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Airbnb - central heating control: how to handle your Airbnb's bills in the winter
2022 has been quite a challenge in terms of gas and electricity bills surge, for everyone in the UK - Airbnb hosts included. In the past, it’s been an inconvenient nuisance if the guest left the heating on 24/7 - but after the price hike in October 2022, such an issue is now a serious problem. How do you balance being a great host with being realistic about the heating bills? Should you leave the temperature control in the hands of the guest?
Read on, as we figure out the best ways to tackle the heating bills hike for Airbnb hosts in 2022/2023.
One extra post for you: 5 Short-Term Rental Strategies to help you fight inflation and the economic downturn
Fair usage clause
A basic way to ensure your guests are aware of heat management is to include a “fair usage” term in your short-term rental agreement. It is, of course, a given, that the heating is included for any short-term stay, but with some extreme heat-loving guests setting up the temperature in the property to 30 degrees C and leaving the windows open for the whole day, this clause just might save your revenue for the stay.
Quick break
Before we continue, just to introduce ourselves.
We’re KeyNest and we help Airbnb hosts save money on their check-ins and key exchange with guests and contractors. If you’re keen to give a try to less-time consuming solution than the meet and greet or want something more transparent and safe than key safe (=key lockbox), find out how we can help you here. Our plans start at £5.95.
Back to the heating tips for your Airbnb:
Remote thermostat control
Ask any experienced Airbnb host and they will tell you - never give guests full control over the thermostat in your property. A smart energy meter and some kind of app that allows you to set the default hours for “colder” temperatures for the time when the guests are out exploring (usually between 11 AM and 5 PM) and warmer for mornings and evenings, is a basic setup for any host.
It’s also useful to be able to remotely switch off the heating during the days when the property is empty in between bookings or after the cleaner is done for the day.
What if a guest feels cold? That’s when some useful tech solutions come to play. Certain products offer a “boost” remote that is placed in the property and allows the guest to increase the temperature inside the property for 1 hour - and can be used whenever there’s a need for it.
Some of the most popular choices by Airbnb hosts in the UK:
Nest Learning Thermostat - Google’s device that looks very sleek and learns when to lower the temperature thanks to its motion detectors. It can also be used to control the water heater and automatically switch off the boiler during void periods.
Inspire Thermostat - has an additional feature that connects with your booking system and automatically lowers the heating during void periods.
Install insulation-supporting curtains (thermal curtains)
Besides the heating itself, it’s worth looking into setting up solutions inside the property, that would help you to keep the temperature pleasant throughout the year. Let’s be realistic, not everybody has the budget and time to invest in new property insulation, but there are plenty of small improvements that don’t cost the bank but will definitely make heating-related costs lower.
One of these improvements is related to keeping the heat or cold inside the house. The thick, thermal insulated curtains are reasonably priced and can have a huge impact on your bills. Couple of points to keep in mind:
Make sure you buy insulated curtains (not just any curtains) - usually they are made of cotton flannel or polyester. This is the material that works best to keep the cold out.
Measure the curtains well - for them to work, they should cover the window at least by 50% on each side. Ideally - they should go from wall to wall.
Ideally, add blinds as well as curtains, for added insulation - but also for guests’ comfort (the blackout blinds are great for guests with jetlag)
Some of the online shops offering a good choice of thermal curtains:
Buy extra blankets
This tip seems obvious but could help the guests feel more comfortable at night and keep the heating lower. Extra blankets - if maintained well and high quality - give a comfortable, warm feel to the bedroom and create enough warmth to keep the temperature low at night.
Become an affiliate and make money off commissions to cover the cost of winter bills
This one was suggested by Tommy G. from the “Serviced Accommodation Network UK” group.
Become an affiliate for your energy supplier, or any other company that could be useful for your guests. You could even recommend local tours or attraction via an affiliate link in order to make some additional money.
Whatever you manage to make off the affiliate scheme, put in your “winter bills” money pot. Every penny counts.