Hosted By The Webers

Welcome to the evolution of your short term rental experience. 

We are so excited to support you and your guests through Hosted by the Webers, we are the co-hosts who care. 

We partner with vacation rental homeowners to help them make the most of their investment while providing their guests with an experience that makes them want to rebook and refer.

The next several pages outline what it looks like to work with our company. This information is crucial for you to understand how we operate to support you and your guests so please take time to review and always refer back to this!

Let’s dive in!

Our Role and Responsibilities:

We believe in the value of setting clear expectations so this section is simply designed to remind you what we do for your listing. 

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 Hosting Services

  • Listing optimization - bi-monthly
  • Dynamic personalized rate setting
  • Guest communication (before, during, and after their stay)
  • Screening guests
  • Obtaining reviews
  • Handling deposits
  • Multi-calendar coordination
  • Detailed guidebook

Management Services

  • Supply management and ordering
  • Coordination of landscape services
  • Coordination of repair and maintenance services
  • Cleaning coordination
  • Coordination of improvements and contractor services as needed

*We prefer that our clients allow us to make decisions about services needed up to $300. Beyond that, we will confirm with you before proceeding.

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Physical Property Setup & Required Items:

Unless we’ve agreed otherwise, it is up to you to get the property physically set up. We can support with scheduling photos and if we are able to be on site for those, we will be.

 

We do have a list of required items that make the guest experience that much better!

 

Guest Access:

  • Schlage Encode Lock on front door and back door (if applicable)
    • This is the best lock that integrates with our PMS, has the least issues for guest use, and has the best battery life.
  • Lockbox mounted to front or back door
    • You will need to install a lockbox to put the backup keys for the locks. We suggest making 2 copies of keys so you will have 3 total sets. One for you, one for the lockbox, and one for local area contact.
  • Locked supply closet
    • You will need a locked supply closet to store supplies and backup linens. We recommend this door knob if your property allows.   

Saftey

One of our priorities is to ensure guests are staying in a safe environment. Below is a list of items we require at all properties:

  • Fire extinguisher ideally mounted in kitchen
  • If you have a firepit, you will need to supply a hose for a spigot on the outside of your home that guests can use to extinguish the fire
  • Hot tub safety sign or pool sign – if you have these items, rules need to be posted for usage.
  • Two flashlights stored in kitchen
  • First aid kit under kitchen sink
  • If you have a grill, we need specific instructions for guests on how to use. The safest option is an electric grill if possible.
  • Carbon monoxide detectors

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*NOTE: Not required, but strongly recommended: fire escape ladders for any upstairs bedrooms.

 

Linens and Towels:

  • In order for the cleaning team to do their job, we must have the following:
  • (2) Two full sets of linens for every bed including:
  • Mattress protector (ideally bed bug protectant), fitted sheet, flat sheet, duvet cover (we prefer duvets to quilts and NO comforters),
  • Every single pillow (standard or king size) must have a pillow protector. A handful of backups of each size are always a good idea
  • (2) Two towels for every guest the property sleeps (8 guests = 16 towels)
  • 3) Three washcloths for every guest the property sleeps (8 guests = 24 washcloths)
  • (2) Hand towels for every sink (double vanity = 4 hand towels)
  • (10) kitchen towels
  • (2) Bath mats for every shower/bath area
  • Throw blankets for outside are a nice touch

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*Note: We prefer white bedding and grey towels. If you do choose to use white towels, please purchase makeup removal washcloths

 

Kitchen:

  • Fully stocked coffee bar – ground coffee and/or K-Cups, individual creamer, individual sugar packets, tea bags
    • Optional extras: stir sticks, to go coffee cups
  • All essential cooking and baking items
    • Consider your guest count. Do you have pots and pans large enough to cook for the number of people your home sleeps
  • Dishes and glassware for all guests to enjoy – if you sleep 12, you should have at least 12 plates, bowls, cups, wine glasses, mugs, sets of silverware
  • If you are family friendly, consider kid friendly plates, cups, silverware
  • If you have outdoor dining, consider plastic or non-breakable dish ware for outdoor use
  • If you have a hot tub, consider plastic wine glasses (your guests are going to drink in the hot tub no matter what the rules say)
  • Brita Water Filter if refrigerator doesn’t have this built in

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*NOTE: We do not keep condiments in the fridge, anything left behind will be tossed

 

Cleaning Essentials:

Most cleaning teams will provide their own supplies (except laundry supplies), but we require supplies on site for guest use also.

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  • Laundry supplies: Detergent (pods are fine for guests, but we want detergent for cleaners), softener, white bright, Not Your Grandma’s Stain Remover
  • Antibacterial surface cleaner
  • Glass cleaner
  • Rug / carpet cleaner
  • Vacuum
  • Broom and dust pan
  • Swifter Wet Jet is a good idea, but not required

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*NOTE: If you have a special kind of cleaner you would like used on surfaces such as countertops or floors, you will need to provide this for cleaners

 

Other supplies we leave out for guests:

  • Dishwasher pods or powder
  • Plenty of trash bags for their stay
  • Hand soap at every sink (have refills of this in supply closet)
  • Shampoo, conditioner, body wash in every shower (have refills of these in supply closet, we love Public Goods)
  • Q-tips and cotton rounds

 

Not required, but strongly recommended:

Family-Friendly Items:

  • High chair
  • Pack and play with sheets
  • Kids dishware and cups
  • Non-choking hazard toys
  • Books

 

Pet-Friendly Items:

  • Doggie bags
  • Medium or large dog leash
  • Dog specific towels for wet paws
  • Dog specific blankets – even if

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*NOTE: We prefer to only host dogs and if you are going to do so, we recommend the following:

 

Guest Extras:

  • 4-6 board games or card games
  • Did you forget it basket items to go in vanities under sinks: makeup remover wipes, feminine products, hair ties, individually wrapped toothbrushes, floss picks
  • Hairdryer
  • Individually packaged snacks like popcorn
  • S’mores sticks or hot dog sticks if you have a firepit
  • Beach towels specifically if you have a pool or hot tub (or are near a lake or river)
  • Koozies with your house name on them (or we can order our branded Koozies)
  • White noise machines

 

Here's A full list of our favorite items

GRAB THE LIST

Listing Setup

If your property is an existing STR:

Since this home is currently listed on Airbnb and/or VRBO, the seller (or current property management company) will need to cancel existing bookings and DELETE the listing prior to it going live. We will need confirmation of this and ideally this happens on closing day.

 

Reasons for this:

  1. Airbnb could flag the address as being under multiple accounts or a duplicate listing.
  2. If you are planning to change any of the design and update photos, we want to put our best foot forward right out of the gate as Airbnb will heavily promote your listing in its algorithm for the first two weeks after hitting “publish”

 

In order for us to successfully list your recently purchased property under your Airbnb & VRBO account account, follow these steps:

  1. Sellers need to contact all existing reservations to let guests know they need to cancel their reservations for a full refund. Ideally the seller will text these guests with the new owner (you).
    • “Hey (Guest Name). I hope you’re doing well. You have an upcoming reservation at (property name and location) on (dates) and I wanted to let you know we will be selling this property prior to that time. The new owner, (Name), is happy to host your stay, but you will need to contact them to rebook. Their number is (fill this in). At this time, you will need to cancel the reservation on your end and I will issue a full refund. Thank you so much!”
  2. Those guests can contact you as the new owner or can contact us directly at (TEAM NUMBER). We will ONLY host guests if a home is 100% guest ready and we will not rush this process. We have to have cleaners and handymen in place as well as our tech setup and the physical property needs to be ready. If we are not prepared, this will hurt the guest experience and 5⭐️ reviews are essential off the bat.
  3. Before we hit “go live” we will contact the guest to let them know they will need to rebook right away if they still would like to stay.‍

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*IMPORTANT TO NOTE: Rates may be different than they originally booked. We use dynamic pricing so that our owners stay competitive in the market and rates adjust based on seasonality and demand. Bottom line: we want to ensure that if your rates are $500/night, you are not taking on reservations that were booked at $200/night.

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If your property is a new STR:

The property will need to be fully staged and guest ready so that we can coordinate photography (or you may be handling this).

 

Our Steps:

  1. We look for trusted vendors in your area that will be essential to the success of your rental
  2. We start writing your listing description after we have your onboarding form
  3. We list your property on Airbnb
  4. We connect Hospitable to set up messaging
  5. We connect Pricelabs (this connection can take several hours to go into effect)
  6. We set up VRBO a few days after Airbnb and other integrations are complete and function as they should be

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*NOTE: We will let you know when your property is live and ready for your review. Please do not go into your account to review it until you hear from us. This process typically takes 2-3 weeks.

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Communication Preferences

For guests, our team is available 7 days per week from 8am – 10pm EST. We do not currently have overnight coverage and it is unlikely that we will add this anytime in the near future. Emergency instructions will be left in a guidebook for your property.

 

We have an average response time of less than 5 minutes, but we guarantee that messages will be responded to within 30 minutes between 8am – 10pm EST.

 

Please note: Because your listings are under you, guests will have access to your direct phone number. It is possible that you will sometimes receive calls – you can redirect them to our team at 765-703-5154.

 

For our property owners, we are available by text at 765-703-5154, Monday – Friday from 9am – 5pm EST. Outside of these times, you are welcome to email us or text and we will respond the following business day. If there is an emergency outside of these hours, we will of course be in touch.

 

Important Notes:

 

Because you own your listing, you will have the ability to read all guest communication. We request that you trust us to do the job you hired us to do. (Yes, this is me kindly asking you to not micromanage our responses). We’ve carefully crafted how we communicate with guests keeping thoughtful hospitality in mind.

 

You will receive a monthly email with important updates and reports when your invoices are sent out.

Cleaning and Maintenance

This is by far the most challenging part of this business (but also the most essential).

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Cleaners have an impossible job to get an entire property turned (with laundry) in usually less than 3 hours. Good and honest maintenance vendors can be difficult to come by.

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Thankfully, we have developed a specific interview process that allows us to find vendors that can fit our needs and then we allow them time to prove that to us.

 

They are human, mistakes will happen, and we will work through them. We create incredibly detailed and property-specific checklists for our cleaners and they will be required to submit photos and videos with each turn.

 

Cleaners will also know that they need to report and document any damage. They also help us track inventory for supply restocking.

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Setting realistic expectations

The cleaning team does their best to ensure items are put back where they belong, but please know guests move things around as they use them during their stay. We are of the belief that as long as guests come into a clean, tidy space - they won’t know that you had plates in that specific cabinet or that your throw pillows belong on that couch, not the other. 

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*NOTE This is something as a property owner myself, we had to let go of. 

 

We work to handle maintenance issues quickly and we try to be as proactive as possible.

 

All homes are required to have a bi-annual maintenance check. A complete list of what’s included in that can be found here. Rates are dependent on your area and property and will be communicated with you.

 

If you have specific needs that you’d like to have checked / addressed, please let us know.

FAQs and Other Important Notes

How quickly will you respond to guests?

On average, less than 5 minutes, but please allow our team up to 60 minutes. Please DO NOT reply to guests – this is the job you are paying us to do. The only exception to this is if something urgent has happened and you cannot get a hold of us for whatever reason.

Do you check cameras and/or noise/smoke sensors?

Unless we have a reason to check cameras, we do not actively look at these every time a guest checks in at every property. If you have Ring cameras, you will need to pay for the subscription so that we can go back and review footage if needed. You’ll need to invite hello@hostedbythewebers.com as a user.

Since we are a true co-host and you own your accounts for the items in your home, we do not check noise and smoke sensors – this would be impossible for us with multiple properties. You are welcome to reach out to us if they detect suspicious activity.

What’s the best way to get in touch with you?

Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm via TEXT at 765-703-5154. You are also welcome to email.

In emergency situations, you may call me directly at 317-431-8968 but please use this only for true emergencies.

We are happy to arrange phone call meetings as requested.

What if someone brings a service animal to my home?

Every short term rental is legally required to host service animals AND guests do not have to disclose that they are bringing a service animal.

We also cannot charge extra fees for them. 

Here is our response if we discover a guest has brought a service animal or is requesting to do so:

It is our pleasure to accept your group and your service dog. 

This is the information we send to guests requesting stays with service animals 🐶 ⬇️⬇️

Please answer the following questions legally allowed by the ADA and Airbnb regarding your service dog. 

1. Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform? 

We do not charge extra for a service dog, nor do we charge a security deposit. Guest remain liable for any and all damage caused by people or dog.

Under the ADA, service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls. 

*The animal must be under control of the handler at all times therefore never left alone at any time.*

All waste must be properly disposed of and indoor piddle pads are not allowed. 

We can ask you to remove your assistance animal and or leave for excessive barking, aggressive or damaging behavior or obvious lack of sanitation.

Please keep your assistance animal off of the counters and furniture. 

If we discover a guest has misrepresented a pet as a service animal, we reserve the right to seek financial restitution, report fraudulent claims to government authorities and to evict the guest(s) without further notice. In the latter case, there will be no right to a refund for unused Airbnb monies/fees.

What happens if there is a party?

Let’s all cross our fingers that this doesn’t happen, however if it does, we will give the guest a chance to shut it down and we will contact Airbnb immediately. Local law enforcement would be a last resort and again, hopefully not something we have to deal with.

How do you vet guests?

We do typically have instant book turned on for our properties with guests who have a “good track record” however, Airbnb has recently updated their policy for guest reviews and they actually “fall off” after a certain period of time.

Typically, if the guest is new to the platform OR has anything less than 5 stars, we ask what is bringing them to the area and ask follow ups as needed.

Do you look at the cleaning team photos and videos after every single turn and can I have access to it?

When we first onboard a property and/or are working with a new cleaner, we will check these for the first few turns. 

Then we move to a spot checking or as needed basis. 

At this time, we do not look at cleaning photos after every single turn at every single property. We will track and handle supply restocking and maintenance needs. 

How do you handle damages?

We file claims through Aircover as needed, but please note that these do go to the guest first. So if it’s a situation where the guest may feel we are accusing them of stealing, we decide what makes most sense in the situation.

If this is something you are concerned about, you could look into damage protection like Waivo.

Who goes and checks on the property?

Typically, a runner or cleaning team – we do this before big events or seasons, sometimes this is a monthly process just depending on the time of year.
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These team members have checklists they go through per property.

Do you provide rental agreements or damage protection?

A rental agreement is not something we currently issue to our guests

What We Need From You

  1. Fill out your onboarding form
    • I know it’s lengthy, but we cannot go live until we have the information we need to set you, your guests, and us up for success! Please take time to do this. 
  1. Photos of property and ideally a video walkthrough tour
    • If you’re coordinating photos yourself, please share them in the Google Drive folder you will have access to. If we are not visiting on site, we will need detailed videos of each room of the property showing where items are located including supply closets, main water shut off, breaker box, etc. 
  1. Trust and communication
    • We are absolutely open to feedback and welcome your thoughts! Transparently, we don’t love being micromanaged (who does?). We run an efficient, heart-centered business and that shines when we are trusted to do our job. Again, we know there is always room for growth, which is why we value feedback. 

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