How do I set and enforce house rules for my Airbnb property?

Your Airbnb house rules should provide clear expectations about how your guests should behave while they are staying with you. Key areas to cover include:

Noise and parking restrictions

Policies on smoking, parties and pets

Cleaning expectations

Check-in and check-out times

Occupancy limits

Security instructions

Areas of the property that are off-limits

Instructions for using appliances and shared amenities

Guidelines for reporting any damages

Always ensure your rules align with Airbnb’s community standards and local laws.

To make sure guests understand and agree to your house rules, first ensure that they are clearly outlined in your listing description. During the booking process, remind guests about the rules and ask them to confirm that they’ve read and understood them. It’s also a good idea to mention any significant rules in your pre-arrival communication to reinforce their importance.

As a host, you can refuse a booking if you have a reasonable belief that the guest might break your house rules. However, it’s important to make decisions based on solid evidence, such as poor reviews from previous hosts, and not on personal bias.

Always ensure your actions align with Airbnb’s non-discrimination policy. For example, you may not decline a booking based on an individual’s race, nationality, marital status or sexual orientation.

You can remind guests of your house rules at several points during their stay. Start with a verbal or written reminder at check-in. Also, consider leaving a printed copy of the rules in a visible location within the property. If necessary, you can also send gentle reminders via Airbnb’s messaging system, particularly if you notice any minor infractions.

Airbnb has a host protection policy in place for guests who break house rules. If a guest violates your rules, you can report the incident to Airbnb. Depending on the severity and frequency of the violations, consequences for the guest can range from warnings to removal from the Airbnb platform. In certain situations, you may be entitled to charge their payment method to cover damages caused by the guest.

If you discover a house rule has been broken, it’s important to address the violation promptly and professionally. Start by discussing the issue directly with the guest. If the violation is severe or the behaviour continues, escalate the issue by reporting it to Airbnb. Make sure to provide supporting evidence, such as photographs or messages, to substantiate your claim.

In extreme cases where a guest seriously or repeatedly violates your house rules, you have the right to ask them to leave. Always communicate these issues through Airbnb’s platform for record-keeping purposes. In severe cases, it’s advisable to involve Airbnb Support to mediate the situation and ensure it’s handled appropriately.

If a guest causes damage by not following the house rules, you should first document the damage thoroughly, e.g. with photos, videos and quotes for cleaning or repairs. Next, visit the Airbnb Resolution Centre and submit an AirCover for Hosts request. You must do this within 14 days of checkout.

The guest will then have 24 hours to pay for the damages. If they are unwilling to pay, you can contact Airbnb Support for further advice. If you host through an Airbnb property management company, they will take care of everything for you.

While Airbnb doesn’t provide a formal “blacklist” feature, you can effectively blacklist a troublesome guest by declining any future reservation requests from them. To do this, you’ll need to turn off the Airbnb Instant Book feature, which lets guests book without requesting approval.

If a guest seriously violates your house rules, it’s also crucial to report these incidents to Airbnb. This ensures that the platform is aware of the guest’s behaviour and can take appropriate action, which could include suspension or removal of the guest’s account.

You can completely avoid the task of setting and enforcing house rules by working with An Airbnb management service such as Stayful. We will take care of every aspect of hosting for you, such as:

Marketing the property and managing bookings

Setting house rules and communicating these to guests

Ensuring a seamless check-in/check-out process

Monitoring guest behaviour and responding to any issues

Reporting violations to Airbnb and managing follow-up actions

Managing damage claims

Keeping the property clean and handling any necessary repairs

By outsourcing these tasks to a management company, hosts can ensure their properties are well-maintained while providing a high-quality guest experience.