So you’re looking to make some extra cash on the side, and you’ve decided to rent out your house on Air BNB. Good idea! But how can you make sure to attract the right type of guests – folks you can trust to treat your home with respect?
Here are a few tips to help avoid Air BNB nightmares.
Who’s staying: You listed your house on Air BNB and now you’re getting interest from people on the site. How do you tell if they’re legit or not? There are some signs that should set warning bells off in your head. Are the renters young? If so, they might just be looking for a place to throw a raging party. Do they live local? That’s another warning – why would they be looking to rent another place close by if not to party? Have they used Air BNB before? What did their previous hosts have to say? If it’s their first time using the site, and they live nearby, and they’re a bunch of kids, you might want to politely decline.
How long are they staying: If you’re renting your place for a night or two, you need to prepare for the possibility that, like above, you’re dealing with a bunch of kids looking for a good time with zero responsibilities. You can, however, require that renters book for two or three days – or even a week. And if someone’s willing to shell out for a couple days, there’s a better chance they’re the real deal.
House Rules: Be very specific about what is and isn’t allowed in your house. If the renters are planning on having extra people over, you can charge for that. If you don’t want them using the kitchen, make that clear, too. The more specific you can be, the better.
Keep it clean, and so will they: When your lodgers walk into your house for the first time, you want to make a good impression. Specifically, you want them to quickly understand that your home is an important and cherished space, and that you’ve worked hard to keep it that way. If you prepare well, hopefully they’ll get the picture and keep the place up to your standards.
When it comes to renting your space on Air BNB, there’s always going to be some risk. But if you follow these tips, you might very well be able to avoid those Air BNB horror stories that keep showing up in the news. Good luck!
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