In cities with residency requirements like San Francisco and Santa Cruz, many hosts rent rooms or spaces in their homes, sharing common areas. Unfortunately, Airbnb’s policy applies to both shared homes and private listings, which can be problematic. HostWell is working with Airbnb to refine this policy.
The situation is further complicated for listings on multiple platforms like HomeAway, VRBO, Expedia, and Booking.com, as they have different cleaning grace periods and pricing structures. While Airbnb may block out one night, it might still be available on Booking.com, negating Airbnb’s intended value.
Most HostWell managed listings have a one-night minimum stay requirement. However, the new waiting period changes the economics, making it less attractive to offer one-night stays if it consumes two nights of availability, risking a 50% occupancy rate.
Recently, Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com announced new cleaning protocols. Airbnb’s new policy imposes a 24-hour waiting period between guests, automatically blocking out the night of checkout. If the new cleaning standards can’t be met, a 72-hour hold will be placed on the rental.
HostWell, Inc., based in San Francisco, emerged as a leader in cleaning and sanitation services for the vacation rental industry during the Coronavirus Pandemic. They implemented a 24-hour waiting period between bookings and adopted stringent cleaning protocols to ensure guest and host safety.
Party houses are a nuisance for neighbors and a potential economic loss for owners. They can jeopardize the ability to offer short-term rentals for the entire local municipality. Complaints about party houses have led to the passage of occupancy requirements in places like Denver and Orinda.
There is a growing list of sonic monitoring devices that alert you if decibel levels rise to problematic levels in your home. HostWell recommends a camera system that records offsite and provides notifications when cameras are offline. It’s essential to monitor the property while honoring guest privacy.
To prevent parties, turn off instant booking, check each request carefully, and ask questions. Use house rules to dissuade party throwers and consider having a property manager. Airbnb has banned parties globally and removed the “event-friendly” search filter from its platform.
If a party happens at your property, you could face suspension or removal of your listing. Unauthorized parties have always been barred at Airbnb listings, and the platform has suspended or removed hundreds of properties worldwide.
When it comes to insurance for short-term rentals, there are many options available. Residential policies are ideal for renting out spare bedrooms with shared spaces, while commercial policies are better for frequent hosts with significant income from rentals. It’s important to find a policy that clearly covers short-term rentals and to be upfront with your insurer about your rental activities.