Transfer Listing on Airbnb to New Host/Owner?

Question

Just got off the phone with AirBnb "Host Support". They are telling me that there is no way to switch hosts without deleting all future bookings . . . Is this for real? Is there any way to transfer a listing without losing bookings for the new owner/host?

Also- seems VRBO has the same policy?

John Underwood · Answer

That is what I have always heard.

The listing goes with the owner not the house.

Kate Stoermer · Answer

If its their only listing they can make you a co host and they can essentially leave the account. Otherwise,  Its...not terrible to start fresh. Take screen shots of past reviews to show, use "new management" language in the narrative and use the new listing  discount.

Andrew Steffens · Answer

100% correct, I deal with this monthly.  Make a new listing, have Airbnb cancel all bookings and provide refunds and the new listing link and hope they rebook.  Also starting fresh, no reviews and a lot of discounting to get the ball rolling again.

Jules Aton · Answer

Like they couldn't figure out a way to indicate prior reviews were attached to another host?

Tyler Divin · Answer

As mentioned, shockingly, there is no option to transfer a listing (as simple as it would be for Airbnb & Vrbo to create).What we do is get the guest contact information and booking details from the previous owner/host/property manager, and draft a message to existing guests from the previous owner/host/property manager, explaining the situation and asking the previous owner/host/property manager to send it to the guest then almost immediatly after we reach out to the guest following up ideally by phone.  We explain the situation, explain that nothing will change, and sometimes we offer a little discount.  We've done this several times, and the guests have been great, very understanding.  They re-book on the new listing, and they cancel on the old listing (so that the previous owner/host/property manager does not get penalized on their cancellation rate).  It's extremely tedious and unnecessary, but it's the only way to transfer bookings.  If you want to preserve those existing bookings, DO NOT let the previous owner/host/property manager cancel them and then reach out after that because Airbnb/Vrbo will send the guest a message that their booking has been canceled and suggest alternative places to book, with really good suggestions.  By the time you make contact with the guest, they will have likely already chosen and booked another place to stay.

Mike Grudzien · Answer

Just went through this with a new owner/new Host that I was consulting with FOR AIRBNB, as an Airbnb SuperHost Ambassador!  Nope not happening now at Airbnb, but my manager said: "we're looking into it"...  yeah, right..

Andrew Street · Answer

Yeah, unfortunately that’s the standard with both Airbnb and VRBO. Listings can’t really be transferred over, so switching hosts usually means starting fresh.

Josh Ball · Answer

Yes this is what I've been told. Looked at buying a property with great rental history & didn't pull the trigger because of this.

I was told if the previous owner contact Airbnb to tell them the property has been sold, they can have Airbnb support share the new listing for the guests to rebook. After a sale, listing is a fresh start no way to transfer.

Moral of the story when buying an active Airbnb. Buy it based on its real estate value not on its rental history/numbers. Just because it did succeed doesn't mean it will continue to.

Transfer Listing on Airbnb to New Host/Owner?

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