Calling London hosts

[John498]

Is it really quiet on AIRBNB? I am not sure if it is a new year hangover but I am getting no enquiries and no bookings. There was a time when a lot of people were booking on the day. Now I feel like I am running Bates Motel in the film Psycho.

I really want to send an email to AIRbnb and saying " Dear hosting platform, 78% of other sites are getting more income than you as they have heavily promoted hosts and reduced commission in order to generate revenue. You might want to do the same so your income goes up.. etc"

I have been reducing prices the day before very reluctantly and still have no interest. There is a certain level of course below which I will not rent my place as it would attarct the wrong crowd sad to say. But my main question is, "am I alone in experiencing zero interest or is someone sharing my pain?"

[Sheila146]

@John498

Hi John,

I have experienced similar here in Vienna, and have heard the same from other hosts here.  In our case I think our city is reaching saturation point.  I agree about reluctance to lower prices, it is playing the short game, but I am appalled at what I am seeing other hosts charge in February in my somewhat expensive city -- literally 22€ per night for an apartment around the corner from my listing which is very close to the historic center.  I try to hold at a 55€ minimum, or 50 at the least for 2 guests.  Obviously most of us can't stay in business at 22€.  I am also wondering if some fat cat reale state magnate is trying to drive the prices down to put others out of business.  I do agree that airbnb might want to re-consider this endless encouragement to lower our prices, AND consider dropping their commission which totals around 21 to 22%.  But they are the billionaires, not us. (Unless you, John, are a billionaire who just hosts for the fun of it.)

Sheila

[Marzena4]

At this moment (as of January), it is for sure low season for bookings, @John498 @Sheila146. To keep guests coming prices must go down because competition is harsh. And when I look at the map here, on Airbnb, or on booking.com, it leaves me speechless when I see how many other places there are around...

[John498]

@Marzena4@Sheila146Thanks for both your replies. Marzena, I hope there is not a race to the bottom. It is all very well lowering prices but there are levels where honestly I would prefer to have my places empty as strange as it sounds. In terms of other places I too survey the competition but you can always see a lot of them are not what they appear. Like they are part of a chain. Or the availability is non-existent or the host is minimally interactive or has poor reviews. That is what I experience in Camden at at any rate.

Some people are stretched financially it's true but a market place will always have a segment where people have a desire and ability to pay more for more. Sheila's figures are horrifying. To charge 20% commission is well out of sync with competitors.

Their marketing tools about discounts, special offers etc seem more about them than us hosts. And the way they are structured you can't be sure they work anyway. I am thinking of alternatives if AIrbnb doesn't buck up its ideas honestly.

[Gordon0]

I'm in Chiswick and have noticed a downturn too. However, I remember thinking the same last year and - like always - it picked up. I'm lucky enough to have a few 'regulars', one of whom stays four nights a month. This helps my Airbnb profile tick over.  

I turned down a few days ago (smoker wanted to book and that's a no for me) as I won't lower my standards in desperation. 

[John498]

@Gordon0Hi Gordon, I know what you are saying but this feels like more than confirmation bias on my behalf. Airbnb in my experience is admittedly getting a lot more of short-notice guests who don't pre-plan but even still although it is quiet now after the holidays, the the prepared segment of the market should be looking at February, Easter and early May. In the last 6 weeks I have had hardly any or no advance bookings.

Smokers are out for me too. I would not accept any smoking even in my building. Ewww!

[John498]

@Gordon0Have things picked up Gordon? Every host I know including myself have said that bookings are almost non-existent! Even with chinese new year and Valentine's day I am not reeling anything in.

[John498]

 Have things picked up Gordon? Every host I know including myself have said that bookings are almost non-existent! Even with chinese new year and Valentine's day I am not reeling anything in.

[Gordon0]

I've had a few bookings, @John498, but it certainly feels a little quieter than last year. I've got a month-long booking in March (the next-door neighbour's parents) so that blocks off a lot of my availability. 

Need toget busy if I'm to pay for the bext holiday!

[Bryan10]

It's pretty quiet for me too. I'm out near Heathrow so I often get guests staying one-night and booking at the last minute, needing to sleep near the airport, but I've only had 4 so far this year. I think it's down to the high number of hosts compared to previous years, and people undercutting each other, or 'race to the bottom' as John said. I'm not sure what the solution is, maybe I could move on to renting out my spare room on a semi-permanent basis through another platform. Let's see what the spring brings....

[Lyn-and-Gavin0]

Hi @John498 I am in Leytonstone on the Central Line, I have been hosting for four years solely on air bnb.  I pretty much fill most of the nights for my ( 2 seperate listings for) two private rooms in my home for every month that I want to host.  There's the odd gap as I do a min of two or three night stays but I pretty much run at about 95% for each of my rooms.  Historically Jan and Feb are the quieter months in terms of demand.  However Since Mid- December this is the slowest I have ever been.  I have  hardly had any New bookings since Christmas and I am concerned as there are NO bookings for March and just some returning guests in April.  I have never had such few reservations on the books for future months.   My rates are now at their lowest that I am prepared to go to and I will not reduce them to price tips levels as even when I was fully booked - I never had to go as low as they suggested.  I have noticed that a lot of hosts are gradually migrating to Bookings dot com, I am now looking at listing on there too.  Such a shame as I do like air bnb.  There's a lot of new competition out there - hundred rooms, under the doormat etc .  I avidly read this forum just to pick up tips and suggestions and I have to say I have seen a big increase in guests posts and sadly so many potential guests (newbie's) complain about being let down (cancelled, messed around and scammed) by hosts/fake hosts.  Maybe confidence is being undermined.  I don't know the answer, but I just wanted to let you know that I am concerned for the first time in 4 years.

[Gordon0]

I have to admit to start considering BDC too, but they're site isn't nearly (IMO) as smart as Airbnb. Additonally, when I did try to register, they called me to ask if there was a lock on my rental room (they're not) as this is a requirement from all accounts.

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@John498

In London off season you can now get a nice 4*  hotel for the same price as a one bed flat. We have had two sets of friends in London both for 4 days over the past two weeks and the flats were less affordable than very nice boutique style hotels - and they preferred them due to the certainty around check in, guaranteed cleanliness, staff on site, etc...