As a property host utilizing various booking platforms, it is essential to understand the nuances of offline surcharges—additional fees collected outside the initial booking system of the listing channel. Offline surcharges are any fees that will be charged to the guest at some point after the booking, which aren't included in the normal booking charges and payments. They are used to notify the guest about an offline or stay collected fee charged on-site or by a third party.
Offline surcharges are only available for Airbnb and Vrbo channel integrations.
Along with the 2024 California Assembly Bill 537, the short-term vacation rental industry advocates for transparency in rates and fees for all guests. For OwnerRez users, this poses challenges in managing offline surcharges or security deposits while ensuring pricing transparency and compliance with each platform's policies. Nevertheless, it is crucial to maintain good standing and protect your hosting reputation.
For transparency, any surcharges, including resort fees, management fees, and security deposits, should be clearly outlined in property descriptions.
Both Airbnb and Vrbo support offline surcharges and security deposits, with Airbnb being the more restrictive of the two.
Restrictions
- Airbnb
- Electricity and other KW/h or Unit fees are not supported.
- All Other Airbnb Surcharge Restrictions
- For more information about Airbnb restrictions, see their Off-Platform and Fee Transparency Policy and Collecting fees outside Airbnb support articles.
- Read OwnerRez's Email Blast April 23, 2025 - Important Update: Airbnb Policy Changes Regarding Rental Agreements and Guest Communications.
- All other Airbnb surcharges and restrictions configured in OwnerRez still apply to offline surcharges.
Security Deposits
If you have configured your offline security deposits in accordance with our instructions, you are in full compliance with Airbnb requirements. You can enforce the requirement on your guests as it is properly stated in your configuration and rules and displayed to them prior to booking. We additionally recommend clearly stating your Security Deposit requirement within your Airbnb House Rules.
During the Airbnb checkout process, guests will see the following, as shown below, stating that this property requires a security deposit that will be collected separately.
If you encounter an Airbnb support member who disagrees, sides with the guest, and tells you this is not allowed, here's what you can do:
1. Refer them to this Airbnb article. Note that, as described in the article, you are a "software-connected host" (that's OwnerRez), which specifically allows you to directly collect a "security deposit / refundable deposit" as long as it is "detailed in the listing description and included in the price breakdown before guests book" - which it is, if you've followed our instructions. Airbnb's Security deposits article is even clearer that this is allowed.
2. Tell them to check their internal system for your account and take note of the “Collects offline fees” flag on your account. If you've correctly followed our instructions, that will be set (you can't see it, but Airbnb support can). As its name implies, that gives you authorization to collect offline fees, like your security deposit. If they say that the flag is not set on your account, let us know - we have Airbnb contacts who can fix that.
3. If this doesn't persuade the Airbnb support member that you are in the right, please forward their entire message to the OwnerRez Helpdesk. This will include their name and other identifying information. We'll pass it on to our Airbnb contacts, who can reach out to them and educate them on the new program to clear up the confusion.
Configure Offline Surcharges
Configure Offline Surcharges just like any other surcharge by navigating to Settings > Pricing > Surcharges > + Create Surcharge > Description > and selecting Offline.
In the Conditions section, be sure to add the "Listing Site is > One Of > Airbnb, Vrbo" condition.
The Mode column will display the Offline surcharge mode in the Surcharges grid.
Offline Surcharge Displays
How are these Offline Surcharges displayed to Airbnb guests during the checkout process? For pricing transparency, these offline surcharges are displayed as individual line items in the Price Details and the Due to host at property sections.
Vrbo guests will see Offline Surcharges displayed in the Paid at property section.