4 parts you can copy
Four parts of a set of house rules, for Airbnb and similar sites. Choose only the rules you will really enforce. Replace every [BRACKET] with a real fact.
- Check-in and checkoutCheck-in is from [TIME] and checkout is by [TIME]. [HOW GUESTS GET IN.] Before you leave, please [WHAT YOU ASK, FOR EXAMPLE PUT RUBBISH IN THE BIN AND TURN OFF THE HEATING]. The place sleeps [NUMBER] guests at most.
- Noise and visitorsQuiet hours are [TIMES], because [REASON, FOR EXAMPLE NEIGHBOURS SHARE THE WALL]. We do not allow parties or events. [VISITORS: ALLOWED OR NOT, AND WHEN.]
- Pets and smoking[PETS: ALLOWED OR NOT, AND ANY LIMIT OR FEE.] [SMOKING: NOT ALLOWED INSIDE, AND WHERE IT IS ALLOWED, IF ANYWHERE.] [WHAT HAPPENS IF THE RULE IS BROKEN, ONLY IF YOU WILL DO IT.]
- Safety and the neighbours[THE SAFETY FACTS: FOR EXAMPLE STEEP STAIRS, A POOL WITHOUT A FENCE, OR A WOOD STOVE.] The smoke alarm is [WHERE]. In an emergency call [NUMBER]. Please be kind to our neighbours: [WHAT THEY ASK, FOR EXAMPLE PARK ONLY IN THE MARKED SPACE].
What to avoid
- Do not write in capitals or with exclamation marks. Calm rules get more respect.
- Do not add threats or fines you will not use.
- Do not write a rule that shuts out a group of people. If a real safety fact is behind it, state the fact.
- Do not hide a hazard, such as stairs or a pool. Say it before booking.
- Do not ask guests to pay fees in cash or outside the site.
What the paid pack adds
The template above is free. The pack writes yours from your own notes.
Host Ops Pack
What you give it: Your own words: a guest review, your rough rules, your listing text.
What you get: Six skills. Guest Review Reply: a public reply that is true as it stands, optional sentences to add once a fix is real, a private to-do list, and a flag on any review that needs your judgement first. House Rules and Guidebook: the standard rule settings to choose, calm extra rules, and a house manual built only from what you wrote, with a list of what is missing. Also a listing rewriter, a listing audit, photo descriptions and a review pattern finder.
One price, no subscription. Not made by or linked to any booking site.
Questions people ask
How many rules should I have?
As few as you will enforce. Four to eight clear rules are easier to follow than a long list.
What should I do if a guest breaks a rule?
Message them calmly and refer to the rule as written. Keep the messages polite and in writing.
Should I explain why a rule exists?
Yes, in a few words. People follow a rule more easily when they see the reason.
What is the difference between house rules and a house manual?
House rules say what you ask of guests. A house manual says how things work: wifi, heating, bins. The Host Ops Pack writes both from your notes.
Can I ban children or pets?
Be careful. If the real reason is a safety fact, state the fact. Check the rules of the site you use and the law where you are.