Everything You Need To Know About Hosting Long-Term Airbnb Guest

You’re thinking about renting out your home on Airbnb or changing it to a long-term Airbnb rental but you’re not sure if you want to commit to the shorter stays that are typically associated with the platform. You wonder if there might be a way to rent out your home for longer periods of time, and whether or not that would be more profitable and less hassle. You’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about hosting long-term Airbnb guests. You’ll learn about the pros and cons of long-term rentals, how to price your Airbnb competitively, and what local laws you need to be aware of. Additionally, we’ll go over Airbnb fees, payments, and screening guests so that you know what to expect. By the end of this article, you’ll have all the information you need to decide if long-term hosting on Airbnb is right for you.

Before we dive into how to host long-term Airbnb guests, there are a few things you should keep in mind. First, you’ll need to research your local market and set a competitive price for your rental. You’ll also need to be aware of Airbnb’s host fees for long-term reservations, as well as any local laws that apply to a monthly stay. Additionally, it’s important to know the cancellation policy for monthly reservations, as well as when hosts get paid for bookings. Finally, you’ll need to screen your guests carefully and provide them with the amenities they need during their stay.

Assuming you’ve taken all of the above into consideration and you’re still interested in hosting long-term Airbnb guests, let’s dive into how to do it.

What is an Airbnb long-term rental or monthly Airbnb rental?

A long-term Airbnb rental or monthly Airbnb rental is defined as a stay of 28 nights or more. If you’re looking to host guests for longer periods, this is the option for you. While the definition of a long-term rental may be clear on Airbnb’s platform, it’s always good to check in with your local city laws. You don’t want to get caught off guard with penalties or fines, so research is key. If you’re not interested in having a long-term Airbnb rental you don’t need to worry because you need to enable longer bookings on your listing profile.

What are the benefits of hosting long-term Airbnb guests?

Several benefits come along with hosting long-term Airbnb guests. First, it’s generally easier to manage turnovers when you have fewer reservations. This means less communication and a more stable income. Additionally, you’ll likely get to know your guests better over the course of their stay, which can create a more enjoyable experience for both parties. Communication is much easier for long-term guests because you don’t have to orient people to your home or town starting from zero. I have friends who only host monthly guests who are visiting to work at the university for 4-10 months at a time and love it. They found a group of people that are typically very low drama, solo travelers, and at their home to work. Then they rent shorter-term during the gap months between guests. It’s a pretty cool idea right? And finally, Airbnb long-term renting tends to be more profitable than shorter ones. This is a controversial topic but if you have more nights booked you will make more money. I tend to make more money on shorter reservations because I have a really high occupancy rate in my area, but longer bookings make sense as well. I like the busy schedule of meeting lots of new people. Guests will look to save money wherever they can and they will definitely ask for weekly or monthly discounts so prepare your response for those questions.

What are the drawbacks of hosting long-term Airbnb guests?

Of course, there are also some drawbacks to hosting long-term Airbnb guests. First and foremost, you’re essentially giving up your home for an extended stay. This means that if something goes wrong, you may have a more difficult time fixing it. Additionally, if your guests are dissatisfied with their stay, it can be harder to get them to leave early. And finally, you’ll need to be extra vigilant in screening your guests and providing them with what they need during their stay so that they don’t overstay their welcome. When you rent your home on Airbnb you are entering into a rental agreement of sorts with your guest and they have rights to your home for the duration of their reservation. This is a really important principle to consider because in the extremely rare case where you can’t get a guest to leave the property if it’s a long-term or a monthly stay your municipality might grant them tenant rights.

How much should I charge for my long-term rental property

When it comes to pricing your rental property, you’ll need to do some market research. Look at comparable listings in your area and see what they’re charging for similar properties. You’ll also want to take into account the amenities you’re offering and the length of the stay. An Airbnb long-term rental will generally warrant a discounted rate from short-term renting, but you don’t want to change your price so significantly you’re not getting the income you want. My suggestion and technique are to literally search Airbnb listings in your area and see what they rent for. Also check Zillow, Craigslist, and any similar listing platform people use to advertise their vacation rental. Pricing a monthly reservation differs in that guests will compare your pricing to what they can rent from other places. However, keep in mind that the uniqueness of your listing and the quality of the host experience you provide are worth a ton more than renting a monthly hotel room. People staying for a month at a time specifically want the comforts of your home, not a lifeless hotel room.

What are host fees for long-term Airbnb rentals?

Airbnb charges hosts a 3% fee for all reservations. As hosts, you can also set up your listing to have a “host-only” fee where the guest doesn’t pay a fee but as a host, you will pay 14-16% of the total payout.

When do Airbnb hosts get paid?

For long-term reservations, you’ll be paid out 24 hours after your guests’ check-in date. You can choose to be paid out via direct deposit or PayPal which is standard in your Airbnb account dashboard. Subsequent payouts are sent monthly based on the reservation start date.

What are host fees for long-term Airbnb rentals?

If your guests want to cancel their stay, they can do so through Airbnb’s platform. click here to read Airbnb’s detailed long-term cancellation policy. Essentially if a guest has already started their reservation you will get to keep the reservation amount for 30 additional days but like everything the details of why they’re canceling and what policy you have checked in your listing details matter.

Are there any local laws I need to be aware of?

Yes, you’ll need to make sure you comply with any local laws or regulations regarding long-term rentals. You don’t want to get slapped with a fine or have your guests removed from the property, so it’s best to err on the side of caution. Beyond local laws you want to ask:

• Do you have a home owner’s association, and what are their rules regarding vacation rentals?
• Do you have any town laws about vacation rentals and their duration?

What are tenant rights?

Tenant rights are the rights that a tenant has to the property they are renting. These rights vary from country to country and even from state to state, but generally speaking, tenants have the right to live in a safe and habitable rental unit, the right to quiet enjoyment of the property, and the right not to be discriminated against. 

What if my guest refuses to leave?

If you have a guest who refuses to leave, your best course of action is to contact Airbnb support. This is an extremely rare situation that’s never actually happened to me and I’ve only heard about it a couple of times, so while it is definitely something to be aware of you don’t need to let yourself be paralyzed by fear or anything. If Airbnb support is unable to assist you to contact your local police department. In most cases, the police will be able to remove the guests from the property without too much trouble. However, if you live in a jurisdiction where tenant rights apply, you may need to go through the eviction process. This can be a  long and complicated process, so again, it’s best to contact Airbnb support or a local attorney if you find yourself in this situation.

How do I screen my guests for long-term rentals?

The absolute best way to screen guests is by reading reviews from their previous hosts. This can give you a good idea of their rental history and whether or not they’re likely to be respectful of your property. We literally read reviews for every Airbnb guest making an inquiry about our home whether it’s a one-day request or a long-term rental. If someone is inquiring about your property and they have terrible reviews feel free to decline their inquiry. “I’m so sorry but we don’t accept guests with bad reviews at this time. We do wish you all the best.” If a guest has 20 fantastic reviews you can be pretty confident they are going to treat your home really well. Another screening technique you should consider is requiring guests to have a verified Airbnb account with a government-issued ID when they book. This can be done through Airbnb’s platform on your listing settings. You should also ask your guests questions about the reason for their visit. You don’t want to sound like a crazy person yelling into the wind but good guests will be enthusiastic to tell you about their trip which provides a great opening for you to make local recommendations.

What amenities do you provide for guests?

The amenities you provide will depend on your personal preferences and what type of property you’re renting out. The important thing is that your guests understand what you are providing and what the expectations are. A few essentials that all hosts should provide for their guests. These include:

• An extra set of bed linens and towels. You want someone to have fresh linens to put on the bed when they’re doing laundry.
• Cleaning products. Give your guests enough dish soap, laundry soap, and household cleaners to clean up after themselves. Not all guests will, but why not make it easier for them to take care of your home?
• Toilet Paper: Just leave enough for the entire reservation. It’s a crazy debate you should avoid denying guests extra TP or charging for it. No one feels great explaining why they went through so my toilet paper.
• What else makes sense for your home?

What can you do to minimize damage to your home

-Mid-reservation cleaning

Let guests know their mid-reservation cleaning service that’s complimentary. We all love free things right? Just build the cost of this into your nightly rate or add it to the cost of their reservation at the time of booking. If your home is cleaned mid-way through a reservation and there’s a problem your cleaner can let you know and you can address it.

-Keep communication lines open

The single best thing you can do to minimize problems is to do your best to avoid them in the first place. Talk to your guests and if they say something that you know isn’t going to work for your home don’t allow them to book it. Be nice about it, but let them know you’re home “isn’t a good fit” for their purposes. I had someone try to book my home for a movie set and while that might’ve been cool if I were 19 or Dax Shepherd were involved I just don’t want the drama at this point in my life.

Be prepared for occasional problems

No matter how much you screen your guests or how many rules you have in place, problems will happen from time to time. It’s just the nature of hosting. The key is to be prepared for when they do and know how to handle them quickly and efficiently. The best way to deal with problems is to have a plan in place before they happen. This way you can avoid panicking and making a bad situation worse.

Who rents long-term Airbnb rentals?

The CEO of Airbnb has been saying for a long time that people are staying longer and longer in Airbnbs, especially since the start of the pandemic in 2020. He also predicts in the future people will live in Airbnbs not just visit them for a few days at a time. Whether this prediction is completely true or not is hard to say, but they certainly have the data to back up their claims. So who rents Airbnb monthly rentals? The most common requests I receive are for traveling nurses, university faculty, business travelers, local guests between houses, and people looking to move to the area.

Conclusion

Overall, hosting long-term Airbnb guests can be a great way to bring in income with lower effort on your part in regard to communication and guest management. However, it’s important to be prepared for the occasional problem and have a plan in place to deal with them quickly and efficiently. Monthly Airbnb rentals look a lot more like traditional rentals so if that’s familiar and easy for you it’s a great thing to consider. If you’re in an area where you don’t want to fuss with the legality of tenant rights or don’t want to have a lawyer draw up a long-term rental agreement you might want to stick with short-term renting. No matter what add details about what you decide in your house rules. I rarely end up hosting guests for more than a week and that seems to work nicely for us, but again how do you want to manage your time? That’s it for now…

Happy hosting friends!