How do you handle stays longer than 30 days?

Question

I imagine this question has been asked already but search doesn't allow me to just search this forum so I'm coming up dry on answers. SO, I'll potentially ask again.

How do you guys handle stays longer than 30 days? I know this gets into tenant rights and different counties/states have different rules so I'm going to get answers all across the board. BUT, generally speaking, what do you do?

I have an Airbnb guest asking about a 45 day stay (or longer). Their house is under contract and they will need temporary housing while they find their next home. I don't have any reason to believe this is anything but the truth.

Do you let them book through Airbnb and then have them sign a separate agreement? Do you run credit and background check like you would for a long-term tenant? Or do I take this off Airbnb totally and just go through a month-to-month lease agreement?

I know I prob need to talk to my attorney too--I'm just looking for input and tips from someone who's done it.

Avery Carl · Answer

Is your rental in a heavily trafficked tourist area? Will you have a problem filling those dates if you don't allow this person?  I personally would not go down that road with any of my VR's A. because those dates will end up being filled anyway and B. The 30 day mark makes me very nervous with tenants rights.

MOST DEFINITELY make them sign a rental agreement. I'd run a background check too. I don't know that I would take it off Airbnb because blocking a month period will push your listing to the bottom of the search results making it difficult for future renters to find you!

Ethan Cooke · Answer

@Andrea Cole -  I only do stays for 30+ days and I’m part of a community of “medium-term” furnished rental hosts.  I manage 10 furnished rental units in San Francisco and San Mateo county. I have never had a problem in a year of doing this. It’s a great business model because it’s much less work then having new guests every week, answering “new guest” questions repeatedly and scheduling a lot of cleanings. Some guests book through Airbnb. I book others who want a discount through the www.cozy.co platform and have them sign a lease. The rent is higher than unfurnished rentals, so as long as the guest keeps paying rent, it’s a win-win. Of course tenants’ rights come into play, but short-term guests can cause just as many problems as long-term guests. I encourage you to take the long-term booking and enjoy having some extra time!

Michael Nelson · Answer

@Andrea Cole depending on your local landlord tenant laws I would make sure you are fully versed before breaching that 30 day mark with a guest. What I’ve done in the past for longer term guests is keeping them on the short term rental platform but adding additional levels of protection for my clients, the company, and the property. 1. Always do a rental agreement, this not only sets expectations for guests but is a legal document that can dramatically reduce time in court if it goes that way. Secondly, taking a larger deposit. The longer a guest stays the higher the possibility that damage can take place. Lastly, we do a mandatory cleaning every 2 weeks. This is a charged service and also allows us to keep the quality of stay high for guests but also allows us to have eyes on the property without violating personal space.

On a separate note, keep in mind doing a longer term stay with dramatically impact your search results. Because you are technically not available for the entire booking period your property views will drop off and it will be an uphill battle to get back to your current rank position.

Paul Sandhu · Answer

I just rent week to week.  Final week is prorated for the days they stay.  Everyone that rents from me is working a short term job at a refinery.  When the job is over, they go to the next job or back home.  The longest anyone rented from me was 80 weeks.  The only reason he left was that he didn't want his expecting newborn kid to have a birth certificate from the Worst Town to Live in Kansas.

Andrea Cole · Answer

Thanks @Ethan Cooke. I took a look at Cozy and it seems pretty impressive. I've always considered mid or long-term furnished rentals as our Plan B if we want to move to something a little more passive. Looks like I'm not the only one who has had that thought (which is comforting). I've always loved real estate and I also love interior design which is why rehabbing and renting through short-term is appealing--I get to renovate AND furnish.

Also, for anyone that's interested, we decided to offer the couple the old fashioned month-to-month lease agreement if they're planning to stay longer than 30 days. We're still new to all this so I'd rather have a straight forward legal doc than rely on Airbnb's legalese. We'll see what happens...

Bill Cereske · Answer

Unless South Lake Tahoe's ordinance requiring a minimum 30 day rental contract is overturned in court, that may be the way we HAVE to go.  We still have three years before we have to cross THAT bridge, however.

How do you handle stays longer than 30 days?

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