Hi! I’m a newbie here at the forum!
I live in the Philippines and it’s been a few month since I co host my friend’s condo unit. So far I’m loving it.
My friend doesn’t speak English and doesn’t even live in the country, so i take care of responding to messages, I prepare the unit for guests, welcome them, I am the one guests contact if they need anything, and after departure I am the one to clean the unit and do the laundry…My friend is pretty much only receiving the money from the guest.
I feel like doing all the host job without the host status… it is bit upsetting to me that I feel that all of this isn’t recognise by airbnb… even if I’m the one doing all the job…my reponse rate and other criteria to become a super host are all 0%… all my repons goes directly to my friend’s account… is that normal?
Now there are 2persons asking me to take care also of their units by january 2018 … I’m very excited about it! But I am wondering if I will ever see airbnb rate my work as mine or if it will always goes to the host?
Co-hosts – are probably never going to be appreciated, except by the people making money off of their efforts.
Sorry to say, that’s what a co-host is – a fancy name for someone “doing all the host job without the host status”. The only way to get public recognition for your efforts is to be a host yourself.
It’s clear you love hosting, so I’d say an attitude readjustment may be in order.
I assume the reason you don’t host yourself is because you don’t have the property necessary.
As such, you’re actually getting the opportunity to get involved in Airbnb by helping those with property but no time to host. This could be a lucrative opportunity for you once you prove consistently reliable, and will probably mean you can re-negotiate percentage payment rates / expand your property portfolio.
Further, at some point you may find a way to host a property on your own and you will have made all the mistakes on someone else’s listing.
You’re not a second class citizen; there are plenty of successful businesses geared around doing things for other people. Focus on what you do have, and since you clearly enjoy it, celebrate the opportunity.
Couldn’t agree more with @Zandra’s comments more.
You are providing a support service for Airbnb hosts and being paid for the service you provide. This is your recognition of a job well done - that you get paid well and you are getting more business as a result.
Of course the ratings should go to your friend’s listing. It is his property and if he wants to take over management himself or use another co-host he should be free to do so.
You seem to imply your friend is getting money for nothing. That’s not true, he has provided the property which is in demand by guests and by which you are generating an income as a co-host.
Rather than resenting your friend. Celebrate the fact you have the skills that make you a good co-host and that you are generating a good business as a result.
Actually I’m not paid… at the beginning it was only to help a little. I don’t receive a pourcentage of the rent my friend just send me some money to cover my transportation and a meal. Even the cleaning fee are for him. That’s fine…
I don’t own a property, probably never will, but I love to host and have a great connection with guests. The 2persons who asked me to take care of their respective units are people that stayed at our listing… it is how we met.
I was just thinking co hosts should have a way of recognation from airbnb too so hosts could rely on.
…
You are doing all the work, why shouldn’t you get part of payments? (20-30%)
I think I know how your friend feels. In fact, I have a co-host who is looking after my flat when I am away travelling myself, which will be from tomorrow, again. Since he is also a friend, I was a bit hesitant at first having to pay him, but I have got used to it now.
It is only fair for a co-host to get a share of the income. In our case, getting that share right was a bit difficult at first. I thought of giving him a percentage (e.g. 40% of Airbnb payments), since I felt he should share the risk of having to care for guests during periods of lower demand, when prices are low. But also, I wanted him to enjoy the benefits of getting more money during periods of higher demand, e.g. when there are trade fairs in town.
However, he didn’t accept the percentage offer. Instead, he is now being paid by the hour.
It really started to help my friend who doesn’t live in the country and trusted some brokers who didn’t find clients and worse were living for months in the unit… I just wanted to help my friend.
I won’t do that with others listing of course! 
You need to sit down and ask yourself two questions:
(1) How much time am I spending doing this co-hosting work, and
(2) What would it cost to employ somebody else to do similar work, per hour.
Multiply the two together, hours x rate, and that’s what you should be receiving from the property owner.
Airbnb’s terminology - host & co-host, superhost, is irrelevant here.
It sounds to me like your host is doing nothing more than providing the capital and covering the overheads (heat, light, insurance, rates, taxes) for this little business, you are providing all of the labour. Your take-home pay should be at least the figure you calculated above, otherwise you may as well volunteer to do the cleaning for a local charity.
It sounds like the issue here is that you friend is taking advantage of you. Your issue is not with co-hosting, which is a good way to earn money, but the fact that you’ve agreed to unfair terms and are now having second thoughts.
I’m not sure why I feel there’s something missing from the story you’ve told us; your friend lives abroad, speaks no English but asks you to assist with their property and you agree to a meal and your travel expenses as adequate compensation ?
I hope you are negotiating proper payment for the additional two properties or have you agreed to meals for those listings as well?
Peekaboo. Do NOT work for free!!! Tell your friend you need a cut of the bookings or you will walk.
There is a way to automatically pay the Co Host. Your friend should be paying you and NOW.
That’s not even the question…
I guess it is hard to understand that somebody would be happy to give some of his time to help someone else? Maybe it is how I am (I actually came to the phiippines 8years ago to volunteer 2years for a ngo…).
My friend and I are both French, and it can be really challenging to find people you can totally trust here. He lives in Paris and is going through some difficult times… I totally understand and I’m fine with him not paying me. There is nothing wrong with that…
As you said earlier it opened me to Airbnb and co hosting (which I didn’t even know was a thing)… since 2persons asked me to take care of their unit by january (of course not for a meal… I’m all love but not dumb…) somehow I realise that “hey I’m good at this! People seems to appreciate, if ever I could take care of few properties I may be able to put some money in the bank…” nothing wrong to that either…
A lot of people here are living abroad and have condo unit here… most of them try airbnb out but wont find trustfull reliable people to take care of it.
My post was just about how airbnb should also take in consideration the work of co hosts so if ever hosts in the area need a little help they could see who is efficient. Because I am not a “property manager” but I would be happy to do what I am good at for others…
It’s clearer now but your mission, though noble, is not answerable on a host forum. Your issue is with Air directly.
This is a business enterprise and they are making money off both you and your friend. It’s not possible to get kudos from anyone for volunteering your hard work and energy. I can’t in the world understand what motivates you to do that. Aren’t there plenty of charities that you could offer your time to in the PI? What about an orphanage, a homeless shelter or something similar?
I agree with what @Zandra, @konacoconutz etc are saying. Very valid points, especially the one that you should get paid for this. But if recognition is the only payment you seek, how about trying something like this:
Create a new listing (or modify the existing listing) with yourself set as the sole host, with the agreement of your friend the owner - also agree that you’ll send him the money – or have his bank as the payout account on your Airbnb account - all if legally permissible.
With this, you are the public face of the property on Airbnb and online - just as you already are in person. It’ll give you the recognition you deserve and the satisfaction you desire.
Your friend, qua owner, receives the money made in the business. If you don’t want a part of it - much as I think like others here that you should – that’s still up to you.
If your friend hesitates to change to this proposed setup, as a negotiating point you can offer to stop doing this (which prospect should cause him severe discomfort - he neither has the language skills nor the physical presence, and replacing you is almost impossible for trust reasons, not to mention money).
But it might not be necessary to make the walk-away threat, based on the friendship you share, he should be willing to listen to you if you sit him down and tell him frankly how you feel.
Bonne chance!
Well what kind of friend takes advantage of someone this way??? Pocketing all the cash while the friend does the work? yes, the guy owns the place but if he wants to STR, he absolutely positively cannot do it remotely without the help of a TRUSTED crew.
So my question remains…
Why on earth does the friend not toss Peekaboo a few crumbs as a token of appreciation? Without even being asked???
Full disclosure… I once managed a rental here at the beach for a friend… a REALLy good friend since childhood. When the place was new and not busy it was easy… I did it for FREE… but over the years, it got harder and harder… She eventually only paid me $160 a month when they were getting $400 a night… I did ALL… supervised cleaners, hired and fired, supervised yardwork, hired and fired, troublehshoot appliances and other issues, took off work to wait for deliveries and repairmen, kept propane tanks full, shopped for inventory, helped guests with lockouts, problems and blah blah blah… even got a rat out of the attic from a trap that had been dead a week. Yes, you heard right. CVlimbed on a ladder and did that crap for free.
She found someone new to take my place to save the $160 and all they wanted was to use the place for their parties and yoga retreats. I was hurt at first… then rejoiced… what the actual hell was wrong with me???
Shame on ME!!!
When I think back to how I spent my days working for free I am filled with shame and remorse. I’m still great friends with them… Mainly because I think remote owners have no idea how much work is involved. Now I would not take that job at ANY price!!! Too much stress!
To put things in perspective please allow me to ask:
What is more or less the occupancy rate?
And how many hours a month do you work for free for your friend?
My thoughts, for what it is worth:
I see two options to get something of what you want.
-
Open your own account, and anyone who wants you to manage their unit lists it through there. You are the person managing things etc, but it means that payments go to you and you will have to distribute.
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You continue being listed as a co-host. Co-hosts are listed on the page, so if you want to point to a success rate you can still point to your friend’s place and say “I manage this listing as a co-host, and the super host status is due to my work” and leave it at that.
That is very nice of you to do! You’re a good friend.
You’ve also said
I have have a suggestion for you - it might even enable you to eventually own your own property. What if you were to continue on as you are - doing it from the goodness of your heart to help a friend in need - but as you help him grow his business and make more profit you take a percentage of the ADDITIONAL bookings.
For instance, let’s say his expenses are $1000 to keep the apartment going. For the first $2000 of profit you make for him he gets it all (minus your expenses and a meal). Then, any additional profits are shared 50/50 or 60/40, or ?? whatever you choose. That way he still makes what he needs and you have the opportunity of building up a nest egg for doing that job, and hopefully save enough to buy and rent out your own apartment.
The figures/amounts might be completely different, but this is just a guideline for my suggestion.
Option 1 is what I was suggesting above. It could mean both the owner and @Peekaboo both get what they want.