Unique Guide: Airbnb House Rules To Ensure 5 Stars
Introduction To Airbnb House Rules
In this blog post, I’ll provide you with our 12 years of experience in setting unique Airbnb house rules. We experienced the good and the bad managing 100s of Airbnb’s in Cape Town.
We will look at practical ways to set these Airbnb house rules in a firm but friendly manner. If you’re an Airbnb host or owner with more than one property, it’s important to have some ground rules.
- Learn how you can make your guests stay memorable if you know how to explain boring rules in a creative way.
- Discover how you can get 5-star ratings while not compromising bad behaviour for short term gain.
- The secrets to setting expectations early will make it a breeze.
- Rules allow your guests to be well-taken care of.
- How to set boundaries within which guests can have fun.
Today you’ll discover more ways to make sure your Airbnb hosting experience is smooth sailing from start to finish, read on!
How To Communicate Airbnb House Rules In The Accommodation To Get 5-Star Reviews?
Prepare For 5-Star Feedback or Do You Make Guests Yawn?
The rules of your home can be a bore. Yes. It can bring you bad reviews. But you can bring more personality to the table. Make guests feel like they are coming into an invitation-only space. And employ your brand voice as you set these house rules. We recommend letting them shine!
Whatever you do; underestimating a fool can cost you. Fools will break things if they think (do they think?) it’s breakable. But if you tell them about these issues they will avoid them.
But how?
Let’s Have A Look At In-House Airbnb Rule Examples
You may want to warn guests about your old toilet system and say,
Please do not flush anything synthetic down the loo. This includes but is not limited to; tampons, wet wipes, any bacterial wipes, paper toilets, napkins and wrappers of any sort. The 100-year plus sewage system is unable to cope. Should you refrain from doing so you may be requested to pay for the cost of calling in a plumber.
This is negative, detailed, long and legalistic. Consider a lengthy note as a sticker or board above the toilet. Will it bring a smile. Will they feel welcome? No. Rather….
Stipulate at the Airbnb listing rules in the home manual and get the host to discuss it:
I know you don’t appreciate a blocked toilet. Flushing anything but toilet paper will give you a 100-year “surprise”. The ancient plumbing comes with this old home. And the last thing we want is to request money from you to clean it.
Tip: Should I Add Stickers/Boards With Guest Rules On My Walls?
No.
I don’t recommend it. There are better ways.
Did you know?
People tend to avoid risk when a positive frame is presented but seek risks when a negative frame is presented. More.
Have you seen those homes with Don’t This! Don’t That. You start but may never stop. Signs like these….
Explain Why You Have These House Rules And Never Hide Risks
Welcome to your new home—our list of house rules will help you get settled.
It’s natural instinct: when we’re given a rule, we want to know the reason why. As the host, show them that following these simple guidelines won’t hurt anyone. And they’ll have the best time possible in this Airbnb listing!
Not an essay! Give quick reasons for each one on our list of house rules, so everyone feels what’s expected with context or reason. They prefer that.
You should write an Airbnb rule so that they see the benefit it brings to them and others. Hiding stuff is not great as surprised guests give bad reviews.
For example;
- We are trying to ensure the well-being of neighbours by setting quiet hours.
- Or mention how much it means to be able to host guests with (pet) allergies without fear, and
- Unregistered visitors are insured if anything happens in their absence. And who plans to depart early because of a simple broken rule? Rather inform the host.
Make Your House Rules Readable
Try positive sentences, use humour, simple and short sentences. And if you use legalise you are doing it wrong. There are exceptions; like the disclaimer, we add to the bottom of the rules list.
Where & When To Share Your Airbnb House Rules
Your Airbnb house rules are critical and many guests don’t bother to read them. Repeat them. Do it with flair, authority but sergeant major is over the top.
You must start at the beginning. As they enquire at Airbnb.
Upon booking send them an automated and friendly email with a free e-book on things to do plus a link to your rules.
Exchanging arrival details; prepare them. Address their expectations. As you know parties and extra guests are issues. Look at this article to set expectations pre-arrival to get more 5-star reviews.
When they arrive, go through the house manual with a copy of the rules. Describes the ways of the home. Tell them about the grumpy neighbour (or whatever), in a firm but friendly voice, the most important house Airbnb rules. And where to find it in the house Airbnb Rule
Examples in the Airbnb house rules manual:
You may say to them,
“Now for the important part. It’s time to explain some rules. Rules to ensure your stay is pleasant, relaxing.
We’ve found guests who don’t know these crucial guidelines are often surprised.
Airbnb House Rules Examples
[slocker id=”5″]You’ll notice that some rules cannot be relayed in pretty paper with rainbows. Like parties and extra guests. Tell them straight! Even, if it’s not cool. But do it in a friendly, but strict way.
- NO PARTIES or Events. It will be sad to see you depart today with NON-REFUNDABLE CANCELLATION as regulated by Airbnb. [Pass the buck to Airbnb it’s called Limited Authority tactic in negotiations].
- No additional GUESTS without permission – this applies to guests not staying over as Airbnb is clamping down on any gatherings. [Pass the buck to Airbnb].
- Loud music affects neighbours. They get angry. At nighttime voices carry. Please be considerate. No loud noise after 21:00 pm until after 08:00; have fun but respect your neighbours and keep screeching squeaks from young children indoors.
- You are paying per person; ensure you have entered the correct number of people. All extra guests will be charged accordingly.
- The accommodation is for short-term residential rentals. It is not for parties, receptions, festivals, meetings, commercial use, or guests above the registered number. If you intend any commercial use, please ask before booking. If you use it for commercial purposes without permission R10000 ($800) is payable immediately for each day it was used or part of a day. Rental doesn’t qualify as residency or allow the use of our mailing address. Should you need a package(s) delivered, please ask in advance for permission or options.
- Smoking is only to be enjoyed in the outdoor area, away from doors, indoors and windows.
- Strong winds and fires cause lots of havoc. Please do not make any fires in strong winds and ensure all flames are extinguished after use.
- Laundry is not pretty when passers-by see it. Please keep it out of sight.
- Pools are fun places but need responsible adults to care for anyone who cannot swim. The guests who reserve this home take full responsibility.
- Keep your guests insured. You are by South African law required to have travel insurance for your group. You may have to show this at Airports.
- If you don’t depart from the accommodation, a penalty of at least R20000 ($1600) is payable. And in addition, at least R15000 ($108) to R50 000 per night thereafter for non-agreed dates.
- Tip. We are giving you a home rated 5 stars from previous guests. They treated it as their own. Our previous 5-star guests left the home as clean as they would like us to remember then.
- Housekeeping while staying is not included. Depending on availability we can arrange at a fee. This must be arranged well in advance.
- For security reasons you are responsible to keep your home locked when not present.
Airbnb Indemnity Agreed To By Guests
We are no legal experts and cannot claim our indemnity conditions are valid or applicable to your country, state or city. You must check with your legal advisor.
Here is our Airbnb indemnity we added to the end of our Airbnb house rules. It makes for boring reading.
AS the Responsible Person, you have the authority to, agree on behalf of your party as follows: 1. We are occupying the above property at my/our own and sole risk and are using the facilities on the Premises entirely at my/our own risk and I/we hereby indemnify and hold harmless the owner of the Premises and their members, employees, agents and/or affiliates (“the Indemnified Parties”) against all liability for any and all claims whatsoever and howsoever arising, including without limitation, any consequential loss claim, arising from and including without limitation, any loss, theft, or damage to my/our property (whether corporeal or otherwise) or any illness, injury or death which may arise irrespective of the cause of any such loss, theft, damage, illness, injury or death and in particular, whether arising through negligence or recklessness and whether liability would be vicarious or not.
This agreement shall be effective and binding; on me, my spouse, my heirs, next of kin, executors, administrators and assigns in the event of my death, my personal representatives, my children and any guardian ad item for the said children.
Get Your Free Airbnb House Rules Template Download
We created a PDF of the Airbnb house rules template. You can download it here.
Frequently Asked Airbnb House Rules
Are Airbnb House rules legally binding?
Airbnb’s Terms of Service are enforced by all members, and every individual user agrees to abide by them. The Airbnb rules- including your specific House Rules –are legally binding.
What happens if an Airbnb guest breaks house rules?
The Airbnb House Rules are a vital part of your Airbnb listing. If you have any guests that break a rule or make you feel unsafe, then there’s no need to sweat it. Airbnb will support and protect you! But get them on your side early.
Decline the reservation request, or cancel their stay so that things don’t escalate out of the control-either.
We suggest you ensure the guests are informed via the Airbnb app (for the record) and via other means. It’s critical to get hold of Airbnb support immediately and get their support.
You don’t want to complain to the guest and the guest counteract by contacting Airbnb first for your “unfair” treatment.
Can an Airbnb host evict a guest?
It depends on your local laws. You may not be able to remove them from your property without proceeding through the required eviction processes in court.
If you rent monthly stays, make sure to let your guests sign an additional rental agreement before finalizing the booking.
You can include a penalty daily chargeable for guests staying outside the confirmed dates. More here.
How do you write House rules on Airbnb?
Ensure you list all things you don’t want guests to do. Include warnings to guests of issues they may encounter; like open balconies, open staircases. Tell them about things they may encounter that they may not expect.
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