Critically Important Airbnb Rules: Explained By A Superhost

If you’re nervous to host on Airbnb or new to the platform as a host, the Airbnb rules for guests and hosts should be super comforting to you. Airbnb verifies the identity of every host and guest on the platform and allows hosts to set rules for guests while also holding standards for hosts.

This makes the platform trustworthy and helps it grow as more hosts and guests use it as a place to book and advertise places to stay. I’ll dive into all the rules that Airbnb has and what you want to implement for future guests.

This post is all about Airbnb rules.

All The Airbnb Rules You Need

Airbnb Rules For Guests

When setting Airbnb rules for guests, your listing will have a dedicated space for all the house rules. This is a great feature that Airbnb has so you can ensure every guest who books has access to the house rules and there’s no excuse for missing them.

Let’s dive in below.

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1. Pets Allowed

Airbnb will have you mark if pets are allowed or not. This is completely up to you as a host! If you do allow pets, make sure your cleaners are aligned and aware. This will result in higher cleaning fees but certain markets, you will need to allow pets just to remain competitive.

My personal take is no pets ever. If guests have a service dog, they need to verify it with the Airbnb platform and then as a host, you are obligated to comply. When guests ask if I allow service pets, my response is always, “We comply with Airbnb’s service pet policy. You will need to verify your service dog with the platform and we are happy to comply.” Usually, these guests do not even book. Which saves me on cleaning.

2. Events Allowed

You can mark if events are allowed or not. If you do allow events, I would put this in your listing description to help with marketing because so many potential guests are looking for small venues where they can host events.

If you do not want events of any kind, make that clear in your description and on the house rules as well. I don’t allow events of any kind and STILL get messages asking to host dinner parties, baby showers, etc.

Remember to check with your insurance company if this is allowed on your property or if you’ll need extra coverage. You never want to jeopardize your policy not covering damages.

3. Smoking, vaping, e-cigarettes allowed

As a host, this is your call. If you do allow this inside, have a great cleaning team in place that is ready to tackle at each turn. Personally, I would never allow smoking of any kind inside or outside at my properties. If you do allow outside, have designated smoking areas and an ashtray for guests to use.

In your check out instructions, require guests to clean up any cigarette butts. Air out the house if smoking inside and other things like that to eliminate the odors. Also, make sure other guests are aware you are smoking friendly for allergies or smoke concerns. Include this big and bold in your listing description.

4. Quiet hours

Most municipalities will require short term rental operators to have quiet hours. If they don’t, and you’re set around other neighbors, I’d encourage you to set hours.

As a host, you want to ensure your listing is adding to the neighborhood and not taking away. My typical quiet hours are 10pm to 7am.

5. Commercial photography and filming allowed

This one is totally up to you. We do allow this at our listings as they are usually guests that book for 2 nights but only use the property during the day of the second day of the stay. They’re easy on the property and it’s minimal from a turnover stand point.

If you have strict guest limits or parking limitation, make sure to communicate that and call that out.

6. Number of guests

You need to be super clear about this in your house rules and listing description. The number of guests needs to reflect the actual number of beds/sleeping spots for guests, what your short term rental permit from the city will allow and just the capacity of your listing.

Be realistic about guest count. If it’s a 1 or 2 bedroom, don’t stuff beds in there, expect a super high nightly rate and advertise for 10 people. A good rule of thumb is 2 guests per bedroom plus 2. So if it’s a 2 bedroom house, maximum capacity would be 6 guests. This means you’ll need a sleeping solution in a main area like the living room.

7. Check-in and checkout times

Have a set check-in and checkout time that aligns with your cleaners schedule. You’ll also want to research this in your area to make sure your times are relevant to the market. A typical checkout time is 10am and check-in time is 3-4pm.

If you have a limit on check-in time, make sure that’s clear! This is why I always encourage having a smart lock so guests can arrive late if needed.

8. Additional rules

In the additional rules section you can list anything else you require. If you need guests to be a certain age to book, this is the place to put it. I also reemphasize everything from the above in this section and elaborate on why. It’s so crucial you set proper expectations for your guests and they understand the rules for your property.

Airbnb Rules For Hosts

Not only does Airbnb allow hosts to set rules for guests, but they have rules for all their hosts too. Again, back to creating trust on the platform, if the guests don’t come to the platform then hosts will stop advertising.

These are Airbnb’s requirements for hosts posting their listings on the platform.

1. Clean and safe stays

Location and cleanliness are crucial. Your listing needs to be in a safe area and kept clean. I would argue that cleanliness is the most important thing any guest looks for in a stay.

2. Accurate listing information

You need to have pictures that are super accurate. As a Superhost since 2019, I’ve had to get photos redone every 2-3 years on my listings because decor changes and gets added. The highest compliment I have gotten in a review is guests saying that the actual house looks exactly like the listing photos.

Along with having accurate photos, you want your listing description to call out everything that guests can expect at or around the property. Setting the right expectations is crucial to any guest experience. The last thing you want is guests being caught off guard by something because it wasn’t disclosed in the listing.

3. Communication and reservation commitment

Ensure you have given guests all the information they need and do no cancel reservations! Airbnb has automated messaging so you can make sure your guests are getting the information they need.

Reservation commitment is huge. Guests need to know you’re not going to cancel their stay! Airbnb implemented host cancellation penalties which honestly has been a great addition. For hosts who are serious about Airbnb, this creates more trust on the platform and other excellent host and guest experiences.

4. Local laws

As a host, you need to make sure you’re following your local laws. This is not the responsibility of Airbnb to manage but rather, yours as the host.

Every municipality is different but the easiest way to figure out your laws is to google “short term rental” and the name of your city/county.

What other Airbnb rules do you have for your property? Let me know in the comments below!

This post was all about Airbnb rules.