lol that’s a definite possibility. There’s an obvious reason why the rent is split the way it is which hasn’t been explained, and makes it harder to assess what is fair in this situation.
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…Why would her decision to take both rooms increase your share of the rent? As I see it, her taking on the extra room and forgoing the roommate option should be her financial problem first and foremost.
My approach would probably be this: “if you want the spare room as your office, then my share of the rent stays the same (whatever the breakdown rent was with two roommates) and you’re responsible for covering the deficit. If you want to AirBnB it to cover it, that’s fine. If you profit above and beyond the cost of the room then you get to keep it.” I then wouldn’t lift a finger for anything to do with the AirBnB.
I’d also think this is the saner solution as it relates to the tax issues, fairness issues and everything else that could arise.
Although it might be common knowledge by now, it is worth pointing this out again and again. Forget about assembling lamps or indeed, cleaning the bathroom. That’s a trifle, not worth mentioning, compared to this. The most time consuming aspect of Airbnb is waiting for guests to arrive.
For me I pre arrange the arrival time and 95% of my guests arrive when they say they will. One rare occasions I will have a guest arrive 15-30 minutes late. Twice in two years I have had guests arrive over an hour late.
The most time consuming part for me is cleaning and preparing the room, hands down.
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I just met a guy where I volunteer for Meals on Wheels who’d just been booted out of his apartment by his landlord when he found out he was doing Airbnb. Not a great situation since rentals are at a premium and not abundant.
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Sorry for not replying sooner I didn’t expect such an active forum which is phenomenal!
The rent split 2100 (2 rooms) / 1900 (master room) was what I agreed to based on us airbnb to lower the rent for both ends. My original proposal was 1500 (master room and bathroom) and 1250/1250 for smaller rooms and shared bathrooms.
I got convinced to go from 1500 to 1900 with airbnb to subsidize, as I was desperate to sign a lease after house hunting for so long, The master bedroom and private bathroom is for sure valued to me, and she had made a good point that she would have a shared bathroom. I don’t totally agree with the value but I was trying to compromise -
I do enjoy want to airbnb host and love meeting people around the world (my background is tourism and hospitality) so I didn’t mind agreeing to split the efforts. Except now the work has been put all on me and the income split hasn’t been agreed on yet. My proposal is that the airbnb income goes directly to cover cost of 3rd room before any splits are done. Now I feel like I’m dragging you all into this conversation! But I’m learning a lot from each of your comments thank you!
The reason I am taking the airbnb risk is because we’re only doing it on weekends, and there are some things in my favor: we live in a city that homeshared is now legal (santa monica), I did not ask my landlord though does not live on property and the building is owned by 2 different owners, he knows we both work from home and are foreigners so we told him from the beginning we’ll be using the 3rd room as an office and guest room for our international friends and family (True story), I’ve seen airbnb guests check in at my neighbors prior, and most of all my unit is the first door from the street so it does not bother any of my apartment neighbors as they don’t stroll their luggage by their doors or have common areas to bother them in.
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What happens when the landlord finds out? You are entering into a VERY risky business, because most of the time the landlord finds out and the tenant is either evicted or forced to stop ABB (best case scenario). However, you would be back to the issue of increased rent in either scenario. Methinks you probably should have gotten an apartment with a price tag you were more comfortable with.
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I’m sorry to say it but they are going to find out sooner or later. I give very detailed directions to my Air place but there are still guests who knock on neighbors’ doors, and not just next-door but up and down my street.
I own my place so I’m not worried, because if I didn’t I think I’d been in trouble long ago.
One way to consider this - what is the fair market value of the space that you pay for? Are there other, similarly-situated 1BR+Ensuites in your area that you can compare it to? Rather than parse out the specifics of who does what and who assumes what risk re: ABB, start from how much each of you should be paying. What do would her rooms command on the open market? What about her parking spot? Her bathroom? Figure out a valuation that you both agree with based on Padmapper or something and then work backwards, applying the ABB money to whatever needs to be covered after you tally the agreed-upon valuation. [edit: “agreed upon valuation for what each of you occupies full time”]
also - you should work out what principles under which you’re going to move forward with along with your roommate. for instance, it sounds like you’re going to assume the risk of doing ABB, regardless of your lease. So, the principle you should make joint decisions based upon is that you both will, equally, assume the risk of being kicked out. If your guest sets fire to the bedroom and a liability claim is made against you, you are both equally going to face the potential damages. In other words, create a policy of accepting and equally sharing risk, and make decisions based on that policy.
You are taking a huge risk with your subterfuge. The owner WILL find out. The neighbors will tell him. Do you think the owner of your property doesn’t have friends among the neighbors? You can’t use his property for a business like this without telling him. His insurance company could cancel him if they found out. Get his permission in writing. Before you do that you are not going to get advice from me and I hope not from any of the other hosts here. You are being deceiptive and sneaky.
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