Does anyone on this forum use a co-host to manage their listing? If so, how do you compensate them for their work? Is it a % of the bookings, and if so, what % do you give them? Thanks
For a while I was giving my business partner 10% to manage my listings when I would go on vacation myself. But that became a hassle and now I have LTR people in place. I’ll probably go to month-to-month or mid-term rentals after these folks leave. I love the folks I’ve met on this forum and my guests. I’m just not loving the ABB platform anymore.
2 Likes
@Hampton I have never used a co-host as I have a homeshare listing, but the percentage would very much depend on what you would expect a co-host to do.
Some hosts might want to be completely hands-off, having the co-host handle everything, some may only require a co-host for specific duties.
I have heard of co-host percentages anywhere from 10-30%.
Totally depends on what you want them to do.
Managing the bookings?
Are they cleaning?
Restocking/ shopping?
Doing the before guest check in?
Doing the meet and greet?
Managing maintenance?
On call?
Managing guest issues?
I pay an hourly rate.
2 Likes
They would be managing listings, writing reviews, coordinating cleaning and managing maintenance. No “meet & greet” - remote check in.
@Hampton I’m going to tell you my favourite co-hosting story…
In addition to our two apartments, I also co-host for a neighbour for part of the year. (all in the same complex as my home).
Many of my neighbour’s guests were completely trouble-free.
One older man stayed and his sister visited him one afternoon. She used the bathroom but somehow got locked in there. The guest contacted me, frantically.
The bathroom window was too small for her, an older lady, to escape through. The door wouldn’t budge so I called a locksmith. He came at once (I used him often) and climbed in through the bathroom window and fixed the lock so the lady could escape. I paid him (a lot of money) and was later reimbursed.
The point is this - you need a co-host who is on the spot, who can deal with emergencies quickly, who has the knowledge (and phone numbers) of local tradesmen, who will pay the tradesman from her own pocket…
I needed more payment for that co-hosting experience, of course. A percentage just isn’t going to work - every stay is different. I have so many co-hosting stories.
In my (long) STR career I’ve had to deal with many strange situations and emergencies so you need a co-host who can cope with many strange circumstances.
I really don’t know how that’s possible and what the payment should be. Sorry.
3 Likes
I would think that a host who has spent time managing their own listing would have a realistic idea of how much time it takes on average and be able to come up with a fair compensation for co-hosting.
If the co-host has to spend hours more for some situations that might arise, it seems like they should be paid extra for that.
The most important thing is to have a clear contract with the co-host, even if it’s a friend or relative, which outlines everything expected, the pay rate, and anything outside that which might need extra payment. Good to have an agreed upon trial period, too, to make sure it’s going to work out.
I think you should pose the question to yourself… If I were asked to co-host what would I charge?
RR
3 Likes
As you know, I co-host for a neighbour during part of the year and I invoice him after every stay. This varies depending in the work that’s involved and any expenses I might have. (Such as re-stocking and so on or emergency payments). This is also good for bookkeeping purposes for both of us.
I agree that a co-host should be someone who has run listings for some time and who understands everything that being a good co-host entails. It can be a tough job. 
2 Likes