Airbnb Advice,

23rd October 2020

One of the biggest fears any Airbnb host would have when renting out their property is the thought of their Airbnb being damaged or their neighbours being disturbed due to a house party.

Just recently, Airbnb had announced a global ban on parties and have restricted the ability for people under 25 to make reservations on the platform.

Although this initiative will greatly reduce the likeliness of your Airbnb being used for a party, there is still a chance that people can get around these restrictions. Therefore, to make sure your Airbnb is not misused you can also follow these below tips to further party proof your space:

Enter strict house rules on the listing: Do not feel like it is too harsh to say that anyone who causes disruption within the house will be evicted immediately. You may choose to add a fine for parties also to cover any noise complaints or damages, which should help ward off any potential troublemakers.

Create a rental agreement: Because guests can claim that they had not seen your house rules, it is a good idea to create an online form where guests actively must sign confirmation that they have read and accepted your rental’s rules. You can see what details to include into a rental agreement here.

Validate IDs: Select the Instant Book option for verified Government Issued Ids so that you have a confirmed identity responsible in case there are violations for your house rules.  

Ask what purpose their trip is for: Send a friendly email asking your upcoming guests who they are travelling with and what their plans are in your area. It is often a big red flag if a booking is made for a group of friends!

Reinforce that the apartment is not suitable for parties or gatherings: Once they have let you know what their plans are for their trip, reinforce the idea that your Airbnb is not suitable for parties.

Meet guests in person or talk over the phone: It’s more likely for a guest to feel guilty about damaging your property if you’ve met them in person or have had a conversation with them. By meeting or speaking with them, you may also get a gut feeling of their true intentions for their stay. Make it clear that any attempts for a party will be shut down quickly.

Give neighbours your number to contact immediately if any issues: While this can also help reduce neighbours fears of living near an Airbnb if they know how to contact you, it will also help you to follow up immediately if your neighbours notice large amounts of people or loud sounds and music.  

It is important to remember that the cases of house parties are super rare but with everything it is better to be more careful than not. By following the above tips, you will make it near impossible for guests to throw parties in your Airbnb.