We provide guests with check-in details via the platform, email and SMS before arrival. In the unlikely event a guest has trouble getting in, our guest services team is available 24/7 to talk them through it.
We ask all guests to provide their check-in time in advance and to keep us updated if anything changes. Most properties use a lockbox for flexible 24/7 self-check-in. Where lockboxes aren't suitable, we work with Keynest to arrange secure key collection from a nearby location.
For very late arrivals, we'll find an alternative solution such as moving keys to a 24-hour Keynest location, setting up a temporary lockbox, or arranging a Welcome Wizard. If a Welcome Wizard is needed, guests may be charged a late check-in fee -- this is always noted clearly in the listing before booking.
We aim to respond within 1 hour during business hours. Responses may be slightly slower first thing in the morning as we work through overnight enquiries. On-call team members handle urgent matters outside normal hours.
No -- we handle all guest reviews on your behalf.
When guests call, we give our name and say we're helping you, the host, with urgent requests. We don't specifically say we're a management company, but we won't pretend to be you either. All messages are signed off as 'Support Team' so guests know they're speaking with a management service.
To keep guest communications consistent, we ask that all messages go through Houst. Your listing is hosted on Houst's Airbnb account and our 24/7 guest experience team handles all queries. If you'd like to pass on a specific message to a guest, let us know and we'll relay it on your behalf.
Before your first guest arrives, we set up a full clean and deliver fresh bed and bath linens to get your property guest-ready. Hosts pay for this first clean -- all future cleaning and linen fees are covered by guests as part of their booking, unless you book a one-off clean after using the property yourself.
Guests do pay all cleaning and laundry fees as part of their booking. Because this comes through as one lump Airbnb payout, you won't see a separate credit -- but the funds are included. The charges you see leaving your account are simply those guest-paid funds being passed on to the cleaning and laundry providers. You can see a full breakdown of each stay's income and fees in the Billing section of your dashboard.
We work exclusively with professional cleaning companies or host-recommended cleaners, and hold them to a high standard. Guests rate cleanliness after arrival so we can maintain quality. During the clean, fresh linens are delivered -- the cleaners make beds, leave fresh towels, and remove used laundry. We use third-party laundry providers to deliver hotel-quality fresh linen for every stay.
During a clean, our team may need to replenish essentials like toilet paper, bin liners, or cleaning products. They pay for these directly and share the receipt with Houst to charge back. You can always request to see a receipt if you're unsure what a charge relates to.
Airbnb takes 15% (plus VAT/GST) of your total income. Houst's management fee (plus VAT/GST) is charged on your gross platform earnings, which includes booked nights and cleaning fees.
During onboarding we'll provide a property essentials checklist covering initial cleaning supplies and guest essentials like toilet paper and toiletries. These are replenished as needed and charged at cost. Cleaning and laundry fees are covered by guests as part of their booking.
This is industry standard and mirrors how Airbnb and other platforms charge commission. It's also automated -- calculating on the gross ensures you're paid promptly without manual intervention for each booking's deductions.
To pay suppliers promptly, cleaning and laundry charges are processed individually per stay. You'll see credits for each reservation (including guest-paid cleaning fees) and separate debits to cleaning and laundry providers. Houst's management fee is collected via monthly direct debit. We send summary emails for all transactions and you can view full details in the Billing section of your dashboard.
The Billing section of your Host Dashboard has all invoices for guest stays, cleans, linen delivery, Houst fees, and maintenance services.
Cleaning and laundry charges are processed two days after each stay to ensure providers are paid on time. Houst's management fees are billed on a booking-by-booking basis on the Wednesday following check-in, via direct debit.
Please don't update the lockbox code without letting us know first. If the code needs changing, contact the support team and they'll coordinate the update. Having the correct access code is critical for a smooth guest check-in and protecting your ratings.
Generally we don't offer early check-in or late check-out on days with back-to-back guests, as the cleaning and linen window falls in between. If there are no other guests that day and a guest requests early check-in, we're happy to accommodate -- but we'll always check with you first.
We aim for 70-80% average monthly occupancy, though this varies by location, season, and pricing. Some markets have more seasonal variation than others.
This varies by location and time of year. On average, listings are 40-60% booked one month in advance, with the rest filled within the same month. We can often secure same-day or short-notice bookings too.
If you're new to Airbnb, it takes some time to build up reviews -- and reviews are a key factor in how often travellers book. The more positive reviews you accumulate, the more bookings you can expect.
Nightly rates are adjusted dynamically based on seasonality, local events, day of the week, and how far in advance a booking is made. For short gaps of unbooked nights (for example two consecutive weeknights), we may reduce the price to encourage occupancy -- those nights are harder to fill. If you set a minimum price, we won't go below it without your approval.
Pricing is shaped by your property's location, number of bedrooms, seasonality, local events, and your review history. New listings are priced lower initially to build up stays and reviews -- once positive reviews come in, we gradually move to the optimal price.
Our commercial analysts manage pricing dynamically to maximise both daily rate and occupancy, so we recommend leaving this to us. If you'd like to set a minimum price threshold, contact your support team and they'll set this up. Keep in mind that a high minimum can affect occupancy.
Our team uses a purpose-built pricing algorithm connected directly to Airbnb, which dynamically adjusts rates across days, weeks and seasons to match market demand. We set an initial base rate and monitor performance regularly, adjusting to keep both rate and occupancy as high as possible.
All stays on all platforms except Airbnb are covered under Houst's Host Cover policy.
Host Cover is provided as a free membership benefit for all Houst hosts.
Yes, theft and attempted theft are covered provided it has been reported to the police. Valuables such as jewellery, watches, and cash are excluded unless kept in a locked safe in a locked room.
Non-Airbnb platforms generally only offer security deposits and won't mediate between guests and hosts. That's why Houst has arranged Host Cover as a free benefit for all hosts using other platforms.
Houst's policy covers worst-case scenarios for claims above £1,000. For minor guest issues below this threshold, we hold a security deposit paid by the guest to cover smaller claims. Make sure to read the eligibility documentation (Summary of Host Cover and Eligibility) to confirm your property qualifies.
The most important thing is keeping your property in good working order -- plumbing, heating, air conditioning, appliances. Let us know promptly if anything changes or breaks. We monitor ratings regularly and your account manager will reach out with any constructive guest feedback.
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