With covid restrictions lifting and the inevitable itch that has been felt by many takes over, many are flocking to the city to let loose, go to the pubs and embark on a weekend that is just a little mad because maybe they didn’t get their hen party or lads holiday away.
People are loving that the societal limitations are starting to lift and with that comes just a little more pressure to ensure that your property is safe guarded against the dreaded 3 am noise complaint and police arrival.
The last thing that you want is a house full of inebriated individuals with pent-up energy if you’re an Airbnb host! So, how can you keep Airbnb parties at bay?
Why has there been an increase in Airbnb parties?
We had no notion how long the COVID restrictions would last when they first began.
People require social interaction, and parties, as we all know, are the ideal setting for this.
People are at the end of the day just seeking a way to unwind, and you are simply safeguarding yourself against unnecessary damage and stress entering your life.
What steps can you take to discourage party bookings then?
This is Airbnb’s third attempt to prohibit parties.
Simply put, Airbnb regulations are ineffective on their own because individuals are resourceful. Preparation, on the other hand, can prevent about 95% of noise concerns.
Preventing Airbnb Parties: Pre-Booking
You might think that simply putting the rates up would discourage people from booking for a party as it would be too expensive, but in reality, all that this does is discourage family bookings. If you think about it, a family stay is coming out of the pocket of a singular family, the group booking is being split between likely 6 or more, so it doesn’t discourage them at all.
A few ways that you can deter party bookings:
- Flat out say ‘no parties’ – mention this is an Airbnb policy
- If a guest books for one night, you might endeavour to ask why? Or better yet, have a 2-night minimum stay, or even higher if you prefer.
- Remind guests of local noise fines
- Minimum check-in age
Quick hack: Screen out people with new profiles, short answers, no response in their plan of coming to the city or bad grammar.
Minimum Stay
Setting a two-night minimum is one of the easiest methods to limit your risk. A party is usually only for one night! If you take away the ability to party, your guests will look for another place to stay. Families can be few and far between and a way that you can prevent parties and attract more families is by offering free stays for kids under 3 and perhaps a £5 per night for kids up to the age of 12.
This will encourage families to book while also keeping the rate high for group bookings. (Booking.com facilitates this). It encourages families because previously these kids would have paid as a full adult, you want to encourage the family to stay as much as possible as the risk associated is a lot less.
Now is the time to look out for your property, with young groups being the freest and willing to travel and book. If you are thinking that you don’t want to offer a discount to families then you could set the rate for families at the current group rate and charge an even higher premium for group bookings. If you are hoping to take a hands free approach, we have our air bnb management services to offer to you, so the process is taken care of end-to-end.
If you have any questions regarding this or you would simply like the stress taken completely off your shoulders then get in touch and we can take care of everything for you under the umbrella of our strong brand and tried and tested practices.