The rumors are true, becoming an Airbnb host definitely has its perks. If you’re considering a short-term rental venture, our biggest advice is to do your research before you begin. As Airbnb hosts, we have quickly scaled our growing portfolio and have learned many lessons along the way.

Through trial and error, we’ve figured out how to run a smooth Airbnb business. The reality is, things won’t always be perfect. You can be a ‘Superhost’ with 200+ five star reviews, and you’ll still run into an issue from time to time.

The best way to prepare is to educate yourself and learn from those who have faced the same issues. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are a few common issues that we’ve encountered and how we handled them:

1. Rule breaking
2. Negative reviews
3. Complaints from neighbors
4. Damage
5. Power outage
   
   

RULE BREAKING Hosts have the ability to set their own house rules. Maybe it’s no loud music after 10pm or specific parking regulations. Whatever your rules may be, a good group of guests will abide. For instance, we do not allow pets at our properties. We once had a guest who snuck in their dog, let them roam the neighborhood without a leash, used the restroom in our neighbor’s lawns, and totally ignored our rules. *Insert fuming with smoke emoji here* How do you handle this? Should a guest break your house rules, message the guest and remind them of your rules that are stated in your listing and ask that they acknowledge them and agree. Be specific. Show them where you sent them the rules and where they signed off that they acknowledged the rules so they are aware these aren’t new or guest specific. Should the issue persist, continue to communicate with the guest and notify them that they will be asked to leave the premises should they not obey your request. Remember: keep all communication in the app itself so that it is properly documented in case escalation is needed.

NEGATIVE REVIEWS So, here’s the scoop. Hosts and guests have no visibility to their respective reviews until both parties have completed the review process. What does this mean exactly? A guest could leave you a bad review, you could write them a raving review, and be totally dumbfounded when the review gets posted. This goes both ways. Every now and then, you will come across an unhappy guest. When you do, don’t freak out. One bad review in the mix of raving reviews will not end your Airbnb career. For instance, our guests frequently acknowledge how comfortable our beds are and even ask what type of mattresses we use in our rentals. However, one guest disagreed and stated in her review that her only complaint about the home was that she hated the beds. *Gasp* I couldn’t believe it. But, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and has their own personal preferences. I knew the hundreds of other reviews that rave about our mattresses would overshadow the one negative review. Should you receive the dreaded less than five star review, simply respond via public reply on the review itself to address the issue at hand. This is less about the guest who is complaining, and more so for your future guests to understand the problem at hand. Should the review state a valid issue or concern, be sure to fix it immediately and address this in your reply. Keep in mind that you can’t please everyone. Believe in your product (rental home) and don’t let one bad review discourage you.

COMPLAINTS FROM NEIGHBORS There are certainly pros and cons to having nearby neighbors. We enjoy our full-time homeowner’s next door in case of an emergency and to serve as extra eyes on our properties. But, a complaint here and there is expected. Maybe it’s a noise complaint, excessive trash, or parking in the wrong area. Regardless of the circumstance, here’s what you should do. Introduce yourself to your neighbors first thing after closing. Ask for their phone number and provide yours as well in case they come across any issues. Anytime an issue arises, respond promptly and handle the complaint with the guests immediately. Good neighbors will notify you of any issues and appreciate your urgency. Keeping your neighbors happy will in turn help you maintain a successful rental home.

DAMAGE It’s expected. Knocking over a vase, a mirror getting bumped and falling off the wall, a wine glass breaking, we’ve seen it all. Damage to your property or items is likely at some point in the rental process. There’s several tips to staying on top of expected damage. 1) Have extras on hand for the more common items such as plates, drinking glasses, light bulbs, etc. 2) Always have your cleaning team send photos or videos of specific damage after each turnover. 3) Budget for damage repairs to avoid unexpected expenses. If it’s really bad such as a hole in the wall, missing items, etc…it’s worth escalating. Be sure to provide all supporting documentation and photos with time stamps to Airbnb or VRBO support to be properly reimbursed.

POWER OUTAGE Winter storms, hurricanes, and sporadic power outages…we’ve been there. We once had a family with a newborn baby staying at one of our Asheville, NC properties. In the middle of the night, a driver hit a nearby tree causing major power lines to go down. After receiving a concerned message from our guests at 3am, we knew we had to accommodate them as best as possible. We immediately contacted our energy company to get an estimated ETA for the restored power. The ETA wasn’t quite as quick as we would have hoped so we offered a refund for one night’s stay to be used for other accommodations or to explore town in the meantime. A simple solution made all the difference for our guests who despite the situation, left us a raving review.

There you have it. Familiarize yourself and be prepared to handle issues such as these every so often. But remember, the good times far outweigh the bad as a short-term vacation rental host!

If you’re still unsure of what to expect as an Airbnb or VRBO host, take a look at our 3 Biggest Surprises of Starting an Airbnb Business.