over who is in your home.

I myself  stay in a holiday home  every year for month. I contacted the host direct and asked if I paid my deposit direct to him if we could deal direct. He agreed. Since then, we have stayed with him 7 times . We give him honest review on the property every year and care for it as if it were our own.

It has saved both of us huge amounts of money that the booking platform would have charged us both and should something happen tha we could not manage our annual trip then we never have to worry about calanders being blocked or money failing to be refunded or having to chase refunds etc. Elderly people have enough stress in their lives without having to worry about being ripped off by an overseas booking platform that has no compassion or understanding of human nature and definitley has no Customer Service for guests and hosts alike . If you do manage to get a CS person that speaks your language and knows the area your property is in and understands local laws then you should bless the gods because it very rarely happens.

Elena87
Level 10
СПБ, Russia

@Maria730

 

I've a handful of recurring guests who initially booked on airbnb but contact me directly when they want to return.

I know them, they know what they will expect on arrival. I don't think it is odd to request directly in this way.

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

This is an easy one with a quick and fast answer.

Offer them to rent to them off site, but charge them a significant portion of the Airbnb fee + taxes.

Maybe 50%. Offer it and don't negotiate.

If they then go crazy and hate you, well then you know.

 

Both guests and hosts think that Airbnb fees are for nothing. But that is not true.

As hosts, our lives are easier because of Airbnb. It automatically schedules. They deal with the cash. They are a middle man ready to arbitrate. As a host, your deserve 50% of that fee. Off site Airbnb administration is more difficult and guests will still pay less than going through Airbnb

 

 

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

One third (33%) of my bookings are 'direct' (old and new guests) and nowadays I try to funnel all direct requests via Airbnb, for the reasons @Paul0 gave above. The guest wants to save the booking fee of course, but I rather have them be liable for at least 50% and let Airbnb be the 'heavy'.

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Maria730

It doesn't sit well with you because you are a very ethical person Maria. Airbnb has brought this business to you and you feel it is not right to bypass them! Without Airbnb these people would never have known about you.....it is business you never would have had....and this does not sit well with you!

I know, I struggle with the same dillema myself!

 

What I do Maria, as it is not a major part of my business I tell them I would prefer to have us all covered under the umbrella of Airbnb's protection but I will send them a special offer that will take care of a portion of the Airbnb service fee. Most of us offer a discount in the form of a weekly rate, so we are not really missing out....it's regular business we don't have to worry about!

 

Maria it is your call, and none of us like to turn our backs on good regular business but, doing a regular thing on the side does pose a problem or two. You have to keep your calendar well updated to prevent double booking and, what happens when one week they don't turn up because of something or other, someone got sick! All of a sudden your calendar has a black hole!

 

If they are insistent and make it a condition of any agreement that it be done this way then I guess you have to go along with it, but I would suggest somehow working within the company to them first. You say they are an elderly couple, so it almost certain the motives are good, they aren't going to party, make porn films or be bad guests. Elderly have many reasons for wanting a bit of regular time away from home...and most of those reasons are good!

 

I am with you Maria, it just doesn't feel the right thing to do!

 

Cheers......Rob

Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

I see nothing surprising or wrong about returning guests preferring to book direct. And I've had elderly guests who find the Airbnb site really difficult to use, to the point of not ever wanting to use it again.

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Lisa723

Yeah sure Lisa I have had some and they nearly all want to do it privately the next time. And that's fine, I do my fair share of business outside of Airbnb, in fact more than a quarter of my business is outside of Airbnb. But if Airbnb have brought them to me in the first place I feel more confortable keeping their business with Airbnb and offering to help a bit with the service fees. That way I get the reviews, never have to hassle the guest about money....and hopefully the company might be more inclined to support me if they can see my history.....but that may be a bit of a 'pigs might fly' scenario.

 

I really do understand your point about the elderly finding the site hard to use, I haven't had to deal with that situation so I can't make an informed comment there.

 

I hope those fires down south are not a problem in your part of the world Lisa...we are seeing terrible footage here....even a certain Mr Trump who can't remember the name of the town he is standing in!!

 

Cheers.....Rob

Pete69
Level 10
Los Angeles, CA

On a side note I would not accept a guest outside of Airbnb. I like having the added layer of insurance. Also Airbnb collects the LA city sales tax for me. It would be a pain to have to file a tax form on my own.

Leo91
Level 2
Mississauga, Canada

Greetings, As an off site owner of a property dedicated to a co host ,how can i reast in peace that the property is not  a lso rented out to local area  without airbnb and me not knowing the income.   Trust ,but how far ? 

Ana1136
Level 10
Ohrid, Macedonia (FYROM)

@Leo91 install cameras on outside areas but make sure to be clear on Airbnb that they are there. 

Alice595
Level 10
Concord, CA

Normally I don't accept the guests who want to deal with me outside of Airbnb unless they are to sign a lease for a long term such as 6 months. This is just like a long term rent with deposit etc. In addition, I don't want to deal with them if they are cheap bargainers. Any unreasonable request for a low price will be rejected.

This is a text template I am using for those who request booking outside of Airbnb. 

 

"Hi (Guest's Name)

 

This is just to inform you about some Terms we have both agreed to when opening an Airbnb Account.

 

Also, we believe in loyalty and reciprocity with those who help us, and we could both agree that, thanks to Airbnb, we are able to enjoy cheapest stays along with protection, so the best way to thank and support Airbnb is by being loyal to them.

 

Terms of Service

 

Note: Any reservations that are made outside of Airbnb violate our Terms of Service. If we identify that a reservation was made through a third-party service, we may cancel the reservation and deactivate the accounts of the person who made the reservation and the guest.

 

14. Prohibited Activities

 

14.1 You are solely responsible for compliance with any and all laws, rules, regulations, and Tax obligations that may apply to your use of the Airbnb Platform. In connection with your use of the Airbnb Platform, you will not and will not assist or enable others to:

 

 

-Use the Airbnb Platform to request, make or accept a booking independent of the Airbnb Platform, to circumvent any Service Fees or for any other reason;

 

-Request, accept or make any payment for Listing Fees outside of the Airbnb Platform or Airbnb Payments. If you do so, you acknowledge and agree that you: (i) would be in breach of these Terms; (ii) accept all risks and responsibility for such payment, and (iii) hold Airbnb harmless from any liability for such payment;

 

 

 

15. Term and Termination, Suspension and other Measures

 

 

15.4 Airbnb may immediately, without notice, terminate this Agreement and/or stop providing access to the Airbnb Platform if (i) you have materially breached your obligations under these Terms, the Payments Terms, our Policies or Standards, (ii) you have violated applicable laws, regulations or third party rights, or (iii) such action is necessary to protect the personal safety or property of Airbnb, its Members, or third parties (for example in the case of fraudulent behavior of a Member).

 

 

Sincerely, 

(Host's Name)

 

Hugo550
Level 2
São Paulo, Brazil

Isn't everyone in this thread here breaching the TOS of AirBNB? They dont allow this! Why areyou all doing this? Terms clearly state this isn't allowed. 

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

Hi @Hugo550 !

It would indeed be against the TOS for a guest to make first ever contact with a host via the Airbnb platform, and request to make arrangements off platform, just as it would be unethical & against TOS for a host to accept.

 

But the hosts here are discussing SUBSEQUENT bookings, not first ones. 

Once a guest has completed a stay with Airbnb (and Airbnb has taken its fee) then Airbnb does not own the relationship between host & guest for ever more, and there is no reason why parties should not come to a private arrangement for future bookings, if both parties so wish.