The benefits of owning an Airbnb property are many. As well as being a great way to earn extra money, it also allows you to learn new skills such as marketing and customer service.
However, while this sounds great, owning an Airbnb can also be hard work. It requires a lot of time, energy, and effort to keep an Airbnb property up-to-date and in good condition for guests. Thankfully, you don’t have to do this on your own; you can hire a co-host like UpperKey to help you. If you want to find out all about how Airbnb co-hosts can make your life easier, keep reading below:
What is an Airbnb?
Airbnb is a provision that lets homeowners rent their property to tourists looking for somewhere to stay. Tourists can rent an entire property independently, look for a space where multiple people can share, or find a shared space with private rooms.
What is an Airbnb Co-Host?
An Airbnb co-host is often a person, but it can also be a professional service provider that helps people with a property listed on Airbnb take care of their guests and their home. They’re often a family member, trusted friend, neighbour, or someone hired by the host to help with their Airbnb listing. It can also mean an Airbnb property management company like UpperKey.
Is My Airbnb Property Eligible for a Co-Host?
Anyone with a property they’d like to list on Airbnb can hire a co-host. This means you will be eligible for this service whether you own a flat, an apartment, or a house.
How to Choose an Airbnb Co-Host for Your Airbnb
Choosing a co-host for your Airbnb is much more complicated than it sounds. Not only do you want one that is reliable, but you also want one that properly cares for your guests and property. Here are some tips to help you find a good one:
Consider hiring a co-hosting business – it’s sometimes better to hire an Airbnb co-hosting business rather than hiring someone you know. There are many benefits to renting to a professional management company, such as UpperKey. These companies are much more likely to be reliable and trustworthy. This company also guarantees your rent, so you needn’t worry about paying the bills.
Choose someone with experience – choosing an Airbnb co-host with experience is a good idea. Experienced co-hosts are much more likely to know how to look after guests well than those who haven’t done this role before.
Read reviews – another excellent tip for Airbnb owners who are looking for a co-host is to read reviews from past Airbnb owners. Reading Airbnb co-host reviews will help you find a reliable, trustworthy co-host.
How Do I Make Someone a Co-Host on Airbnb?
Once you’ve found your ideal co-host, the next step is to add them as a co-host on Airbnb. Adding a co-host to your Airbnb is simple. All you need to do is log in to your Airbnb listing, tap the Co-Hosts link, and select Invite a co-host. Once you have done this, you must follow the instructions on the screen.
Before you finish adding a co-host, you will be required to choose what your co-host can access. Here are the different options you can choose from:
Full access – your co-host will access everything, including your Airbnb calendar and pricing.
Calendar and inbox access – they can manage your calendar and message guests on your behalf.
Calendar access – they will only have access to your calendar, meaning they can see information about check-ins and check-outs.
The Benefits of Hiring a Co-Host for Your Airbnb
There are several benefits of hiring an experienced Airbnb co-host. Here are just some of them:
They ensure your Airbnb is guest ready – co-hosts ensure the accommodation has everything your guests could need for their stay. They also add personal touches to the space to make it feel more homely.
Cleaning the space – finding a good Airbnb cleaning service can be challenging. Thankfully, you won’t have to if you hire a co-host. Co-hosts ensure your accommodation is clean and up to scratch, ready for your guests to arrive. They handle the Airbnb property maintenance – another great thing about hiring a co-host is that they take care of the property maintenance. This means that they deal with any issues and fix them before guests arrive.
They handle guest communication – communicating with guests is often one of the hardest things about owning an Airbnb. However, you will not have to do this if you hire an Airbnb co-host. Your co-host will communicate with your guests before and during their stay on your behalf.
They take over the Airbnb host responsibilities – if you don’t have the time to greet your guests, hiring a co-host is a great option. A co-host can greet and welcome your guests for you, meaning you have time to do other things.
They help you to find guests – this is particularly true if you hire a professional management company like UpperKey. These companies help ensure your property has guests all year round.
They communicate with you when issues arise – if any issues arise with your property, your co-host will communicate with you via an Airbnb co-host software platform.
How Much Does an Airbnb Co-Host Make?
So, you want to know how much co-hosts earn? Airbnb co-hosts earnings can vary substantially based on the property size, their Airbnb co-host duties, and where the property is located. However, most Airbnb co-hosts charge 10-20% of the Airbnb rental income. On top of this, they also expect to be paid for any Airbnb co-host expenses, such as cleaning products, etc.
When coming up with a fee for your co-host, it’s essential to sit down with them and draw up an Airbnb co-host agreement. In this agreement, all expectations and terms must be clearly stated. You can make this agreement yourself or hire a lawyer to draw one up for you. If you decide to do this yourself, these are the key points you should include:
Hosting responsibilities – you need to state who owns the property, the property address, and who the co-host is. You also need to list the responsibilities your co-host has.
Earnings – the co-host's wage and preferred payment method must also be outlined in this document.
Expenses – owners are more often than not responsible for the maintenance and utilities of their property. However, these must be discussed with your co-host before guests arrive at your property.
How Many Co-Hosts Can I Add to My Account?
Sometimes, we need to hire more than one co-host for each of our listings. Thankfully, on Airbnb, this is possible. Airbnb owners can invite up to ten co-hosts per listing.
Can a Co-Host Become the Main Host?
Co-hosts with full-access permissions can be the primary host; however, they would need the listing owner’s permission to do this.
If you’re an Airbnb owner, you know all too well the challenges of owning a rental property. Not only do you have to ensure your property is well maintained, but you also need to communicate effectively with your guests. Hiring a co-host to handle everything makes sense. If you like the sound of this, why not find out more about Airbnb co-host benefits?