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I can't recall all the details but a year or more ago I had to drop my cleaning fee price from $450 to $350 and compensate by increasing the nightly rate b/c of some Airbnb rule. Sorry, I don't remember much more than that. My minimum nightly rate is $750. Yes, the cleaning fee increased the same.
Here's the error I got:
After the markup, dd your cleaning fee increase too? How much is your cleaning fee and what's your minimum rate?
FYI Pricelabs zoom meeting confirmed that because Airbnb calculates the 15.5% host fee on the total booking amount (including cleaning fees or any markup to offset the fee), it effectively creates a compounding cost. The result is that guests end up paying more, and hosts either have to absorb the difference or risk losing competitiveness. So, their calculation is to raise rent and all fees by 18.34% to keep the payout the same. Another piece of interesting news was Airbnb plans to move all USA listings to host base fees by December 1, 2025.
If you'd like to watch recoding of their meeting https://youtu.be/dWkZMsW8SqY
Channel integration - Airbnb - Rate Adjustment - Adjust both rent and surcharges? - I did not get any errors or questions.
I'm trying to add 18.34 or 20% to the Airbnb markup price but I'm getting an error, it says something about the cleaning fee and the minimum rate I can setup.
Fair point. I will try on another property and see if the same occurs.
You should just state there is a pet fee without listing the amount. They will see it in the cart when checking out. Or you could say $75 + Airbnb fees and taxes (b/c don't forget Airbnb will tax on EVERYTHING).
Hello everyone,
We’re about to start managing properties on behalf of other owners.
Our main concern is related to taxes we’d like VRBO to continue collecting and remitting taxes directly on behalf of each owner.
We’re not comfortable collecting or remitting taxes, and we don’t want to require each owner to set up a CPA or Avalara account.
At the same time, we’d like to
Sync dynamic pricing with VRBO,
Send automated messages to guests, and
Integrate our digital locks so that codes are sent automatically in those messages.
Is it possible to have a partial API connection one that allows OwnerRez to handle messaging and pricing automation, but keeps VRBO in charge of tax collection and remittance?
Thanks a lot for your help!
There were significant internet outages around the country yesterday. A potential customer called me direct because they were seeing my calendar blocked off on either a different channel or my direct site, they weren't sure which site they were on. I suppose there may be a small possibility that this is what you were experiencing with your Airbnb calendar.
They did nothing. By the time they responded the calendar returned to the expected state. I am not sure if they temporarily flagged it and won't admin it or if something happened during the sync with OwnerRez. Seems suspect regardless.
Could you keep us updated on the results of your support ticket? It does indeed sound related.
No breakdown at all before booking. Not sure how they think this is full transparency.
Well airbnb has blocked my whole calendar since I made a change, so I will be opening a support ticket. It seems pretty related.
I don't currently add a cleaning fee, I never have. I know I should, but in my situation I have chosen not to.
So are they not showing your cleaning fee in the breakdown?
Thanks for the update. If Airbnb is neglecting to show the breakdown, I will provide the guest an invoice/booking confirmation printed from OwnerRez showing the breakdown, given to them on arrival or placed in the unit for their arrival.
NEW THOUGHT - or even trigger a 'Channel Message" as a booking confirmation showing the breakdown.
I am going to go with the surcharge, otherwise anything else calculated off the rent will be affected. I use Beyond Pricing and they due to based on rent, so I would be giving up more to them just because airbnb is greedy.
UPDATE: I just made this change and despite the airbnb "fee transparency" the show it as part of the nightly rate somehow. They aren't showing any breakdown beyond nights and taxes.
I am thinking of trying the same approach as you mentioned about adding a Surcharge of 15.5% (or 18.?? % which some are saying is a more accurate calculation) instead of a "Rate Adjustment" to my Airbnb integration settings. I feel it is important for the customer to see the additional costs they are paying to use the Airbnb platform as opposed to booking direct. The Surcharge method would allow them to see the Airbnb Fees where a simple "Rate Adjustment" would not.
Does anyone else have any input as to whether or not this will violate any Airbnb rules?
I adjusted ABB rates upward by 15.5% as OR suggested for Rent & Surcharges. But now my cleaning fee, pet fee, and Safely Trust & Safely Fee all show 15.5% higher to the guest. Problem is that my listing states my pet fee is $75, but for people booking through ABB, that pet fee is showing as $86.83! To the guest, this is disceptive advertising!
How to address this?.....
Can I take off the ABB adjustment & add a surcharge line for ABB guests ("ABB Surcharge") of 15.5%? Or will ABB object and delist me for doing this? OR
Can I jusr change the % mark-up on ABB listings to a higher rate (so it would cover the extra cost on my surcharges) but only apply that to nightly rent? At least my pet fee charge would match the description in my listing.
Any ideas?
This has been a constant issue with many guests.
Extracts
Now I contact support. And post the following link.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/140
However, select software-connected hosts may collect a security deposit off of the Airbnb platform. In these instances in which security deposits are permitted, they must be disclosed in the appropriate fee field so that it is disclosed to guests at checkout.
I give in and request via the resolution center.
Now he wants to cancel because it was not a line item at checkout.
How do you suggest I handle this?
it is clearly stated in the house rules.
How do you do this “security deposits are permitted, they must be disclosed in the appropriate fee field”?
This seems to be something OwnerRez needs to work with Airbnb, so their help matches how it works in practice or they are allowed to disclose the security deposit at checkout.
Summary response to Airbnb.
Also, please note it is not 15.5%. You have to account for snowball effect of fees on top of fees. I did a xlx ss to calculate it last year and came back with about 18%. Pricelabs just sent an email on the same topic and they came up with 18.34% adjustment to nightly rate and fees. They can probably explain it better than I https://youtu.be/PxeCISyAb9E . And I completely agree that hiding airbnb fees behind our backs is immoral at the very least.
PS I have a few more details on the same topic here https://www.ownerrez.com/forums/general-help/how-to-protect-your-payout-after-airbnbs-fee-update . I should've probably check the forum before posting - my bad. If admins are reading this and can move it, please feel free to do it.
I too believe what you are recommending is necessary. The customer needs to be able to see the cost of using the Airbnb service as opposed to booking direct.
I do not agree at all with this change Airbnb is making. Sure we can do a channel rate adjustment of 15.5 % to our Airbnb pricing to recoup our fees, but I believe the customer needs to know the "additional cost" they are paying to use the Airbnb service as opposed to booking direct. Without some sort of breakdown to show the guest the additional cost of using Airbnb, Airbnb comes out looking like a free service to the guest. Airbnb claims this is all about "Fee Transparency" in fact a direct quote from their site is; "Updating our fee structure to a single fee is part of Airbnb’s commitment to improving pricing transparency". But in reality, It's Airbnb's attempt to hide the cost of using their service from the customer.
I agree with you. I do not agree at all with this change Airbnb is making. Sure we can do a channel rate adjustment of 15.5 % to our Airbnb pricing to recoup our fees, but I believe the customer needs to know the "additional cost" they are paying to use the Airbnb service as opposed to booking direct. Without some sort of breakdown to show the guest the additional cost of using Airbnb, Airbnb comes out looking like a free service to the guest. Airbnb claims this is all about "Fee Transparency" in fact a direct quote from their site is; "Updating our fee structure to a single fee is part of Airbnb’s commitment to improving pricing transparency". But in reality, It's Airbnb's attempt to hide the cost of using their service from the customer.
This letter came into my email box from Pricelabs which IMO was interesting b/c I was forced into this host based model about a year ago (I was able to get back to split fee model eventually) and came to the same calculations - 15.5% are really 18.5% because of snowball effect of fees on top of fees. And to the most customers Airbnb will look like a generous benefactor with a greedy host charging them ridicules fees. IMHO I don't want that fee and possible displeasure and associated questions directed to me. I am not charging that fee so I do not think it is fair to expect me to represent it on Airbnb behave. YMMV
"Airbnb’s new 15.5% host-only fee takes effect October 27 — and if you’re connected to Airbnb through a property management system (PMS), this change directly affects your final payout.The fix is simple — and quick. You can keep your net payout the same by updating your Airbnb channel markup in your PMS, not in PriceLabs. PriceLabs pushes prices to your PMS, which then sends them to Airbnb — so the change must happen in your PMS settings.You just need to:
Watch this 2-minute video to understand the math behind it.
Want to go deeper?Join our live webinar in which PriceLabs experts break down the math behind the markup in simple terms and get your questions answered.Best regards,
Your PriceLabs Team"
PS Adjusting nightly rates and surcharges to higher values (from 17.2% total in split fees model to 18.5% in host based model obviously will increase the total the guest will have to pay by 1.3%. So, this upcoming Airbnb initiated change won't only shift the blame for ridicules fees to us but will make our listing more expansive and less attractive to our guests making our listings less competitive. Thoughts?
Same problem
Hi Claudia,
Instructions for setting that up can be found here - https://www.ownerrez.com/support/articles/capture-additional-fields-on-checkout-quote-acceptance
If you have any trouble with it, please reach out to help@ownerrez.com and our Helpdesk will be happy to assist!
Where do I add that renters have to provide ID while signing the rental agreement?
Hello, I'm 2 mo into using ownerez and have primarily had my property on Airbnb, which itself is a pretty well oiled machine. Now I want to have an option for direct booking that I can guide my family n friends to, if they ask. Is there an article on step by step directions on how to go about direct booking? What all agreements and coverage i need to have in place? Also, how do I market my property thru ownerez website? Where do I post it??
Would appreciate insights. Thank you
