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Vacation Rental Management

Answering Frequently Asked Questions About Airbnb - Vacation Rental Guide

The most common misconception about Airbnb is that they only cater to holiday goers looking for Vacation rentals when in fact the company recognizes both owners who want to rent their vacation property and guests who are looking to rent great accommodations. In this article, we look at answering FAQs about Airbnb and clearing out common misconceptions about them.

Where to begin:

As an owner or property manager, the first thing to do when you start hosting on Airbnb is to familiarize yourself with the community network platform. To get comfortable with using the website your starting point should be the “Resource Center” on the Airbnb website. This section will answer common questions like:

Discovering the world of Hosting
Beginners video guide to hosting
Setting up a successful listing
Creating a guest-friendly space

Another good learning area would be the “How Airbnb Works” section on the website. Here you get a good idea of how potential guests will use the site. Then you will be able to plan better on how to attract the people who are looking to travel and want to rent a property.

FAQs about Hosting

What are the most basic requirements for a host?

To create comfortable, reliable stays for guests Airbnb expects you to:

Be responsive to inquiries and trip requests within 24 hours
Accept a maximum number of trip requests whenever you’re available.
Take cancellations seriously and try to avoid canceling on guests whenever possible.
Maintain a high overall rating

What are the most basic essential amenities required?

Essential amenities are the basic items that a guest expects in order to have a comfortable stay. These include:

Toilet paper
Soap (for hands and body)
One towel per guest
One pillow per guest
Linens for each guest bed

While these 5 items have been listed by Airbnb as essential amenities, they encourage hosts to provide other amenities such as free Wi-Fi and parking as well. In fact, the more the merrier as offering better amenities means you’ll be able to charge more for your property. Price is not always the key deciding factor as guests have proven time and time again that they don’t mind spending a little more for a better service and unique experience.

Disclaimer: This is not to say that if you don’t provide these essentials you will not be able to host on Airbnb. However, you might find it difficult to get bookings as guests would make a comparison between your Airbnb and others in the vicinity.

What are the requirements to become a Super Host?

To qualify, you must be a primary Host who has met the following criteria:

Completed at least 10 trips or 3 reservations that add up to 100 days.
Maintained a response rate of 90% or higher
Maintained a cancellation rate of 1% or lower.
Maintained an overall rating of 4.8 or higher

How does Airbnb protect its hosts?

Through AirCover, Airbnb provides top-to-bottom protection that gives hosts $1 million in damage protection and $1 million in liability insurance. It’s always included and always free provided that the incident occurred while hosting an Airbnb guest.

What legal and regulatory issues should be considered before hosting on Airbnb?

Some cities have laws that restrict your ability to host paying guests for short periods. These laws are often part of a city's zoning or administrative codes. In many cities, you must register, get a permit, or obtain a license before you list your property or accept guests. Certain types of short-term bookings may be prohibited altogether. More information about your city's laws and regulations may be available on the Airbnb website on the Responsible Hosting page.

What is Airbnb Plus?

Airbnb Plus is a selection of only the highest quality homes with hosts known for great reviews and attention to detail. Every home is verified through in-person quality inspection to ensure quality and design and awarded with a plus badge on the listing on Airbnb.

If your listing has been published on Airbnb Plus, you receive:

Professional photography
Writing services for your listing description
Interior design advice
Higher visibility in search results
Ongoing services and support to help maintain quality and design

However, as a part of joining the Airbnb Plus service, you agree to:

Only accept future reservations for your property on Airbnb or through your own website
Remove listings made in other Online Travel Portals
Free up your calendar exclusively for Airbnb Guests

FAQs about Bookings:

How to respond to an inquiry?

An inquiry is a message from a guest looking for more information before making a booking. Be sure to respond within 24 hours, the sooner the better as it will stop guests from looking at other listings in the meantime. A quick response is one of the best ways to lock in a reservation and maintain a good response rate, which helps your listing appear higher in search results.

How to respond to a request?

You have 24 hours to act on requests before they expire, so set up notifications to ensure you get them as soon as possible. If the request expires, the dates remain blocked on your calendar, so you’ll have to open them back up if you decide you can accommodate them. If you missed your 24-hour window to accept a guest you want to host, simply ask them to send a new request and throw in a special offer for good measure.

What guest details can be expected by the host prior to booking?

When a potential guest sends you a request, you’ll be able to review their:

First name
Identity verification status
Reviews from other Hosts

When a booking is confirmed, your guest’s full name and profile photo also will appear.

Can hosts require guests to be verified before booking?

Hosts can require guests to complete Airbnb's Verified ID process. To require Verified guest IDs, you must first verify your own ID.

FAQs about Payouts:

What are the payout methods available?

The payout methods differ from country to country. For the US, the payout methods available are:

Bank Transfer in USD (payment time 5-7 business days)
PayPal in USD (get paid in 3–4 hours)
Payoneer Prepaid Debit MasterCard in USD (get paid in 3–4 hours)

How do I set a payout method?

Go to Account > Payments & payouts > Payouts
Next to the method that you'd like to make default, click or tap the more options icon
Click or tap Make Default

When can a payout be expected?

In most cases, you will receive your payout 24 hours after a guest checks in to your place. Your bank and payout method will determine how long it will take for your funds to arrive in your account. Additionally, if you have a minimum payout amount set, your payout won’t be released until that amount is met. You can always check the status of your payout via your transaction history.

What happens to the payout if a guest cancels a reservation?

If your guest cancels (either before or during a trip), they’ll be automatically refunded according to your cancellation policy. If your guest is owed a refund, that amount is deducted from your payout. Check your cancellation policy to find out more.

What happens to the payout if the host cancels a reservation?

If a reservation is canceled before the trip starts, the guest will be refunded in full, and you won’t receive a payout for that booking. However, if the guest has already checked in, the refund amount will be deducted from your next payout (or payouts until the full amount is collected).

Note: Cancellations disrupt guests' plans and impact confidence in the Airbnb community. Because of this, certain host cancellation penalties will also apply.

In Conclusion:

Mentioned above are only some of the generic topics that hosts need help with when hosting on Airbnb. If the questions you have are not addressed here refer to the Resource Center in the Airbnb website or head on to our blog and you’ll be sure to find something to guide you through.

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Your Guide to SuccessfulVacation Rental Management