New & Preparing

Hello,
I am new to this and am preparing to host very soon. I would like any helpful tips on hosting like 1- type of lock on door Digital? or Lock box ? and any other tips. There are few things I have to prepare before any guess arrive.
I appreciate the help

Welcome to the forum, use the search box and you will find answers to most of your questions. I use a keypad lock on my door, I used to use a lockbox but it was a pain.

Good luck

RR

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Thank you I appreciate it I also heard tell that on a lock box some guess may make a spare key not sure if it ever happened.

Oh, I’m sure it’s happened! For both the security of your property and guests, it’s best to avoid physical keys. If you’re hosting groups it’s also more convenient for them to share a code than a single key.

IMO a keypad door lock and outdoor camera are invaluable. I use the Kwikset 910 and a Ring Pro doorbell.

The Kwikset door code is easy to reset - just slide the cover off, push the reset button, and key in the new 4-digit code. I use the last 4-digits of the guests’ phone number (I know many hosts do the same). We reset the code after we’ve cleaned, so there’s no chance a new guest could let themselves in early (either while other guests are still inside or before we’ve cleaned). There are lots of lock options out there - I’d suggest avoiding anything that requires an app or smart phone. Keep it simple!

The Ring doorbell makes it easy for me to see when guests have arrived, see the person who booked, and that they brought the correct number of guests. It gives you video evidence if someone is bringing extra people, dogs, or other shenanigans.

Other than that, really picture yourself as a traveler in your rental space and think about what they’d need, what might be confusing (clarify in house manual or listing) and what might be surprising or annoying about your place (if you’re over a dance club or near the airport it’s better to mention this in your listing than for guests to have a bad surprise).

House rules are really important. Look through some of the threads about recommended house rules and see which ones are important to you and your place. My favorite rule is “No unregistered guests on the property”.

Make sure you read ALL the help sections on Airbnb and use the search function on this forum to find advice on pretty much any topic. Your fellow hosts are happy to help, but it’s nice if you’ve educated yourself and aren’t asking something that could easily be answered in a search :slight_smile:
https://www.airbnb.com/help?audience=host

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Wow thank you very mich that is so helpful I was/am strongly considering the digital keyless pad
Currently I am planning to do fri sat check out sun basically cause I am at work so I can be around do u work or stay at home
Thank you again

If you will be offsite a smart keypad will be a time saver. Will be able to change codes or open lock from your phone. There are several brands.

Glad to help!

I work regular office hours. While I try to work from home on arrival/changeover days, guests can do a self check-in while I’m at work. I just make sure everything is ready before I leave for work and they let themselves in with the door code. It’s worked well for everyone.

The other thing you mentioned was cameras. I know having them outside is a good thing but inside?

Outside, specifically so you can see doors. Most guests don’t mind this and it gives you peace of mind without invading guests’ privacy too much.

Are you hosting a single group of guests at a time? Are you hosting in your home, or are they in a separate space?

You CAN have cameras inside, but only in common areas (not bathrooms or bedrooms, obviously). However most guests find indoor cameras invasive and won’t book a place with them. If they only discover cameras on arrival (common since people don’t read!) they may call Airbnb to complain or otherwise be disappointed/angry/frustrated. I personally wouldn’t use one unless I were hosting a boarding house or hostel-type listing where you have several guest groups at the same time. In that case it provides evidence if there’s a personality clash or damage so you can correctly assign blame.

I do have an indoor camera, but it’s in my private rooms - it would only capture a guest’s image if they broke into my space. I know some hosts will do this if they have a private bedroom that’s off-limits to guests. You’re just invading your own privacy this way :wink:

Note that ALL cameras need to be disclosed in the “rules” section of your listing.

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No I will be hosting one person per ea of my two rooms this brings another question
Does it matter if you offer two per room or one would you charge more for the second person this is my home and will be there but I go out fri and sat nights
I am planning to offer just waffles and coffee sat Morning maybe sun on their check out for now as an incentive

I am in Albuquerque and we do host the world famous Balloon Feista so maybe at the time I will host a group In October

Yes, keypad is best. If you are able, DO NOT DO WAIT FOR GUESTS. They almost never show up when they say they will or don’t tell you when they will show up. I gave up being there for check -in about 3 months into hosting. Set up good house rules and don’t be a pushover.

For now I am starting just Fri & Sat nights check out sun while I’m there most of the time and not at work…Although I will not be there for check in Fri night unless they get there no later than 730pm…Yes I am getting the keypad…and I plan on setting good rules

I would advise reading as much of this forum as you can in your spare time. Most people land here after a problem arises, not before so you are ahead of the game.

Hosting in your home you should put a lock on your bedroom door and lock it when you go out. Don’t leave valuables out in the common spaces. If you are renting out two separate rooms then put locks on the bedroom doors as well. People like their privacy. A host here recently reported that guests from one room stole from guests in another room at her rental.

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I so appreciate this… and I do have a lock on my bedroom door…and will lock as I leave.
I also have lock on ne of the two bedrooms and putting one on my other one…
let me ask you… I have SECURITY SCREEN DOOR, AND OF COURSE my house door,which door should I put my keypad on ?

I also have a metal security screen door (I’m down the road from you in El Paso) and I have my lock on the inside entry door. My thinking was this: I might want to lock that security door and not have guest access. So for example, I don’t have time to change the code today and I have no guest coming for a few days, I lock that security door and the guest who just checked out can’t let themselves back in. Also guests don’t come into my part of the house, they have their own door, but it’s a little more secure for me.

That is excellent idea!! I was struggling which door to place it on… you just solved it…
I also have a back door (smaller 32x80 smaller than an entry door 36…that has a doggie door on it…I had been looking to replace it without buying a new one but looks like I have no option but to… I am going to replace the locks on it also as when I come in late from the wkends guess wont hear me. I am also getting the “Ring” security door video I am only starting out on wkends for now,fri sat check out sun for when I go back to work on Mon

Do you give a TV to your guess ?? do you charge a cleaning fee ?
I’m going to, I am planning to offer just waffles and coffee as an incentive.
I need to learn about the pricing like service fee what is it ?? taxes,