No matter how much you try to be there for your guests, there will be times when a request catches you at a bad time. Maybe you live far from your property, are on vacation yourself, or are caught up in other tasks when you get that notification that requires you to drop everything and go to your Airbnb.Too bad you can’t have anyone help you with running your rental on Airbnb—or can you? Yes, you can! Airbnb allows vacation rental owners to have a co-host to assist them in taking care of their home and guests, so the responsibility of always being available for guests doesn’t fall entirely on one person.

While this is a great setup for many Airbnb hosts, it’s important to set the rules right from the start. If you plan on adding a co-host to your Airbnb listing, you’ll want to have a solid Airbnb co-host agreement in place. Here’s why—and how to create your own Airbnb co-host contract with ease!

Don't see the form to download our Airbnb Co-Host Agreement Template? Click here.

What is an Airbnb co-host?

An Airbnb co-host is a family member, neighbor, trusted friend, or someone hired by the owner to help them manage their rental and guests. They can act as the primary host of a stay or as an assistant of sorts who can jump in when the main host needs help.This means that you’re free to define how you work with a co-host to manage your Airbnb property effectively. Some of their responsibilities might include:

• Handling guest communications
• Coordinating check-ins and check-outs
• Managing cleaning and maintenance tasks
• Solving urgent issues during stays

Should you add an Airbnb co-host?

Adding a co-host to your Airbnb might be a wise decision if you’re finding it challenging to manage the daily obligations of your rental, especially if you have multiple listings or if you’re unable to be physically present near your property.By default, the listing owner is considered the primary host of the Airbnb. If that’s you, don’t worry—you can add up to 10 co-hosts per listing and designate one of them as the primary host for the entire stay. That means that the co-host can also act as the sole point of contact and host for specific reservations.

What about hosting teams?

If you prefer to be totally hands-off, you might benefit more from a hosting team. However, even if you choose that option, you’ll still want to have an Airbnb co-hosting contract in place—more on that in just a bit.A hosting team manages both the online listing and guests for an owner and is often made up of a business or group with whom the owner has a contract. They will also be shown as the primary hosts of a listing because they own and manage the full Airbnb account on behalf of the owner.Hosting teams also tend to have more permissions to perform in-depth functions, such as accessing transactions and payment history, because they have a larger role in running the Airbnb than a co-host. A co-host only has a limited set of permissions from the owner and oftentimes does not have access to transactions.As a vacation rental host on Airbnb, you can choose an option for sharing hosting responsibility that works for you. It all depends on how much control you want to give to your partner.

Why you need an Airbnb co-host contract

It’s important to view co-hosting as a separate job or role within your vacation rental business, and every job should have a written and signed contractual agreement to go along with it. Your Airbnb co-hosting agreement should explicitly state and outline the responsibilities of the job, along with payment structures, expenses, liabilities, and any other additional details of your vacation rental.Ultimately, like any contract or agreement in the business world, your Airbnb co-host agreement offers peace of mind and legal security to both the owner and the co-host because all of the details are in print. Neither party needs to worry about someone screwing the other one over because the Airbnb co-hosting contract outlines expectations and how to hold people responsible if those expectations aren’t met.A well-written and legally binding Airbnb co-host contract also protects your vacation rental property from being neglected because it can get care from more than one person. It can also help your business get the best ratings and bookings if guests feel catered to and if the host is always available.

The bottom line? Co-hosts are valuable assets to a rental business, but you can only utilize them successfully with a contract. Protect yourself, your business, and your co-host through the use of a co-host agreement.

What your Airbnb co-host contract should include

As mentioned earlier, it’s important to have all of the terms laid out in writing about what is expected from the co-host, how the work is divided, what each party is being paid, etc. Writing this out in a co-hosting contract can help you avoid misunderstandings and management problems during a stay.After all, a co-host is supposed to make running your vacation rental business easier and not cause more bumps in the road. So, ensure the co-host contract is airtight and covers everything.

The parties involved

First off, the agreement should explicitly state who is the property owner, the co-host, and the point of contact, as well as the property address.

Hosting responsibilities

As a host, you should know what you want to take care of and what you want to pass off to someone else. You should also decide if the co-host is going to be actively working during each stay or if they are just going to be occasionally taking over as the primary host if you are away or busy yourself.There are some things that cannot be managed fully by the co-host, such as payment and transaction history and taxes, so be sure to mention that as well in order to not confuse roles. It should be clear who is the host and who is the co-host to ensure fair treatment and a fair agreement.

Earnings

If someone is helping you with your business and taking some of the responsibilities off your back, then they should receive compensation for their work. Of course, the amount of compensation is adjusted to fit the decided-upon workload of host and co-host responsibilities.If you decide that the co-host is just there to help with some of the welcoming and cleaning work, then maybe you can split the profits 30/70%. If you want the co-host to completely take over as primary host during a stay, then they might get to keep the entire revenue from that stay.It should also be written when payment will happen. Typically, both host and co-host payouts will be sent by the end of the business day after the guest’s scheduled check-in date. The earnings amount and payment time should be in writing on the agreement to make it clear when each party should expect to receive payment.

Expenses

When you get a utility bill, need home maintenance, or have to restock supplies, who is going to cover the costs?Ideally, payments for the vacation rental should be covered by rental revenue from hosting, but when the profits are split between more than one person, who does the responsibility fall on? Are the owners withholding money from the co-host each month to help pay for it, or should the responsibility fall on the property owner because the rental belongs to them?Expense payment needs to be discussed prior to welcoming guests with a co-host because no one wants to unfairly have to pay. The expenses should be proportional to the workload and how the profits are divided between the owner and the co-host.

Liability and safety

You can do all you can to prevent accidents from happening in your Airbnb, but accidents still happen. It’s important to know beforehand who holds responsibility for the accident when it occurs and how payment is handled if something needs to be fixed.Also, if you have vacation rental insurance, you should work out the coverage for each person, and if the payment falls on one of the hosts or the guests. Payment to the insurance company each month also needs to be worked out in the expenses portion of the agreement.To try to prevent accidents from happening, you should know what safety regulations are in place and who is responsible for checking and updating compliance measures in the rental unit. Your Airbnb co-host agreement needs to be airtight for all occurrences.

Sample Airbnb co-host agreement

Wondering what an Airbnb co-host contract actually looks like? Check out the first page of our Airbnb co-host agreement template below to get an idea.

FAQs about Airbnb co-host agreements

What is an agreement for Airbnb co-hosts?

An agreement for Airbnb co-hosts is a formal contract that outlines the roles, responsibilities, and terms of collaboration between a property owner and their co-host.

How much do Airbnb co-hosts get paid?

Airbnb co-hosts typically get paid a percentage of the booking revenue, which can range from 10% to 30%, depending on the co-host's responsibilities and the property's location. The exact payment terms are usually outlined in the co-host agreement.

What are the rules for co-hosting on Airbnb?

Co-hosts on Airbnb must adhere to the platform's guidelines, including maintaining accurate listings, ensuring guest safety, and providing prompt communication. They must also comply with any local laws and regulations related to short-term rentals.

Download our free Airbnb co-host agreement template

Hiring a co-host is one of the easiest ways to get some extra help with your Airbnb. But you can’t work with a co-host without a contract, so download our free Airbnb co-host contract template below!

Don't see the form to download our Airbnb Co-Host Contract Template? Click here.

Disclaimer: Lodgify is an Airbnb Preferred+ Software Partner. This guide, including any claims or statements within, is solely from Lodgify and is not endorsed by, directly affiliated with, authorized, or sponsored by Airbnb in any way.