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Original poster

Would you put your spare room on air bnb?

582 replies

EachandEveryone · 03/07/2015 15:23

We are twenty minutes from Central London. My friend and I are sick of looking for flatmates and would quite like a break from living with other people! What do you think to letting out the spare bedroom?

OP posts:
lovestea · 30/09/2015 15:50

I had that once Each, and I kindly declined! It's not that I didn't want her to see the room, it was the whole context of the booking. She was coming here to work two days a week and wanted the room as a regular two days for a year. My feeling was that she wanted to meet face to face to negotiate a cheaper price, or cut AirBnB out, and I did not want to be put on the spot.
I also didn't much like the way she asked: 'I will pop in after work to inspect the room and bathroom'. Hah. No way.

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 30/09/2015 17:16

Yes I've just said to my flat mate I get she wants to knock the price down.

OP posts:
Pigeonpost · 01/10/2015 09:03

How long does she want to book it for? I can kind of see the logic if someone wants the room two days for a whole year but the very concept of such a booking would worry me if my listing was the sort that usually attracted stays of weeks-months as you are potentially doing yourself out of 5 nights income a week. What sort of impression do you have generally of her and what are her reviews like?

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 01/10/2015 20:27

Oh dear. Obsessive house googler has arrived. He doesn't seem to know how to look for a parking space. Kept asking 'can I park there? There?' Pointing at a space on the pavement, one that would block a neighbour's drive, a neighbour's actual drive...and me repeating ' you will have to look for a space, sorry'
Hard work already

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 01/10/2015 20:28

I'd turn that booking down right away. I don't allow bookings more than 3 months in advance anyway and I wouldn't want to block the room 2 nights a week in case I lost out on other bookings. And she could be a horror and you're stuck with her.

Pigeonpost · 01/10/2015 21:30

Do you guys ask AirBnB to take a security deposit for your bookings? There is another AirBnB thread in Active at the moment which made me think about it. I haven't set one and wouldn't have the first clue what to set it at if I did!

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 01/10/2015 21:35

No I don't. Risky maybe but I don't want to put off small bookings which I have a lot of.

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 01/10/2015 22:46

How come they ask you to put in a cleaning charge and charge it whether someone is staying two nights or four weeks? Surely if they are staying longer the cleaning charge should be added weekly?

OP posts:
lovestea · 01/10/2015 22:54

Hi Pigeon, I saw the AirBnB thread in chat too and your post was spot on. The trust part is so relevant.
Did you know that there are two AirBnB call centres in the UK? One in London and one in Reading. I have only had to contact them once, but they were super helpful.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 02/10/2015 06:36

I think you're better off adding the cleaning charge into the listing price. I don't add a cleaning charge and feedback I have had is that guests like how simple it is to book!

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 02/10/2015 06:41

I'm going to contacti them about the way they keep bringing my prices down even though i save them all the time

OP posts:
ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 02/10/2015 06:44

Do they actually bring them down? Or are you looking at price tips? They shouldn't be changing your prices for you!! How annoying

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 02/10/2015 09:01

Yep I go into my calander and the prices set are usually way down then I press price tips which brings them back up again and save them. Two days later they are back down.

OP posts:
ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 02/10/2015 09:07

Have you set a basic price that it keeps defaulting back to and forgotten about it?

Pigeonpost · 02/10/2015 22:31

Argh, new guests had to ask DH for toilet roll tonight as I forgot to put extra in when I made up the room yesterday. Stupid me.

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 03/10/2015 11:20

Well mine asked the cleaner to clean theirs yesterday and the cleaner refused said she didn't have time! The thing is it's like a tip I've seen it. I would feel uncomfortable sending the cleaner in there she would have to touch their stuff to clean and I don't think that's right.

OP posts:
ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 03/10/2015 13:34

Wow! Is room cleaning part of your agreement? If it is then get that out right now for future tenants! IMO cleaning their room is their responsibility. I can't believe she was so cheeky as to ask the cleaner to do her room!

Pigeonpost · 03/10/2015 20:18

ShockGosh, that's erm, forward of her!! Glad your cleaner refused!!

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 07/10/2015 10:57

Well my first guests have gone and I'm now glad of the breather. I have another one coming in a week for a month. I wonder if that's a London thing booking for that long? I've had an enquiry over Christmas and he wanted to Skype me. I won't be doing that.

OP posts:
HemlockStarglimmer · 07/10/2015 12:37

We've not had anyone stay for more than three nights. I cannot imagine having a stranger stay for a whole month!

We've blocked off Christmas. It's a busy time for us at work (I'm told, I've only been there two months) and I think if I had to come home to clean and change beds I'd cry.

Pigeonpost · 07/10/2015 21:55

Our longest have been 4 nights max but I think that's our touristy coastal location. I said to DH today that after last nights guest we have no more bookings until May having been virtually booked solid since we started in mid July and within minutes of the words coming out of my mouth we got a booking for Fri and Sat. We are the sort of listing that people book for a last minute weekend away so I suspect we will get a few more along those lines. I have blocked out Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as I want to be able to slob about in my pjs and worry about food, not breakfast settings. Taking a punt on leaving New Year open though and see what happens!

Pigeonpost · 08/10/2015 11:04

Gah, stupid people. Why send an enquiry asking if the room is free tonight and what the price would be for two people? It is OBVIOUSLY free and surely the price shows up when they make the enquiry? We really do need to do an AirBnB stay ourselves to see life from The Other Side I think...

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 08/10/2015 12:15

I think lots of people don't know how Airbnb works and don't bother to find out, so they send a load of bollocks requests out without understanding what they are asking. I generally turn down those 'how much for X people' messages as its obvious they haven't read the listing properly and that does my head in

Yesterday one of my guests (nice young French couple, staying for a week) asked me to help him call the job centre! I nearly blew my top. Then just explained calmly that they can't apply from my address thank you very much

EagleRay · 09/10/2015 21:24

Hello - just checking in quickly to say hello and still enjoy reading your airbnb posts even though my two rooms stand empty(ish) and tidy, amidst the chaos of the rest of the house. I laugh my head off when I try to imagine guests here now, as I get bigger and bigger and the housework gets further and further behind.

Regarding duration, my first booking was for a whole month - bit of a risk but she was a fantastic guest and we're still in regular touch now. Second longest was 9 days and he was lovely too - even DP thought we should keep him for good! If either of them wanted to stay again I would have them back like a shot, whatever our circumstances, although the month-long guest I think I would just stay for free as I don't think of her as a paying guest now!

Pigeonpost · 09/10/2015 23:09

Hi Eagle!! All well with the bump then?