Just looking for some general opinions… would a little bit of chipped paintwork on the walls bother you as a guest in an Airbnb? Just from shelves that have been taken down carelessly by previous owners. This is in what will become the second listing within our home - a private upstairs two bedroomed’suite’. It’s generally nice and tidy but we’ve had long term tenants up there and we won’t have the time or the money to patch up the paintwork. Is this a big deal? Do you think I can expect bad reviews due to this?
Some will complain and others won’t care.
Buy a mini pot of paint the same colour and touch up. I’ve had luck cutting a bit of drywall from behind the switch plate, Home Depot scans it to match, mini pot costs a few bucks.
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I had thought of that but didn’t know how to match the colour. Will have a look and see if there’s an inconspicuous bit I can pick off 
It might depend on the price point. And as discussed on other threads condition of a home is sometimes equated with “cleanliness.”
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Yes good point, thanks. The room we currently have on Airbnb is immaculate and we have all 5* for cleanliness. Would be such a shame to lose that. Luckily it’s only one room where the paint is chipped. Hopefully it’s a generic colour easy to get a tester pot for!
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throw in a few comments about it being ‘shabby chic’ and you’ll cover yourself 
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Divots is the wall would bother me as a host because it looks bad; and as a guest, because I know how easy a fix that is.
As written above, get a bit of the paint color from behind a switch plate, have it color-matched and buy a tiny can. Or buy a gallon, and when you have a couple days break between guests, repaint the whole wall. It ain’t Rocket Surgery!
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What size is the area? Can it be covered using artwork? Or maybe you could purchase an inexpensive decorative rug or bedspread to use as a wall hanging.
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I just saw movie “The Shack” and it was definitely shabby chic. The doors to the cottage were quite worn. (Yes, I have an eye for interiors, but “the shack” was decorated so nice and warm that I was taking notice while watching the movie.)
That is the key point right there. If you want to maintain your 5-star rating, then yes. Invest the resources into making the repair. If you are okay with mediocre reviews and 3- or 4-star ratings, then no need to bother. It’s up to you really.
I’ve seen a lot of hosts on here (not you) whine about their ratings when they haven’t bothered to invest in what guests would expect to be a five-star experience. Cracks in walls, paint, etc. leave people with the impression that you’re not attentive to detail, which implicitly lets them know you are don’t care so much whether they have a perfect experience. If you want the five stars, you have to put in a five star effort.
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Thanks everyone, I can totally see now that you are correct! I can’t afford to repaint the whole room but I should be able to fix up the damaged parts easily enough so at least it will be less noticeable. It would be a real shame for something so minor to influence my ratings. It was hard for me to see if it was something that would bother me personally, so I’m really happy to hear these opinions and get some perspective
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I don’t know what your prices are and I don’t mean to sound rude but I’m not buying the can’t afford to paint whole room rationale. If this is a room you have not been renting, and are now going to make at least $50 a night from it (my estimate), in brand new income, I really don’t understand how painting the room would cost more than one or two nights income- i.e. Virtually nothing.
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That part wasn’t really up for discussion. I didn’t see it as relevant to my question. But seeing as you asked so politely, here are the details of my personal situation (very different to yours, I’m sure):
We have it currently rented on a long term basis, $350/week. In line with similar places locally we’ll have it on Airbnb for around $200/night (average, a little higher or lower depending on number of guests). The room we currently have listed is booked approx two nights a week. So assuming we get the same number of bookings for this new suite, we’ll just about ‘break even’. It’s a risk and the plan is if we can’t get the bookings we’ll go back to long term rentals.
So there really isn’t anything left over for paint, which here would cost upwards of $200 for the amount needed to repaint the entire room. Plus a full days work which I just don’t have to spare, being year end and getting the accounts together for my other business.
Also just to add, this rental income isn’t free money but necessary to pay the mortgage
Another idea which means cheaper and less time: would it work to have it a different color and be an accent wall?
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Oh, for Heaven’s sake, people! She’s not trying to get her home featured in Elle Deco!
@Gardenhost , it’s difficult to see this in isolation. I’ve been a guest several times and if I like the area, if the listing is clean and nicely decorated, the bed comfortable and the host warm and friendly, I wouldn’t give a damn about a bit of chipped paint and I can’t imagine it affecting my review … on the other hand, if everything else is dreadful (which I’m sure yours isn’t!) it might be the last straw.
And I like the Shabby Chic idea … I’ve just seen in the above-mentioned magazine a battered old metal garden chair with peeling paint costing several hundred dollars. It’s “authentic” and “vintage” you know …
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You cut out about a half inch square behind a wall plate and take it to Home Depot or Lowes or just about any paint shop. They put the sample under their laser match system and you have a very close match. I use it all the time.
It might bother me. It might not affect my review, though.
I stayed at a country motel earlier this week. It had a newly refurbished bathroom, new carpet, decent bed - but an old TV with a motosport sticker and scuffed up dresser. It annoyed me that they couldn’t just paint and spruce up the damn furniture and TV.
I have been staying at this place every few months for the last few years. I know it was bought by two young guys who are trying to make a decent living in regional Australia. We need more young families out there, and they are doing the best they can within their resources. They prioritized a safe, clean, comfortable space to lay my head - and they do that very well.
I guess my point is that even if it did bother me, it is outweighed by the personal experience with the owners who had their priority in order.
@Robert_Dudley, I couldn’t imagine how you can paint the ceiling and room in only 3 hours. You must be very efficient!
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I don’t know the answer to that question. But for me personally, no bits of chipped paint on a wall are going to bother me. As long as the place is nice and clean looking…inviting bed, etc. I wouldn’t care. That’s like knocking someone for stars because there is a small stain on the carpet that couldn’t come out.
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