HOST FAQS
GETTING STARTED
Bethnal Green 3
"I'm interested in hosting - where do I start?"
Head to the Hosting With Inn Town page for everything you need to know, then apply via the host application page when you're ready.
Once we've received your applie cation we will review it and be in touch via email re next steps .
Hoxton
"Can I list a room or does it have to be an entire home?"
Both - Inn Town works with entire homes and private rooms within a shared home.
Room rate with Inn Town means you are offering a private room and you will be living in the home either full time or part time alongside your guest.
Entire home means you will be away for the duration of the guest's stay and they therefore have the home to themselves.
Some hosts offer both options depending on their circumstances - this can be discussed at the time of your viewing
Bethnal Green 2
"What if I'm away during a guest's stay?"
If you are offering your entire home, being away is expected — your guest will have the home to themselves for the duration.
If you have listed a room rate and need to go away during the guest's stay, that is absolutely fine — you are welcome to live your life however you wish. However please note that Inn Town cannot retroactively charge an entire home rate for a stay that was booked as a room rate.
If you are away at the time of check in, you must arrange for a friend or family member to let the guest in, or organise a lockbox so they can access the home independently.
Harlsden
"How much can I charge for my home?"
Pricing is discussed with you directly based on your home, your area, and comparable Inn Town listings. We make suggestions - you make the final call.
Hosting with Inn Town is free and our fee is added on top of your rate on the guest side, so what we discuss with you is what you receive.
Rates are broken down into per night, per week and per month, depending on what you want to offer. Rates should decrease across the brackets, offering a discount for longer stays.
Inn Town is community driven. Our hosts choose us because they care about who stays in their home and are interested in being part of something more soulful. If your primary goal is income maximisation, we're likely not the right fit for you.
Newington Green
"Can I charge extra during busy periods?"
Inn Town does not operate dynamic pricing. We don't believe in charging more because demand is high - our guests are working creatives and keeping our pricing fair and predictable is part of how we look after our community.
If you feel your rate needs revisiting at any time on a more permanent basis - whether due to a lack of bookings, a rise in utilities, or a period of strong demand - please get in touch.
Rate changes are initiated by the host and can only be made every few months as updating rates across our systems and outreach materials takes time.
"Can I decline certain guests?"
Our direct booking system means you set your parameters upfront - who you are happy to host, minimum and maximum stay lengths, days needed between guests etc - and we book guests who fit those parameters and your availability directly on your behalf.
If a booking falls outside your parameters or is last minute we will always check with you first.
If you have an issue with a specific guest, please reach out to us and we can discuss next steps.
"How do I set my availability?"
Your availability is managed via a shared Google Calendar or iCal that you create and share with Inn Town. You will name it after your home as it appears on the Inn Town website. This calendar is private and only viewed by the Inn Town team.
You will enter your availability and unavailability in your calendar so the Inn Town team can clearly see. Without a calendar in place we cannot offer your home to guests. We will go through how to set it up in detail after your viewing.
"How long do guests usually stay for?”
Stays range from one night to six months with 2 weeks to 1 month being the most common.
As a host you set your own minimum and maximum night stay as part of your parameters, so you can offer whatever suits your home and lifestyle.
For stays of one month or more, Inn Town operates on a trial month basis - the guest stays for the first month and both host and guest has the first priority to extend if everything is going well. We call this a TBC extension, which gives both sides flexibility without committing upfront to a longer arrangement.
Hosts who prefer to offer longer stays without the trial month extension are welcome to do so, as are hosts who want to keep stays to one month only with no possibility of extension.
"How do you verify guests?"
Guests are verified either as individuals or through their agency or company representative.
Individuals provide a copy of their ID, a personal or professional website, and personal details including phone number and home address.
Agencies and companies provide their company registration number, professional website, and address. At the time of booking they provide the guest's full name and phone number.
Your Booking Confirmation will contain your guest's name, occupation, agency or company if applicable, and phone number so you know exactly who is coming through your door before they arrive.
BOOKINGS AND PAYMENTS
"When and how do I get paid?"
A deposit of £/€100 or $200AUD is sent to you via bank transfer upon your confirmation of receipt of the Booking Confirmation. Please confirm receipt as soon as possible, within 24 hours maximum. Your remaining hosting income is your agreed rate minus the deposit, paid in the following installments depending on the length of your guests stay:
Stays of less than a week: paid at the end of the guest's stay.
Stays of a week or more: paid at the end of each week starting at the end of the first seven days - so if a guest arrived on a Wednesday, the first payment would be the following Wednesday.
Monthly stays: paid weekly, in five installments as a calendar month has 4.3 weeks.
“What happens if a guest cancels?"
If a guest cancels for any reason the deposit is yours to keep regardless of when the cancellation occurs.
For cancellations made three or more business days before arrival: no further charges apply to the guest beyond the deposit.
For cancellations made less than three business days before arrival or during the stay: it is at your discretion whether to issue a refund of any kind. Inn Town will attempt to find a replacement guest to cover the remaining nights - if successful, those nights are automatically refunded to the guest minus our service fee and one night for changeover. Any nights we are unable to cover remain at your discretion.
Please note the cancellation window extends to one week during February and September for fashion week.
"What if I need to cancel a confirmed booking?"
Please contact us immediately - never contact the guest directly about a cancellation. Inn Town will always manage this on your behalf.
A £50 cancellation fee will be deducted from your next hosting payment for any cancellation after a booking has been confirmed. This includes cancellations resulting from a double booking due to your calendar not being updated accurately. After three cancellations within a twelve month period your hosting status will be re-evaluated.
We understand that life happens - if you are in a genuine emergency please contact us straight away and we will do everything we can to help.
DURING A STAY
"Who organises check in and key handover?"
Check in times and key handover are organised directly between you and your guest - Inn Town is not involved in this process. Your guest will have your contact details once they have paid in full and will be in touch to arrange a suitable arrival time. We suggest waiting until after the payment period has passed before making contact, as we do not share your details until full payment has been received.
Once a check in time has been agreed you are required to honour it. If you are unable to be there in person please arrange for keys to be left in a lockbox or with a friend or neighbour who can be there at the agreed time.
"What if the guest is unresponsive on the day of arrival?"
Please ensure you have tried multiple methods of contact - text, WhatsApp and call - as guests may not use the same apps as you. If you have tried all three and there is still no response, contact Inn Town and we will follow up with the guest on your behalf.
You are not expected to wait indefinitely for a guest that hasn’t made contact.
"What if I have an issue with my guest?"
For anything minor - not following house rules, a small disagreement - please try to work it out directly with your guest first, as you would with a flatmate. Most things can be resolved quickly with a straightforward conversation.
If things do not improve or the issue is more serious, please get in touch with Inn Town and we will discuss next steps. Please document any ongoing issues where possible - screenshots of communication and photographs where relevant - as this helps us help you.
Please note that Inn Town cannot get involved in personality clashes. We are here for issues that cannot be resolved directly and that fall within our remit to mediate.
"What if a guest damages something in my home?"
Please document any damage photographically and contact Inn Town immediately. Inn Town cannot process damage complaints without photographic evidence or that are raised retroactively.
We will discuss whether the damage amount is within the deposit - in which case it will be deducted from the guest's deposit - or whether further cleaning or repair is required and needs to be invoiced for separately, in which case the guest or guest agency is liable.
We strongly recommend all hosts hold valid home and contents insurance that covers short term guests. Inn Town is not liable for any damage to a host's home or its contents.
Brixton 2
"What if my guest asks for a friend to come over or stay?"
This is entirely at your discretion and you are welcome to make that decision on a case by case basis. Some hosts are happy for guests to have people over, others prefer not to - both are completely fine and there is no expectation either way.
If a guest asks for a friend to stay overnight and you are happy with this, please let Inn Town know if you wish to charge an additional person fee and we will organise payment on your behalf. Please do not arrange additional charges directly with the guest.
If a guest has people over without asking you first, please raise it with them directly in the first instance. If it continues please get in touch with Inn Town and we will step in
EXTENSIONS
"What if my guest wants to extend their stay?"
If a guest would like to extend, they will need to contact Inn Town directly and we will check your calendar and parameters before confirming anything. If a guest has asked you to extend directly, please ask them to contact Inn Town and let us know. Please do not agree to extensions directly.
If you would prefer a guest not to extend, please let us know before the halfway point of their stay so we can manage expectations and find them alternative accommodation. If we don't hear from you within this window we will assume you are happy for the stay to continue.
If a guest has a TBC extension noted on their booking confirmation they have first priority on future dates as they have booked your home on the basis of being able to extend if all is going well. If you have a personal need for the space or receive an external booking request for those dates during their stay, please inform Inn Town immediately so we can give the current guest 24 hours to confirm or release.