To generate income through seasonal rentals, the Airbnb platform remains essential. Unfortunately, you could have a bad experience because of the deterioration of your property or furniture, as well as suffer theft. Faced with these potential dangers, it is possible to rent in complete safety by introducing the Airbnb deposit.
Why set up a deposit on Airbnb?
Basically, there is a host guarantee of up to €800,000 in the event of damage. But it is a partial guarantee and therefore the coverage does not apply to all situations, in particular on stolen objects. Additionally, Airbnb's default rental deposit does not take financial scams into consideration. Just like the theft of works of art or jewelry.
This is why certain precautions are necessary, such as not displaying them in the photos of your ad. In addition, the Airbnb guarantee does not apply to your pet.
Apply the precautionary principle in order to anticipate all criminal situations. For example, if you have a sanibroyeur, it is preferable to indicate it to your tenants so that they can make the difference with traditional toilets. You place a sticker on your device, you indicate it in the housing regulations and do not hesitate to repeat it aloud.
Among the other precautions, do not leave valuables inside your accommodation, take your means of payment and your identity papers.
How does the deposit work on Airbnb?
For the host, the Airbnb guarantee remains reassuring, because it is a pledge of trust. It is a financial guarantee according to a predefined commitment and of course within a given period of time. To put it simply, it is an insurance between the owner and tenant during the time of the rental.
Of course, there are different conditions for the surety to work. From the start, you define a budget and the sum must be available in the tenant's bank account. Otherwise, the reservation cannot be completed. If Airbnb damage occurs during the stay, the deposit will then be used to manage the repairs.
However, it is imperative that the responsibility of the traveler be recognized. Otherwise, the Airbnb deposit with its set amount will not be debited from the bank account. If the direct debit authorization does not arrive 48 hours before the debit request, the reservation is cancelled.
Additional information regarding insurance and deposit
The insurance, the deposit and the amicable request are the three separate systems if you suffer damage to your property. Regarding the deposit, it is not mandatory, because Airbnb insurance applies under exactly the same conditions and it is this one that will be applied. So some people prefer not to put up a deposit to avoid scaring away potential tenants.
However, the Airbnb deposit is only taken in very specific situations and when the dispute is assumed by the tenant. So, it's a pre-approval with the payment method used by the tenant. It is therefore essential that the latter has the necessary balance if ever the deposit has to be cashed. Unfortunately, a rental, even for an amount of €500, risks deterring potential tenants, because it is true that few properties use this process on the Airbnb platform.
Nevertheless, the deposit remains reassuring for the owners. So if you want to set one up, limit yourself to a reasonable price corresponding to the price of one or two nights.
How to react in the event of a dispute?
Airbnb's Resolution Center handles dispute requests and you must report the incident within 48 hours. Once your tenants have left, take the time necessary to carry out an inventory. Then you ask for reimbursement for proven degradation. Some tenants are in good faith and they will naturally do what is necessary.
To make the problem more explicit, we strongly advise you to attach photos. If possible from several angles to better see the dispute. Unfortunately, some tenants will not respond to your request or they will simply refuse to acknowledge their responsibility. An insurance request with the Airbnb platform remains possible and you must choose the option "involve Airbnb".
If the platform needs additional parts, it will come back to you. Do not forget to be reactive and to provide an additional response as soon as possible. Sometimes, your lack of responsiveness leads to the closure of the file when it has not been resolved. But do not forget that a deposit is above all an arbitration and you will have to plead your case.
How do I determine the amount of the Airbnb deposit?
If you are wondering where to find the Airbnb deposit, know that you can fix it yourself. It will appear in the “Rate” tab then “Additional costs”. From the menu, you add or modify its amount. But beware, the traveler must imperatively be informed of the amount. Generally, it varies between 100 and 5,000 €.
You adjust according to the duration of the rental and the value of your property. But do not forget that too large an amount remains a deterrent for potential tenants.
To improve the security of the accommodations, it sometimes happens that the Airbnb platform imposes a deposit. All listings are verified by the relevant department and where certain features are present, Airbnb takes additional security measures by requiring a deposit.
How does UpperKey manage the Airbnb deposit?
Why not entrust the rental of your property to our UpperKey concierge? We manage all aspects of seasonal rental and of course the Airbnb deposit. We offer you a complete service with the management of your ad and more particularly its description and the use of professional photos. We select travelers and take care of entries and departures.
The same applies to the cleaning and maintenance service with the payment of passenger deposits. This is an undeniable advantage, because you no longer have to worry.
If damage is observable after the departure of the tenants, our concierge will be particularly attentive and we will immediately make a report. Thus, the Airbnb platform performs the necessary checks with sometimes the debit of the deposit. No need to worry, our experts apply a meticulous follow-up of these different stages.