Airbnb co-host onboarding is the handover between the day you agree to work with a co-host and the day they're running the listing without needing you. Done well, it takes about two weeks and ends with nothing left in your head that the co-host doesn't also know. Done badly, the first guest's questions are the ones that reveal what was never handed over.
This checklist splits the first 14 days into four stages: agree, connect, hand over and check. It's written for the owner. Your co-host should have their own version, and the two should match. If you haven't chosen a co-host yet, start with our guide to Airbnb co-hosting in Israel.
Days 1 and 2: what should you agree before anything else?
Agree in writing who does what, how the co-host is paid and how expenses are handled. Airbnb's own introduction to co-hosting says hosts and co-hosts need to be clear about hosting responsibilities, earnings and expenses: who does what, how much of the reservation income goes to the co-host, and how the co-host is reimbursed.
Put these on one page:
- The task split. Messages, pricing, cleaning, laundry, maintenance, the listing itself. For each, write "co-host" or "owner". Our post on what a co-host does lists the tasks in a normal week.
- The fee and its base. The percentage, what it's taken from, and whether cleaning is inside it. Our guide to Airbnb co-host fees explains each option.
- Spending limits. The amount a co-host can spend on a repair without asking you first.
- What needs your yes. For example, house rule changes, prices below a floor, or long-stay discounts.
- How to stop. Notice period, minimum term, exit fee.
Days 2 to 4: how do you connect the co-host on Airbnb?
You invite the co-host from your listing and choose what they can access. On desktop, the steps are: open the listing, go to Co-hosts in the Listing editor, choose Invite a co-host, add their phone number or email, select the permissions and send.
Airbnb has three access levels:
- Full access: the listing, reservations, messages, co-host invitations and earnings.
- Calendar and messaging: messages guests and sees the calendar, without editing it.
- Calendar only: sees the calendar and nothing else.
Pick the level the agreed work needs. A co-host who sets prices and accepts bookings needs full access. You can change the level later.
Then set up the payout, if the co-host is paid through Airbnb. Only the listing owner can set up or change a co-host's payouts, so this step is yours. If the apartment is also on Booking.com or Vrbo, agree how the co-host gets access there and how they're paid for those bookings.
Days 3 to 10: what do you need to hand over?
Everything you know about the apartment that isn't written down. This is the stage owners rush, and it's the one guests notice. Work through it in one visit to the apartment if you can:
Access and keys
- All keys, codes and fobs, and who else holds a copy.
- The building entrance, parking, the bin room, the storage.
The apartment
- Where the water main, electricity box and gas valve are.
- How the boiler, air conditioning and any awkward appliances work.
- The Wi-Fi details and the router's location.
- Known quirks: the window that sticks, the shower that takes a minute to warm up.
People
- The cleaner, if you're keeping them, and their price.
- A plumber, an electrician and a locksmith you trust.
- The building committee contact and any neighbour who should know.
Paperwork
- What you've arranged for licensing, arnona and tax, and who your accountant is. The co-host doesn't need the details, but they need to know who to ask. These are questions for your accountant and municipality, not for a blog post.
The listing
- Anything you know guests ask about that isn't in the listing yet.
- Past guest messages that show common problems.
Days 7 to 12: what should the co-host check on the listing?
A good co-host reviews the listing against the apartment before the first guest they host. Expect questions and suggestions on:
- Photos. Do they match the apartment today? Is the first photo the strongest one?
- Title and description. Do they say what makes the apartment worth booking, and what a guest might mind?
- Amenities. Is everything the apartment has ticked, and nothing it lacks?
- Calendar and settings. How far ahead the calendar is open, minimum stay, check-in time.
- House rules and the guest guide. Check-in instructions that work at 23:00 in the rain.
Our guide to Airbnb listing optimization covers what Airbnb weighs in search, if you want to follow the reasoning behind the changes.
Agree on which changes go live and when. The listing is yours, and it should stay that way after the co-host has made changes to it.
Days 10 to 14: how do you know the Airbnb co-host onboarding worked?
Watch the first guest's stay from the outside. You're not checking the guest, you're checking that the co-host had everything they needed:
- Did the co-host answer every guest message without asking you?
- Did the turnover happen on time, with the apartment checked?
- Did anything come up that wasn't in the handover? Add it now.
Then agree how you'll hear from the co-host from here on: a monthly statement, a message after each problem, or both. After the first month, compare the statement with your own payout history, so you know the numbers match.
Questions owners ask
How do I add a co-host to my Airbnb listing? In the Listing editor, open Co-hosts, choose Invite a co-host, enter their phone number or email, select their permissions and send the invite.
Who sets up the co-host's payout? You do. Only the listing owner can set up or change a co-host's payouts on Airbnb.
Should I give a new co-host full access straight away? Give the access the agreed work needs. A co-host who sets prices and accepts bookings needs full access. You can change the level at any time.
How long until the co-host is running everything? It depends on how ready the apartment and listing are. With us, a new apartment goes live about a week after the first call.
We've hosted for five years in Turkey, in Herzliya and in Safed, our own apartments and other owners'. Mert leads the team. There's no setup fee, 30 days' notice to stop, no exit fee and no minimum term. Both plans and how to reach us are on the pricing page.
