30 day minimum stay

21

Maybe the difference is that none of my 30+ day guests are locals – so they don’t look at this as their “new home” (i.e. “…where I can do whatever the fuck I want”) Many are people moving to Canada who stay with us for their first month or two while getting permanent accommodation organized (or waiting for new place to be finished, in a couple of cases).

Others are guests who are “trying out” living in Vancouver while trying to decide whether to immigrate – sometimes mom and one or two younger kids. Mostly from Korea, China, Taiwan or Iran.

Occasionally I get guests who have sold a local home quicker than expected, and want to stay until new place is ready for possession or until end of kids’ school year or until now job (out of town) actually starts

None of these situations create a state of mind where the guest looks at our guest suite as “their new home.” (And none of them are immature 20-year-olds trying out living with a new boyfriend or semi-employed, broke house-painters… )

I think the other things that may filter out people who want to start a grow-op or party so hard that walls get bashed are:

  • We always rent through Airbnb, so we’re charging higher than market rates when you add in Airbnb fees… local low-lifes can find cheaper accommodation on the local open market, and do so
  • Our listing makes it clear that the hosts are a retired couple who “live upstairs and share a common entrance” where (it is implied) we can keep an eye on things
  • Although we will not go into the guest suite during a stay unless we decide it is an emergency, we do not advertise that fact in the listing (although we do say “self contained and private living space.”
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22

Actually, none of those bad tenants I had were 20 year-olds, although you might easily think so judging by their behavior and responsibility level.

The 1st tenant was in her late 20’s, and had an 8 year old daughter. She was the only one I had never met before. The others were in their mid-30s to mid 40s and I was acquainted with all of them, at least a little bit.

But they were all locals.

I don’t mind if a tenant or guest considers the place home for the duration of their stay- but it being their home is not the same as it being their house, which they feel entitled to alter or damage or treat negligently.

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23

Considering that this added up to $160,000 if my math is correct, I wouldn’t mind cleaning for a week straight. Any damage? Ah, sorry, I saw that you answered that.

24

Luckily these days there are plenty of online service that can vet tenants for you.

Such as this one

I haven’t used it so I’m not endorsing it but like most things these days, there’s an online solution. :slight_smile:

.

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25

That seems like a good service. It only works for the US, though. (Says they can only screen tenants who have a US Social Security #)

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26

In Massachusetts, a 30 day stay becomes a tenant at will and they can become squatters and it’s a long process to evict (can take years) and you are mostly out of the money.

I’d check your local state laws. It’s because of this I never allow more than 28 days but my airbnb doesn’t have a full kitchen so I usually don’t get requests for long bookings and Personally, I prefer about 3-4 days. After that, like fish, they begin to get old and smelly.

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