Airbnb Rental Agreement

Meaning and Importance of Airbnb Rental Agreement

When you are dealing with short term rentals you are allowing strangers to use your property. You are willingly providе them with the keys and offer them to live in your furnished property. You don’t have in-depth knowledge about your guests and thus you are unaware of their habits. They may smoke in your house or organize a party in your apartment and you could do nothing, as they are not legally obligated to follow your house rules. No host will appreciate finding their well-furnished house ripped off. But again, no actions can be taken because there is no legal obligation. This is where the Airbnb rental agreement comes into play. The rental agreement protects the host and announces the responsibilities of the guests and the hosts.

What is the Airbnb rental agreement?

Airbnb rental agreement is the written agreement signed between the owner (who is renting the property) and the short-term rental tenant. The written document is legally enforceable and includes all the specific terms and conditions laid down by the owner. It aims to offer protection to the property owner and specify the role and responsibilities of both the guests and the hosts. All the rules and regulations that ought to be followed by the guests during the period of their stay are mentioned in the agreement. Along with this, all the essentials provided by the owner are neatly listed in the agreement.

Why should you use the Airbnb rental agreement?

Protection is the main aim of the rental agreement. When a landlord allows a long term tenant, they ensure that the lease agreement is duly signed then why to neglect this agreement for short term guests. A night stay is enough for the wrong person to harm your property. By asking the guests to sign the Airbnb rental agreement the host is able to legally enforce certain rules protecting themselves and their property. Just by providing the guests with the house rules, one would expect them to follow the rules, but signing the agreement will make it compulsory to act according to the rules.

Every host should consider the Airbnb rental agreement. Though Airbnb terms and conditions offer protection from several items, for specific requirements an agreement is the only option. Airbnb can not take care of the fact of how many guests you will allow in the property or whether you encourage smoking within your premises or not. The rental agreement allows the host to lay down all the house rules and responsibilities of the guests and by signing the agreement the guests legally agree to follow the rules. Along with the rules, the consequences of breaking them are also mentioned in the agreement. So, the guests are well aware of their responsibilities, and the unfavorable results from the inability to adhere to the rules even before entering your property.

The host can use the Airbnb Rental Agreement to specify what they consider as damage and under what circumstances they will be prompted to deduct charges from the security deposit. By entering into this agreement, you will clarify the specific terms and conditions and allow the guests to enjoy their stay without causing any inconvenience to you or your property. In case of violation of any clause mentioned in the agreement, the host holds the right to take legal action against the guest.

Airbnb rental agreement protects the host against numerous dangers. The rental agreement specifies the exact details of the guest’s stay with the host. This protects the owner against any claims of the tenancy rights by the guests. The agreement mentions and instructs the guests not to exercise any illegal activities inside your property. With the help of this Airbnb rental agreement, you make a legal arrangement with the guests and ensure that no damage is caused to you or your property by the other party. In case of any damage, you can easily ask for compensation as per the pre-agreed terms in the agreement. 

What to include?

The Airbnb rental agreement varies from hosts to hosts. The terms mentioned in the agreement depend upon the individual host. However, there are some basic points included in the majority of rental agreements. By incorporating these points, you will protect yourself and your property from any damages caused by the strangers who will use your property for a short term.

  1. Name of the owner and the short-term tenant – the full name of the property owner and the tenant who has booked the said property for a short term should be mentioned in the agreement
  2. The number of guests – The agreement should answer how many guests are allowed to use your property. Specifying the number of children and adults is advisable along with mentioning the number of people the tenant is allowed to invite over your property
  3. Location of the property – The full address of the property should be included
  4. Duration of stay – The check-in and check-out dates should be clearly written in the agreement. The duration of the stay of the short-term tenant should also be mentioned
  5. The rent and other charges – the total amount of rent that the tenant is supposed to pay and the additional charges levied on the guest such as cleaning and maintenance should also be listed
  6. Parking facilities – The agreement should mention whether you are offering a parking spot or not. If yes then how many vehicles are allowed. If no, then list the nearby parking opportunities
  7. House rules – All the rules and regulations to be followed by the guests should be clearly mentioned in the agreement. Only the rules written in the agreement are legally enforceable
  8. Amenities provided – The agreement also includes the responsibilities of the host. All the essentials provided by the guest should be listed in the rental agreement.

Short term rental business involves various risks and rental agreements help to minimize these risks. Remember to consult an attorney before composing the agreement. The attorney will help you to frame the agreement without violating the State/Province laws and regulations of Airbnb. If you want to ensure protection by asking the guests to sign the Airbnb rental agreement you have to present the agreement to them before confirming the booking. 

It is advisable to add the rental agreement to the property’s listing on Airbnb. If you own multiple properties then managing all the listings could overwhelm you, but with the help of Hosty’s Airbnb management software, you can easily access and edit all your listings. Hosty’s Airbnb booking management tools help you manage Airbnb rental Agreement with the guests.