Running a shared room and private listing on the same apartmetn

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I’m been running a shared room listing and occasionally renting out my own room when i go on vacation. I try to make sure that people know that there could be other people staying in the apartment when they book and let them cancel if they’re not ok with it.

Soon, i’ll be renting out the private room full time, and was curious if anyone else rented out multiple listings in the same property.

What kind of issues have you run into? How do you handle them?

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Hi @Ben_Hooper

I was rather confused by your remark ‘I try to make sure that people know others could be staying in the apartment and let them cancel if they aren’t okay with this’ .

Do you not have separate but linked listings for each room, so it is crystal clear that its a share space with the host and other guests?

Personally I would be uncomfortable about having multiple listings at the property, particularly if you won’t be on hand. How will you ensure the place is kept clean? What will you do if a guest is noisy and disturbing others? How will you know if someone has checked in/out on time? What will you do if the boiler breaks down?

I would imagine the best way to handle it is to have a co-host who lives on the premises.

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Hi @Helsi,

How do you “link” separate listings?

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Hi @Chloe

I don’t know because I have a single listing, but I have seen others do it on their website. Is there anything on Airbnb’s help centre that would show you?

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The way you see that there is more than one listing is via the host profile. Each listing is [sorry about the redundant word] listed with the primary picture. A potential guest would know to look since at the bottom of the detail page about the listing they are currently looking at it will say something like “This host has 17 reviews for other listings.”

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Thanks @anon67190644. So the “linking” happens automatically. :grin:

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And relies on guests noticing. That is the weak link. :wink:

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I have 2 separate listings, so one person could rent out the shared room, and a separate group could rent out the private room.

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Quite a few hosts mention the other listing in their descriptions.

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Back to the problem of guests dont read…

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What do you mean by “shared room”? Is that the room
That you rent out has couple beds, that people who don’t know each other can rent just beds not the whole room? then occasionally you rent out your room when you are not there?
I have 3 spare bedrooms that I rent out in one house where I live.
For a year and a half I did only 2 rooms with private bathroom each . Then there was a finished garage that was used for old junk and I turned it into bedroom. But now 2 people sharing a bathroom.
You don’t really have to say anything about other guests . Let them figure out by themselves if it’s important to them.
Most guests expect other guests to be in the house so it’s hardly a problem.
I had one guest in a beginning who was really surprised that I have another person besides him. And the reason was that I did not offer him key from his room. That was my first week hosting and I had no clue on how to do anything . This guest told
Me to definitely have keys for rooms if there are other people in the house .
With the garage room situation is a bit complicated as there are laundry machines in there behind curtain and I felt that I had to disclose everything: shared bathroom and laundry situation and other guests.
I was worried how that room will be rented but surprisingly my guests fight over that room and as soon as it was available long term guest moved in there.
My thought with you being away and renting out your room:

  1. Cleanliness will become a huge issue especially if they share bathroom.
  2. Following house rules will become an issue too IF you have guests who move in and move out frequently.

I travel a lot and when I am away my husband is usually at the house but he of course being at work all day and too tired at night , was ignoring “3 minutes every morning cleaning shared bathroom” rule. When I came home it was incredibly disgusting because 2 men shared it and never cleaned.
Now I am leaving again and I warned my now 2 long term guests who are staying there for months now to keep bathroom in decent condition , take garbage out and take turns in doing this. They are more like tenants now not in and out guests. Even now before I leave I traine them on doing this. My husband also complained that they leave dirty dishes overnight and he ha to wash them in a morning. Now when I am back no one does it anymore because I told one of them that I am
Not picking up after him like I would after a child And if he keeps on doing it he will have to find another lodging.

My advice based on my experience would be to switch to longer term guests for one room who will be reliable in keeping the other guest in line when you are not there and may be give a little discount on rent .

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