If you’ve been an Airbnb host for any length of time, you’ve probably realized one thing: it’s a lot more work than it sounds! Although there are tools to make the task less arduous, the reality is that an extra pair of hands is welcome. That’s why the figure of the co-host has become extremely in demand and popular. Friends, family members or anyone you trust can lend a hand to the main host with the basic tasks of the vacation rental. But what is the real role of a co-host? How much money can an Airbnb co-host earn? How is the assignment of tasks done? These and many other questions we will try to answer in this comprehensive guide dedicated to Airbnb co-hosts.

What is an Airbnb co-host?

An Airbnb co-host assists the host of the rental property in the various tasks of organization, maintenance, welcoming guests in person and any other aspect related to the operation of the accommodation. The co-host is usually a trusted friend, family member or neighbor and usually acts alone, which differentiates him or her from a hosting team. It can also be a person you hire, such as a rental manager.

What are the responsibilities of a co-host?

Co-hosts have their own Airbnb account and have access to the advertised accommodation. Among their regular tasks, we will highlight the following:

Booking management

From the booking calendar, the co-host will be able to view, update and edit the bookings of the property, and also to accept bookings in case you don’t have instant booking activated.

Did you know that you can also share your Smoobu account with your co-hosts? Our channel manager allows you to create assistant accounts for all the people who participate in helping you with vacation rental. It’s the safest way to share information and keep everyone informed without having to share passwords and private credentials.

Improve the relationship with guests

Many co-hosts, due to vacation rental owners being temporarily away or living far away, are in charge of managing the arrival process, communication with guests, extra activities and departures.

It is good to have a co-host present or close to the location of the vacation home, as guests can receive immediate assistance in case of problems and the co-host can better oversee professional housekeeping and other basic tasks prior to the arrival of the next guests. The co-host will serve as the emergency contact person.

Manage comments and reviews in the advertisements

Whether the co-host has dealt with guests in person or interacted with them online is an important factor in evaluating guests. They will know first-hand how the stay went, if there were any mishaps or misunderstandings and the condition of the property after check-out.

Edit the listings on the platform

It is very important not to have an outdated listing online. The co-hosts also have access to the listings and can be in charge of updating them according to the season, ordering professional photos and uploading them, adjusting the prices per stay and, in short, making it the perfect Airbnb in the eyes of travelers.

The limitations of co-hosting

Although co-hosting services take over almost all of the vacation rental management, they will not be able to access sensitive data of the main host, such as their bank details and other figures related to the taxation of the property.

This limitation is important, because although the co-host may be a chosen person of trust, they can also be an independent property manager or a person hired for the job.

How to assign a co-host on Airbnb?

In order to invite a co-host, you simply need to enter their email address and send them an invitation from your account under the “Co-hosts” tab. You will also be able to remove access to the person from this same place.

How much do I have to pay the co-host?

This question is undoubtedly the most repeated among hosts and those interested in co-hosting: how much money do you charge for it?

It all depends on the bookings you receive! The platform itself allows you to automatically charge a percentage of the reservation. From the “Payments & Collections” section of your host account you can select the percentage you wish to share with your co-host each time a booking occurs. In the “Payment Details” you simply add the co-host’s payment method.

The percentage that a professional property manager acting as a co-host usually takes is between 10-20% per booking, more if the person responsible for the booking performs more tasks.

However, there are cases of co-hosts who, because of family ties or friendship with the host, perform these tasks for little or no compensation.

Conclusion: more advantages than disadvantages

The figure of the co-host is popular for a very simple reason: the amount of benefits it brings to the rental business outweighs the small disadvantages it may have (for example, if it is a hired person).

Today, the guest travel experience has changed thanks in large part to the modernization and mechanization of stays; everything can now be done online and inorganically, but when problems arise it is the human side that often gets the praise. The role of the co-host not only embodies the host’s right-hand man and helps them share the tasks of an increasingly demanding business, but brings an added humanity, reassurance and professionalism to the guest experience, which will translate into a 5-star rating for the accommodation.

Did you know that you can also share your Smoobu account with your co-hosts? In our channel manager, you can set up shared accounts with different write permissions for you and your co-hosts. This way you can share the information you need in a secure way and keep everyone up to date without having to share passwords or private credentials.

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