Hosting Airbnb short term rental services? Get as many bookings as possible.
If you’re going above and beyond, be ready to deal with squatters as well. In this article, you’ll be getting a quick overview of how you can deal with them.
A Silicon Valley startup, Airbnb doesn’t need any introduction in terms of its unmatched short-term rental services. This company has millions of hosts and guests using the application for fulfilling their money and living needs. But, if you are a new Airbnb host, the main concern is to get more clients. You might want to bring guests who stay long as more extended stays are lucrative.
However, every pro has its con. Longer-term guests can sometimes create financial and legal trouble for hosts as Airbnb works without a lease agreement. The longer stay of guests becomes your nightmare when they don’t leave when the time limit ends. Such guests are called “squatters”.
Read more: How to Deal with Airbnb Difficult Guests?
Understanding Squatters
Squatting doesn’t happen often, but it’s still one of the risks in managing short term rental. But there are ways through which the host can effectively manage squatting without affecting his services.
5 Ways to Avoid Airbnb Squatters
Knowledge of Rental Laws
If you want to avoid squatters, look into rental laws of Airbnb when renting out your place. When you familiarize yourself with rental rules, you can easily take action on squatting. Many hosts never look into the rental laws, and when the guest refuses to leave, they find it challenging to deal with them. Through rental laws, you get to know how long Airbnb guests can stay at your place.
All Deals Through the Airbnb Platform
Another way to avoid squatting is to make all deals solely from the Airbnb platform. Sometimes it looks tempting to make extra money by making a deal outside of the Airbnb platform. However, this can become a way of getting squatters in your business. Try to make all the transactions on Airbnb to get the full support of Airbnb management in case of the squatter’s nightmare.
Refuse Stays of 30 Days or More
Not all guests are squatters. Some guests are honest and leave when their stay ends. However, these people come under the list of long stay guests. If a temporary guest stays for 30 days or more, he/she automatically acquires tenants’ rights. To avoid such issues, don’t give 30 days’ stay to temporary guests. If you agree to offer a month or more stay at the temporary guest, try to communicate early about your terms.
Sign Agreement with Your Guests
This agreement is another precautionary measure to avoid squatters. The contract should mention all the terms and conditions of the stay. For example, it should state the times and dates for check-in and check-out, the rules guests need to follow, payment terms and liability for any damages etc. This will make your expectations clear in front of the guest, and there will be no misunderstanding.
Choose the Guests Wisely
As a vacation rental owner, you must know how to spot a squatter. To understand Airbnb squatting, you must research the guest before renting out your space. Make sure to validate their trustworthiness and take all the necessary documents.
Ending Thoughts…
When you are hosting Airbnb Short term rental services, you need to deal effectively with squatters. However, if you cannot deal with the squatters by yourself, hire an Airbnb Co-host like us. We are the professional co-hosts offering legal services to deal with squatters. Contact us now to get legal consultation on squatters!