One month Airbnb stay?

I'm new to Airbnb hosting, I have a couple enquired about my new place. They want to stay for one or two months.

They couple has no review and not ID verified, which is red flag to me. I told them I only accept guests with verified IDs.

How are other host's view towards longer stay? Say 30 days and more? Should I avoid it to mitigate the risk of squatters?

Thanks a lot!

 

I have had plenty of long stays - one was for 12 months in a flat that is no longer on Airbnb.
In the pad in my backyard, I have a bloke moving in on the weekend for two months and in January somebody moves into the same pad for 3 months. I like long stays.
Scott

 

I would have thought the longer the better. Don't they have to pay upfront?

Can you ask them to verify their ID prior to accepting their request?

Also ask them why they're intending to stay so long. They might have a legitimate reason.

Cheers

Jamie

 

I'm not sure people can make a booking on Airbnb if their ID is not verified?
With long stays, people pay by the month. So when the bloke moves into my place on Sunday, Airbnb will send me the money for the first month on the Monday or the Tuesday. At the end of that month, they hit his credit card for month two and then pay me.

 

How do you combat squatting with Air-bnb, is it just a case of trespassing and you get the cops/sheriffs involved?

 

I like the longer stays... everything @Depreciator said is correct. And if they aren't verified at the time of enquiry, they sure will be once the booking is completed.
I would ask the enquirers for the reason for visiting.

 

certainly better $ in shorter stays, with my pricing structure at least..but its a convenience thing.

 

Thanks everyone！
Interestingly, they asked to see the place before they commit. This is another red flag. I said no, it is in violation of Airbnb TOS. I offered for them to book one night to try it out and if they book for the month I will refund the one night fee but never heard back from them.

 

Interesting. in the past sometimes I'd get people asking to see it, but after I had been established for a while they don't ask it anymore.

 

Hmmm, I got the feeling that they want to book with us directly without having to pay the airbnb fee, that's why they insist oncoming for a visit.
Or maybe they are just inexperienced traveller, either way, a good learning experience.

 

I think people sometimes don't trust that the photos represent the place, or they might think neighbourhood is dodgier than it really is. Until you have a reputation and a number of reviews proving otherwise.

 

I don't see a problem, so long as you live nearby and the property is vacant. You can check them out at the same time as they check you out. Sight ID, find out more about them.

Without reviews, they can only go on your description and your photos. We all know how misleading that can be, as with any property listing it is usually what they DONT show that makes the difference. And Google and maps can only tell you a bit about the neighbourhood.

And if they ask you to go outside the airbnb platform you can simply refuse.

I have not used airbnb. Like your prospective tenant, I have quite a few unknowns about the whole process and the charges.
Marg

 

It is against Airbnb's rules to show potential guest around before they make a booking. A few years back if you disclose the address to a guest who hasn't made a booking, Airbnb will block the address.

I'm in risk management so I'm the typical "glass half-empty" person. I'm concerned about the safety issue of a person who doesn't have his ID verified and no prior review to come to my place, they could be a burglar trying to scout a target.

@Marg4000 we actually just got a booking from a lady who hasn't tried Airbnb before. We told her we are new as well so hopefully it will be a good experience for both. If you want to use Airbnb in Melbourne let me know and I will give you a good discount.

@Gockie absolutely agree with you about building up a reputation. I think at the very beginning I probably shouldn't take on any long stay guests as it means less reviews.

 

I make a loss on my cleaning so love the longer stays. Also a lot less admin! I don't think asking to see the property necessarily means red flags, but rather a cautious person who wants to see something before they commit for 1-2 months.

 

I often have people thinking about a long stay ask if they can come and have a look first. Putting myself in their shoes, I reckon I would try and do that, too. I let them come, but I tell them really clearly before they come that I will not consider any 'off Airbnb transactions'. The bloke moving into my garden pad out the back on Sunday came over first for a look. He's in for three months, so I don't blame him wanting to come and check the place out.
Scott

 

I agree. My time has significantly more value when it comes to tenant selection. The less work the better

 

I haven't read all the posts, but here are my thoughts.

generally I don't host to guests with no reviews, this filters out the unwanted guests.

the advantage of long term bookings is they pay 30 days upfront, which you get the day after checkin. this is good because more favourable guests would have those credit card limits.

airbnb does absolutely no checking on the ID (except that it is an ID uploaded), as a guest, you can write anything as your name, and submit anything for the governement ID, it will be passed. It is very hard to get this ID as well.

I have had success requesting the guest's ID directly.

Most likely the guests wants to view the property to then negotiate directly, I would try and meet with the guest as it allows you to see if they are suitable, but then request they go through airbnb for the booking.

One way is to just confirm a date and time with the guest to meet at the property, as email and phone number is blocked till the guest books.

make sure to take out short stay specific insurance.

 

So that bloke moved into my garden pad on Sunday for a couple of months and we had a beer out in the backyard in the afternoon - his beers, too. Then the two blokes staying upstairs wandered down for a beer - their beers. As I sat there, I realised that it's the first time in 15 years that there have been more males than females living at our strange three household property (that's if I don't count the chickens).
The bloke out the back messaged me on Monday to ask whether he could stay till mid January when I have a three month stay booked in. I told him that was fine with me, so he'll amend his booking via the Airbnb site and I'll give him a bit of a discount on my summer rate.
Scott

 

Nice. What sort of rate range are you getting per night on these long stays?

 

I have a one minimum month stay and it's $1,700 per month. It's very cheap for the location (Marrickville) and the size of the space, but the kitchen is rudimentary, the dunny and bathroom are 5 steps outside, there is no air con, and it's out in the yard where my sheds are. So I don't want people who are precious and expecting anything flash and who will have a problem with me cranking up the angle grinder on a Sunday. The person coming for a three month stay early next year is coming to do a painting course in Sydney and she liked the fact that we have half a dozen easels stored somewhere, a floor that she can get paint on, and my wife knows a fair bit about painting. The perfect visitor would be a sculpture or a ceramicist who wants access to a couple of kilns.