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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:
NotCitrus · 10/07/2015 17:49

Interesting thread - I have a lodger in my spare room atm so was wondering about doing airB&B when she moves. The room is in a right state (ceiling fell in a while ago) but there's a king size bed, wardrobe, spare fridge, and the bathroom is good and clean. Though I suspect weeding out annoying people would be harder work than a lodger who we rarely see...

rockybalboa · 10/07/2015 19:35

Well our first guests have arrived and seem really lovely. They have just gone out for the evening and I've just had an enquiry in for a booking for tomorrow and Sunday! I also think it would be helpful to move this thread so it stays. I will report it and ask MNHQ to move it to somewhere where it can live long and prosper.

EagleRay · 10/07/2015 19:47

Was just going to suggest same Rocky- I actually started an airbnb thread a couple of months ago but didn't get many responses.

Glad everything going well with your guests Smile

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 10/07/2015 20:53

Oh let's keep it. I think it's great. My two students that are coming are Chinese Malaysian any tips? Anything I should put in the breakfast cupboard especially? I have a feeling they will be shopping they look very fashionable.

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rockybalboa · 10/07/2015 22:07

Well I've reported but might be worth a couple more of you reporting also? I started one only a few days ago and it didn't get much response so would be great to keep this one.

Each: my breakfast tray for tomorrow includes Shreddies and Cheerios (well Aldi versions of...) because that's what we have in. Might also put some Weetabix out. Have put little bowls of butter and jam and told them where the bread and milk are. I left tea, coffee, water and some fruit in their room earlier. And a few pieces of wrapped fudge the ones that the 2 yo didn't steal.... I did think about buying croissants but can't decide if that's going overboard. Probably not...

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 10/07/2015 22:12

If people want special things for breakfast they will bring it. I had a HK Chinese couple for a week and they ate a watery stew with pasta and sliced ham for breakfast. I would never have thought of offering that ConfusedGrin

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 10/07/2015 22:17

I mm short of cupboards I need a very large plastic container that I can store cereals etc for when we run out. I did think of buying those mini boxes but they are quite expensive.

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EagleRay · 10/07/2015 22:30

I have 3 of these little dispensers on tray - m.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/art/80066723/ - and filled with cornflakes, Special K and Dorset Cereals muesli (usually bought on offer somewhere). Muesli a big hit!

Also bread, juice, basic fruit items, butter and bowl of individual portions of preserves.

There is no right or wrong to this - find a system that works and offers value for money for guest and minimum wastage/effort for you. I know people who offer nothing for breakfast and guests still very happy!

EagleRay · 10/07/2015 22:32

and just remember it's the guest you cook eggs for that leaves a bad review, ie don't try too hard as some people will never be satisfied

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 10/07/2015 23:20

I won't have time to be cooking breakfast. I may invest in a posh toaster though.

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rockybalboa · 10/07/2015 23:52

Each, have you got an Asda nearby? They had loads of different sized cereal box containers. I got some small ish ones for £2 each with a scoop. Can't find online to link though, sorry.

Melonfool · 11/07/2015 00:31

I've rented a house through Airbnb as a guest and bil has rented out through Airbnb (and I stayed with him some of the time so know how it works).

I rented my room out in my last house through Spareroom.com, but I've also looked at Gumtree.

I rent rooms for work via Spareroom, but an going to try Gumtree next time.

It's as safe as anything really, be sensible, do what checks you can etc.

You don't have to provide breakfast, but if you don't you need to say this in your blurb.

How far from Central London, I need somewhere from end August to mid-Oct, few nights a week only....?

Original poster
EachandEveryone · 11/07/2015 01:55

That's exactly when my booking is. We are 25 minutes away roughly.

OP posts:
MNHQ
DawnMumsnet · 11/07/2015 10:46

Hi all,

We're happy to move this thread over to somewhere more permanent, but can't think of the best place for it! How about Credit Crunch?

EagleRay · 11/07/2015 10:53

I previously posted in Property/DIY when I started an airbnb hosting thread, but it could also apply to Work > Freelancers/Self Employed as it is about running a business after all

rockybalboa · 11/07/2015 14:39

I think my vote would be Self-Employed rather than Credit Crunch.

rockybalboa · 11/07/2015 19:40

Huzzah. First guests were lovely and have left a lovely review. We are delighted! We had had an enquiry for tonight and tomorrow as well as a confirmed one for Mon and Tues but tonight's never booked which is prob no bad thing. Possibly because I had to warn them about our 2 year old's birthday party tomorrow afternoon...Grin Very pleased though and hoping some more bookings will come in for next weekend. We start to get pretty chocka with freeloading family and friends after that so would be nice to get a few more bookings in whilst we can. As an added bonus DH seems to be taking clearing up/cleaning to a whole new level, double win...Grin

PancakeStack · 11/07/2015 21:04

Interesting thread. I've not ever considered doing this. Do have a spare room though. Sound proofing in our house isn't great - do you get disturbed by guests coming and going? How do they gain access if they go out for the evening & you go to bed? What's to stop them just going into your child's bedroom? Hmm I'm talking myself out of it already and I was only just thinking it could be a good way of bringing in some much needed extra cash. I'm going to look at the website now to see what prices are charged in my area!

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 11/07/2015 22:58

Pancake -
DS bedroom is next to mine. I do get disturbed by them using the bathroom but I'm a light sleeper, if anyone went in his bedroom I would hear.
I give them a key. I make sure all guests are verified with real id and follow my instincts when accepting bookings.
Everyone who has booked so far has given me info about what they are doing in the area etc and I have only accepted booking when they seem plausible and reasonable.
I don't accept bookings from single men or from people 'in between' homes because I feel like they are more likely to be oddballs. Unfair maybe but I am happy to follow my instinct.
If a guest showed up and triggered my creepy radar I would probably stick DS in my bedroom until they were gone but so far it hasn't happened. I mostly get older couples visiting family or younger couples with a child or teenager doing a cheap holiday tour.

EagleRay · 12/07/2015 14:48

Ehric - like you, I issue guests with their own key and they come and go as they please. Our biggest issue at night is that one of the bathrooms is next to our family bedrooms and the pipework is hellishly noisy, so even if a guest washes their hands the noise is shocking!

I go very much on the background story of guests and how checkable or plausible their circumstances are. I think it's perfecty reasonable to make quick judgements about whether to accept or not. I've hosted enough guests now to have a fairly good idea about which ones are going to be a pleasure to host and which aren't. Plus it's important that they're happy with their stay in your home as that's how you get good reviews and so I tend to steer clear of anyone who hasn't read the listing properly or who is clearly booking because they don't have any other options.

I have a zen priest coming to stay soon - I've just about stopped giggling at his job title and am hopeful that he and his family will have a really pleasant time here Smile

Here's some interesting reading on hosting - www.telegraph.co.uk/goodlife/11381038/What-no-one-tells-you-about-Airbnb.html - you will notice that she has quite a few rules but still has happy customers!

rockybalboa · 13/07/2015 07:42

So I've had a booking enquiry from a student in Australia who is coming here in Oct with his female friend and wants to book the room for one night (a Sunday in mid Oct). He is new to AirBnB and has no reviews or verifications. My gut is telling me it seems odd but I don't know if I'm over thinking it, 3 months is a long time away. But it is just one night and we will hopefully have had lots more bookings by then anyway. What to do....

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 13/07/2015 07:45

I wouldn't worry about that to be honest, he's probably planning his trip in advance and having no reviews just means he recently joined. If you only want guests with reviews that's fine but not having them doesn't mean anything dodgy per se.

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 13/07/2015 07:45

He should have verifications though, have you worked out how to set it to require Id?

EagleRay · 13/07/2015 08:53

It's under Reservation Requirements in the Your Listings section. Mine isn't set, and this hasn't caused me any issues, but will do it now (you need to verify yourself too in order to complete the process).

Go with what your gut feeling says - if it feels at all odd, or inconvenient then all you need to do is say no. Be wary as well of allowing too many bookings and bookings far ahead if your listing is set at a low price because you are new.

Just remember you will almost certainly get another booking closer to the time, but once this one is booked you will not be able to cancel it!

GoEasyPudding · 13/07/2015 09:28

This is a great thread. I wish I had the room to host. I might build a mini house at the end of my garden with my bare hands!

I have looked up my area and am surprised to see several listings very near me, all with good reviews so its working for them. There's one neighbour who seems to be doing very well as he has a lot of room.

I love hearing about the types of guests you guys have had.