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Has anyone had one of these:
Hi! We’re a 25 year old couple with a 2 year old daughter. We are currently travelling around Australia and our next stop is on Monday 27th for two weeks. We wondered if we could set up a small tent in your backyard! We would like access to shower/toilet and prefer electricity access but not a requirement. I’m more than happy to pay for each night on an amount we’re both happy with, let me know!
Interesting. What kind of space do you typically provide? We personally host a space separate from the main house so I myself wouldn’t want someone going into our home to use the bathrooms.
The guest doesn’t mention use of the kitchen. Maybe they eat out or eat ready to go meals?
Electricity access? Do they mean in the house, maybe to charge phones? Or do they mean a full on generator or an extension cord…lol.
Sorry…I’m more here because this is such an interesting request! I personally wouldn’t host them, but I would love to hear about the experience if you do!
The only thing I can think of that may be helpful…could having a tent set up in your backyard potentially violate any laws? I’m in the US but I know some cities require permits for temporary dwellings, even in your own backyard. Perhaps something worth looking into.
Let me get this straight. They contacted you through your established listing - I assume for a room or suite in your house - but are asking, instead, to pitch a tent and pay less than your nightly rate, but will block your calendar. This is not in addition to your listing, but rather instead of your listing?
I haven’t and I’m not in a position to accomodate it but definitely would if I could.
Great point! Technically this would violate our city’s one rule about STR’s: you cannot be operating more than one at a time on your property.
Also could be getting into grey areas with Air if you worked out a deal with them outside the platform and there was record of that happening.
No, but on a couple of occasions I’ve had people who wanted to park their camper van in the designated parking space and just use the apartment for the shower and loo. I’ve told them that of course they can, for the regular nightly fee.
Strangely, I’ve never been taken up on the offer. 
Sorry. I should have provided more context.
We have a 3 bedroom house. We live in one bedroom and we airbnb the other two rooms. What may be relevant here is that we also make our address available before people book to show how close to the beach we are. I guess Google Earth shows a nice patch of grass near our swimming pool.
I declined the request. This is my reply to the guest:
“Sorry. We do not host children. We only have a front yard and our view from the patio to the pool is an important part of a guest’s stay. We only have one and a half bathrooms which are very busy when we have 6 adults staying in the house. We hope that things work out for you.”
Yes, without the blocking the calendar bit.
That is the correct response. I wouldn’t even offer a discount because any savings from them not using the inside of the house will likely be negated by the damage to the landscaping over two weeks.
And the expected counter-reaction.
How very interesting. I would if I could but it probably would not work in our area, even in the proper season.
We have had an experience that was somewhat similar. One couple wanted to book one of our bedrooms and bathrooms. They were traveling with a second couple, who had a camper trailer. The second couple wanted to set up their camper in our driveway. They didn’t need electricity or water. But they wanted to share the bathroom with the first couple. We came up with a price for their two – night stay and let them share the bathroom with their friends. We also served them breakfast. That’s the closest I know of to what these people were asking of you. We wouldn’t have let them stay, tying up one of our guest bathrooms, if their friends hadn’t already booked a room.
Yes that can make sense. Then I guess you need to decide whether to up the price for the listed room on the platform or keep the current rate on the platform and take the difference in cash.
I would have thought that all of the conversation would have to be ‘off-platform’ as even if all monies were transacted on the platform, the service provided wouldn’t match the listing spec. Am I being a bit pedantic here?
One thing I would do in this case if I wanted Airbnb “protection” is quickly create a listing they could book. Block all the days except the ones they want, unless you find that you like the arrangement and want to continue. Shoot, a composting toilet and seasonal outdoor shower and you might have a new revenue stream.
I’ll save that one if I need to precipitate a divorce anytime soon. But we are halfway there - not the divorce but the outdoor shower.
Me too. Parents booked a room with private bathroom, after asking if their son could stay in their camper van outside, and that they would pay extra for his use of amenities and for breakfast. They stayed four nights and came back two months later with all three of their sons for a week, booking all of my rooms. Lovely people and a great booking!
We would do that again, too. It worked out very well. We had another couple in our second room, so this was the one and only time (so far) that we’ve served six for breakfast. They all had a great time together. Very enjoyable for us, too.
We have a cozy trailer for two people only. Last year on a holiday weekend some asked if they could pitch a tent for the extra people. That was a definite NO.
