How to rent a home for short periods: best websites and commissions to pay

If we have a house or a free apartment that we would like to rent for short periods, which is the best online platform to make a profit? A brief guide to the main online players of short rents, their main features and commission costs to be paid by the owner. Furthermore: a small handbook with all the duties of a host (taxes, permits, contracts).

Airbnb

Main features.
Great presence in the field of short online rentals and ease of use of the platform.

Costs and useful information.
Commissions: according to external sources commissions vary from 3 to 5% depending on the terms of cancellations chosen for reservations. Airbnb has in fact three options: flexible if the guest cancels within 24 hours, moderated when the guest can cancel 7 days before and get 50% of the booking, rigid when the guest must cancel 30 days before to get back the 50 % of the cost of the reservation.

 

Homeaway

Main features.
Visibility abroad (with peaks in the USA) thanks to the platform, to its partners present all over the world and specialized in holiday homes.

Costs and useful information.
The Homeaway commission is del 5%.

TripAdvisor

Main features.
High reputation of the site (especially in Italy and Europe) and authority due to the large number of reviews. Moreover, whoever uploads his holiday residence on TripAdvisor will also be visible on partner platforms such as Holiday Lettings, FlipKey and Niumba.

Costs and useful information.
The TripAdvisor commission is 3%.

 

Booking.com

Main features.
Google positioning sees Booking always among the first places in research for all that concerns holidays, thanks to the huge number of bookings made (more than 1.5 million overnight stays per day worldwide)

Costs and useful information.
The commission is probably among the highest in the sector: even if there is no fixed percentage (depending on several variables, including the region of residence) the cost for the owner would be 10% and more – according to several reports not linked to Booking.

 

Casevancanza.it

Main features.
Casevacanza is an Italian portal that has made itself known for a short time but that offers a vast choice, with b&b, single rooms and also campsites. To your advantage: a responsive site and a good user comfort stated by its hosts.

Costs and useful information.
The costs of casevacanze.it include the 3% commission (+ VAT) and an annual fee of 5 euros..

 

Duties of a host: taxes, permits, contracts (and not only)

We also enclose a brief vademecum: to get an idea of ​​the charges that belong to the owner of a property that decides to rent it for a short period, Airbnb has provided a comprehensive guide that we invite you to consult and that includes:

  • National taxes (personal income tax; rental income tax).
  • General regulations and permits (including: guest registration; contract stipulation; contractual agreements and permits; mortgage limitations; subsidized housing restrictions).
  • Indications and advice on safety measures (including: medical supplies; fire prevention).

Target Point, Italian Ideas