You can use the resolution center to request extra money (vs. changing their stay price). IMO it’s much more easy and straightforward.
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I’ve used both methods hundreds of times over the last 5 years and the resolution center only became almost as easy when I started telling people every single time where to find the resolution center request. Change the price and it’s right there on the reservation page. Charge via Resolution Center and you are in the different part of the site that you can’t get to unless you have the link.
But also if you change the price of the reservation, doesn’t it also tack on fees (for the guest)? Whereas the resolution center only charges the amount requested? Not that that would matter much for a $25 charge, but wonder if it could cause more friction with guests.
The reason I like the resolution center is it’s more clear at showing the added cost - “Your host has requested $25 from you. Click to accept or deny”.
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Yes, that’s discussed in this thread.
Also if they haven’t paid for the entire reservation you can’t send a request via the resolution center. So then I have to make a note to remember to send it. Keeping track can be a pain because I typically have 20+ reservations a month. I can easily have 4-5 people with pet fees.
That’s fair. And holy cow - 20+ a month!!!
Yes. I have mostly one night stays as a pit stop for people passing through. Many people couldn’t or wouldn’t like my model but it works really well for me and I prefer one nighters because then there is no one here during the day.
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When I add their check-in to my calendar (iPhone) I include the pets in the title and then in the notes I indicate paid or due and how much for the let fees. So when my reminder pops up (if I haven’t already done it or received it) so does my reminder to charge. Does require some work in my part but if it doesn’t make it to my calendar it likely is not going to happen…
Yeah, I have the tools to do it, I just shouldn’t have to use them. It wouldn’t be hard for Airbnb to add a pet fee just like a second person fee.
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Except some of us charge by the pet and the day, some charge one time. Like I charge a different rate for house trained vs not. And then I also discount the pet fees the same amount I discount the listings for longer terms.
I participated in the survey posted here a while ago and actually got a call for a further interview. The main problem I see is they think that a pet fee is a pet fee is a pet fee. I charge a lot differently for a litter box trained cat staying a month than I do a horse staying a week…see my point?
But yes, I wish Airbnb allowed us to set it up to be included. They would no doubt benefit because they would make a percentage on it. But right now they can’t even get it right that everyone is able to toggle that they are bringing pets at all…
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Thank you for having this perspective.
I booked via VRBO December 2018 and my son and his girlfriend were joining me. I had no idea she was bringing her certified support dog with her until the day before they arrived and felt really bad asking the host. He accused me of lying and demanded an additional $100 which I discretely paid because I didn’t want my son’s girlfriend to feel bad. Host also told me we had to wash all our bed linens, towels and and vacuum before we leave.
We did not do any of that as there was already a cleaning fee above the $100 demand.
I am starting up a summer time AirBnB with pool and would never charge extra for a dog.
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I hope you have read this entire thread carefully and realize that the Host Guarantee (limp as it is) doesn’t cover pet damage.
I’ve hosted many guest with dogs and 90% of the dogs leave dog hair. So invest in bulk purchases of sticky rollers if you are going to allow dogs. At your price point ($350 night for multiple nights) maybe you can afford to do an extra hour or two of cleaning at no extra charge. But with my one night stays at $50, I can’t.
A woman stayed one night a couple of weeks ago with 3 dogs. I got a total of $85 for her stay. One dog peed on the carpet and I asked for $25 to pay for half a professional carpet cleaning. She ignored it, I escalated and Airbnb paid. I also blocked off 3 nights after her stay because of carpet being damp where I made my attempt to clean and then the professional coming in and then giving time to dry. That was a loss of another zero to $150 plus. I get a lot of last minute bookings so it’s not crazy to say I might have lost out on 3 nights of revenue.
I haven’t had this problem but with dogs possibly left unattended for hours you might get something chewed on or scratched. Also check on how much it’s going to cost you to clean dog hair out of the pool.
I am a vigorous defender of allowing dogs in Airbnbs but I would never not charge extra.
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BTW, I’m going to have the carpet removed and the room is going to be tiled. At $50 cleanings (and even after pro cleaning the carpet is still dirty…just go over your freshly “cleaned” carpet with a while towel and you’ll see) 2x a year and lost bookings I can pay for tile to be installed and it will be paid for within 2 years.
I can quit buying full size Dysons, Bissell Little Green Machines, etc., as well.
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Thanx. That helped me to finalize my decision about LVP for my entire foreclosure instead of any carpet. I will miss that nice vacuumed carpet look that guests see when they walk in though! I guess a little robot vacuum to run through regularly will help reduce my work there too. Will likely only need to sweep and mop once after guests leave and then that will take care of any dust that might accumulate between bookings.
What fixed it for me was pulling up my own carpet 2 years ago. UGH. Like most people I would order new carpet and in come the professionals to whisk the old nasty stuff away along with the evidence of how disgusting carpet is. Then once I got tile I saw all the dirt, dust and dog hair that was previously hidden by carpet. One might think that if they don’t have dogs and take off their shoes at the door then carpet is okay. And for them, it might be.
No more carpet for me unless I have to give up living here in my own home.
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That just brought back unpleasant memories of taking up our hall carpet after my small and ancient terrier died. Why we thought professional cleaning was going to cope with dog stains baffles me now! Hard flooring for me now in most downstairs rooms, and the old Persian rug in the sitting room is also being eyed in a menacing way…
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