Host experiences with guests not familiar with renter agreements

Hi, I am a new host and have used OR for virtually all of the time our listing has been active. I know of a few hosts who require renter agreements, and there is a lot of discussion about them, so they seem common for OR hosts. We are listing on Airbnb, VRBO, and direct. Almost all guests so far are from Airbnb.

I expected some guests to question why we have a renter agreement, although it has been more frequent than I assumed. I am wondering if this depends on the market or if it is common for other hosts.

What fraction of guests do other hosts see who specifically message about the renter agreement before signing?

We have been firm to keep as a requirement so far. I am wordsmithing a reply to cover key points. What points seem to be most effective to satisfy concerns?

Thanks!

Congrats on being a host! I know you're looking for the perspective of other owners as well, and I wanted to mention a couple of Airbnb support articles relating to guests signing Renter Agreements that may be helpful for you

1. https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/465 - you could send this link to the Airbnb guest support article to guests who inquire about why you have a separate Renter Agreement. 
   Some Hosts ask guests to sign contracts or rental agreements. This is so the Host can legally enforce certain rules protecting themselves and their property. You should be made aware of this requirement before you book. The Host must prominently disclose the actual terms in their listing description. If you have questions about the contract, you can discuss it with the Host. You’re not obliged to sign anything. If a Host tells you about an additional contract after you’ve made a booking request, you should review the contract within 48 hours of receipt of the full terms. If you are not comfortable with it, you can decline to sign it and ask your Host to cancel your reservation without a cancellation penalty.
   
   
2. https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2824 - this is an Airbnb host article
   As a Host, you can ask guests to sign a contract before staying at your place, but you must disclose the actual contract terms in your listing description. In addition, you must include the full terms in your message thread with the guest. If you fail to disclose the actual terms of the contract prior to booking, a guest can decline to sign it after making a booking request and ask you to cancel the reservation for a full refund. Keep in mind, Airbnb can’t help enforce any special policies in your contract.

We recommend your house rules include the requirement of signing a Renter Agreement that will be sent immediately after booking, and must be signed within [time period of your choosing, usually 48-72 hours] otherwise the booking will be canceled.

Suzee,

Thanks for sending these. I looked for Airbnb forum articles but did not see these. The guest article would be a great resource.

The host article seems less helpful. I do include this language in house rules, but it's not clear what they mean to "disclose the actual terms" in the listing or message thread? I wouldn't expect the full text of the renter agreement to be added to the house rules, but the agreement would comprise some of the "terms". This isn't a big concern since I would generally be flexible with cancellations in this case.

Cory