TRAVEL SMARTER
and make cash from your home
There’s been a transformation in how we holiday, thanks to websites like Airbnb. They’ve also become a handy earner for many. Before you dive in, follow our checklist
IF YOU’RE HOSTING
Keep on the right side of the law: ❖ Subletting a rented property is illegal; tenants could be evicted and landlords can face fines. ❖ Anyone who lets a property for more than 90 days needs planning permission. You also need to adhere to fire regulation laws. ❖ There are tax, insurance and mortgage implications, too. For more tips, visit goodhousekeeping. co.uk/airbnb-host-advice
Help! The guests are coming!
What is it like to have strangers in your house? When GH’S Michelle Hather rented out her family home one summer, it involved a major overhaul… It’s one thing inviting guests for dinner, but quite another allowing them to sleep in your bed with complete freedom to inspect under the mattress or behind the sofa. Getting our house in order meant decluttering, replacing our elderly washing machine, which sometimes ate underwear (we didn’t want that in the reviews), and even putting in new window frames. Finally, we were ready to advertise our house on the site. We took lots of pictures and while it was tempting to Photoshop, we had to be honest. You’re going to be publicly rated by guests for your standards of accuracy, cleanliness and for the overall experience. According to Airbnb rules, if your ratings drop below 3.5 stars out of five, your listing may be suspended or removed. No one wants that. We made sure our profile sounded friendly and set the price, making sure it didn’t sound too greedy. As a final flourish, we bought new linen for all the beds and paid a professional cleaner who was a whizz at hotel-style beds and rolled white towels fit for a spa.
While we were on holiday, I couldn’t help wondering from afar if our guests – a family of five – were enjoying our home. Happily, there were no complaints. Financially, as we discovered, Airbnb’s only worthwhile if you don’t spend a fortune beforehand, and if you do it regularly, but there are other benefits. Our experience made us declutter, do some DIY and replace ageing appliances.
While it was tempting to Photoshop our house, we had to be honest