Latest / Host Planet: Airbnb, Holiday Let, and Vacation Rental Insights / Stop Building on Someone Else’s Land

Transcript

Stop Building on Someone Else’s Land · Host Planet: Airbnb, Holiday Let, and Vacation Rental Insights

0:00
No single platform or booking source should control more than
0:04
30% of your bookings. I want property managers driving
0:08
around in Ferraris and Porsches and supersonic cool cars, not
0:14
the tech giants who control what we can and what we can't do.
0:19
We're allowing the platform to brand us as a host rather than
0:26
building our own brand equity. Are Airbnb and booking.com doing
0:32
enough to screen guests? Why do short term rental hosts
0:36
need to stop building their business on someone else's land?
0:40
And what are the biggest risks to property managers who failed
0:44
to verify their guests? Humphrey Bowles, the founder of
0:47
guest screening platform True V, is the special guest on today's
0:51
Host Planet podcast. Humphrey, thank you so much for
0:59
joining us on the House Planet podcasts.
1:02
Why do Airbnb hosts need to stop building their business on
1:07
someone else's land? I mean, James, just get straight
1:11
into it, why don't you? So look, it's, it's absolutely
1:15
fascinating and pretty concerning how you know, Airbnb
1:21
has become synonymous with short term rentals.
1:24
It's like calling every smartphone an iPhone or every
1:30
tissue a Kleenex. But what worries me isn't just a
1:34
brand domination. It's, it's how you frame the
1:38
question is that linguistic shift that reveals the power
1:43
dynamics at play in short term rentals at the moment when we
1:48
when we collectively kind of adopt Airbnb as a generic term,
1:55
we're just unconsciously reinforcing the issue that this
2:00
platform is the industry rather than just one player in it.
2:06
And it diminishes the identity and independence of property
2:11
owners and hosts who've built legitimate hospitality
2:16
businesses. So when you think about it from
2:19
the other way, you don't think about calling successful
2:22
hoteliers, Marriott partners or Hilton hosts.
2:27
They're recognised as independent business owners who
2:31
happen to use certain distribution channels.
2:34
But in our industry, we've kind of like allowed the platform to
2:40
become the identity. So when you're building your
2:44
business on someone else's land, you've got to stop and you've
2:51
got to view these platforms as the distribution channels, not
2:55
as your entire business foundation.
3:00
Is there a bit of a love hate thing here?
3:02
I guess Would we be having this conversation now if Airbnb
3:07
didn't exist? Well, Airbnb has always just
3:14
been a tool. They started as a tool, but what
3:19
they've done is to take further and further steps in order to
3:26
control the entire process from the start all the way through to
3:31
the to the finish. And we're allowing the platform
3:38
to brand us as a host rather than building our own brand
3:44
equity. So the fact is, James, OK, is
3:48
that guests now say I'm staying in an in an Airbnb rather than
3:55
I'm staying in a short term rental.
3:57
And this just shows how deeply this platform was colonized, not
4:01
just the market, but our language and thinking.
4:05
And what I'm saying is it's time we reclaim our industry's
4:09
identity. So that is the problem that I
4:13
have. And it's not love, hate.
4:17
It's about who's in control of the industry now.
4:21
I want property managers driving around in Ferraris and Porsches
4:25
and supersonic cool cars, not the tech giants who control what
4:32
we can and what we can't do. So when we have more property
4:35
managers driving Ferraris, we know, we'll know.
4:38
We're in a very, very sustainable industry.
4:41
OK, real talk now for all you hosts out there, you know that
4:44
moment when your guest messages you again with hey, what's the
4:48
Wi-Fi code? Or you're staring at 5 different
4:51
calendars wondering if you've accidentally double booked the
4:54
cottage. Yes, we've all been there.
4:57
That's why here at Houseplanner we recommend Housefully.
5:01
It's basically your rentals control centre.
5:03
It handles bookings across all the big platforms, syncs your
5:07
calendars to ensure there are no double bookings, automates guest
5:10
messages, and even creates these really slow digital guidebooks
5:14
that stop all the repeat questions.
5:17
Honestly, it just makes your life easier and keeps your
5:21
guests happier, helping you achieve those all important five
5:24
star reviews. And here is a little bonus.
5:27
If you're a House Planet listener, you can get $500 off
5:31
on boarding the House Fullies property management software and
5:34
30% off digital guidebooks for life.
5:38
Just hit the link in the show notes and use the codes Planet
5:41
500 for the PMS and House Planet GB for the guide books.
5:46
And if you'd like a proper walk through, there's also a link to
5:49
book a demo with Frank Bosey from House Philly.
5:52
He will show you how it's all works.
5:55
Less stress, more bookings sorted with House Philly.
6:00
I mean, from a branding point of view, Airbnb, I guess have
6:03
monopolized the short term rentals industry in in some
6:07
sensors. And I had a conversation
6:10
recently with a friend of mine who is a software engineer and
6:14
he doesn't really know anything about short term rentals, but he
6:16
knows a lot about software. And he took a look at Airbnb
6:18
and, and other software in the industry and he said, do you
6:22
know the power that Airbnb has? Because if they turn off their
6:25
API, they'll put so many businesses out of business
6:29
overnight if they want to. I guess to, to, to answer that
6:33
question, James, you're right, but you're right because people
6:40
have chosen to build their businesses on someone else's
6:43
land. So that point, the points you
6:47
make are incredibly clear that This is why as an industry we
6:54
need to move towards more sustainable ways of operating
7:01
our businesses. And how does the industry fight
7:05
back in a sense? How does the industry become
7:08
self-serving rather than being built on someone else's land?
7:13
Great question. So look, I think the key is to
7:17
view platforms as distribution channels, not as your entire
7:24
business foundation. So here's what I kind of
7:28
recommend. First, you want to build your
7:32
own digital real estate. So every property should have
7:36
its own website with direct booking capabilities.
7:39
And you know, as much as I know that this isn't as complex or
7:43
expensive as it used to be, there are numerous tools that
7:46
make this accessible even for single property owners.
7:51
Second, you've got to own your guest relationships.
7:56
You can never let platforms be your only point of contact with
8:00
your guests. You've got to capture e-mail
8:03
addresses. You've got to build a mailing
8:05
list. You've got to create ways to
8:06
communicate directly. And those returning guests,
8:10
those are your most valuable assets.
8:13
They already trust you. Third, you've got to diversify
8:17
your revenue streams. You've got to use multiple
8:21
platforms, but also build direct bookings by partnering with
8:26
local businesses and explore other revenue channels like mid
8:30
term rentals or corporate housing, which gives you more
8:33
scope beyond just OTAs. So I think the goal is that no
8:41
single platform or booking source should control more than
8:45
30% of your bookings. 4th, I want you to invest in your
8:50
brand. I want you to try and develop a
8:53
unique identity that goes beyond being an Airbnb super host or a
8:58
Verbo premier partner. You know, what's your property
9:02
story? What experience are you uniquely
9:06
positioned to offer? And then finally, and I think
9:10
this is maybe that the, the, the nub of the love hate
9:13
relationship. OK, you got to understand that
9:17
you're playing two games simultaneously.
9:20
The short game is optimizing for platform algorithms to drive
9:25
initial visibility. The long game is converting that
9:29
platform traffic into direct relationships and repeat
9:33
bookings. Now, at Truvy, we see this every
9:37
day. Hosts who've successfully built
9:39
businesses they truly own. They still use platforms, but
9:44
there's tools rather than foundations because when Airbnb
9:49
changes their policies or algorithms, these hosts or that
9:53
cancel their API, these hosts don't go under.
9:57
They adapt rather than panic because they've built something
10:01
resilient. And just to repeat the point,
10:05
you're not an Airbnb host, you're hospitality entrepreneur
10:09
who happens to use Airbnb. There will be hosts and property
10:14
managers out there who say I'm on Airbnb, it's fine, I'm
10:19
getting the bookings that I want, I'm getting the revenue
10:22
that I want. I can't be bothered with all the
10:24
rest of this. I'm not going to spend more
10:26
money, la de da, de da de da. What's the danger of adopting
10:30
that approach? I think that I'll, I'll, I'll go
10:35
out there and say if that is you, that is fine, but you're
10:40
leaving 25 to 50% of the income on the table.
10:47
And in a world where generating value is becoming harder and
10:54
harder and harder, I really question why you would do this
10:59
in the 1st place unless you are going to commit to trying and
11:07
building a sustainable business that can survive if Airbnb
11:11
disappears. So I think that your views are
11:19
valid and should be listened to. And you can choose not to buy
11:23
into any of this. But by taking a few steps
11:28
towards being able to embrace some of what I'm suggesting, you
11:33
are going to find more control over your business.
11:35
And by generating more control, you're going to generate more
11:38
value. And by creating more value,
11:40
you're actually going to give your guests a better experience.
11:43
And that is ultimately going to pay off in the long term.
11:47
Let's imagine a world where a lot of people adopt your
11:51
approach and direct bookings grow and they eventually
11:54
overtake OTAs. Does that mean that Airbnb has a
12:00
shelf life, especially if hosts and guests, and we're seeing
12:04
this more and more, get more savvy and realise that booking
12:07
direct is going to be better for their pocket?
12:10
So look, I don't think it's about direct bookings completely
12:18
overtaking OTAs. It's about reaching A healthier
12:22
balance of power. Now, Airbnb and other platforms
12:27
aren't going away anytime soon, but their role is evolving.
12:32
We're witnessing professionalization, you know,
12:39
maturation of the markets. Early on, these platforms
12:44
provided crucial discovery and trust infrastructure that
12:49
individual hosts couldn't replicate.
12:52
But as both hosts and guests become more sophisticated, the
12:58
value proposition is shifting and has to shift.
13:01
So savvy hosts, as I said earlier, are realizing that
13:05
paying 25 to 50% Commission for repeat guests makes no sense.
13:11
Experienced travellers are discovering they can often get
13:15
better rates and more personalized services by booking
13:18
direct. Technology has democratized what
13:22
platforms once monopolized the payment processing trust
13:26
systems, the professional photography which is so
13:28
important and you've got to do it.
13:30
And all the marketing tools, they're now accessible to
13:33
individual operators. You know, you can take your
13:36
pictures and go and put them on, you know, ChatGPT and ask them
13:40
to spruce them up and they get spruced up.
13:42
So James, I see the future as a hybrid model.
13:46
Platforms will remain valuable for discovery, especially for
13:51
first time guests in new markets.
13:52
And boy, do we like those, those guests.
13:55
But the smartest hosts will use platforms as customer
14:00
acquisition channels, then convert those guests to direct
14:04
relationships. Now, Airbnb shelf life depends
14:10
on their ability to evolve. I believe that extractive
14:15
systems do face rebellion, so if they continue extracting maximum
14:22
value while restricting host guest relationships, they'll
14:27
accelerate their own disruption. But if they transition to a true
14:33
partnership model, perhaps lowering fees for repeat
14:37
bookings, that would be a good start or quite frankly, allowing
14:41
more direct communication, then they could remain relevant.
14:46
The parallel IC is with restaurants and food delivery
14:50
apps. So yes, Uber Eats and, you know,
14:53
DoorDash in the States dominate. But successful restaurants
14:57
maintain their own ordering systems and customer
15:01
relationships. They use platforms
15:03
strategically, not exclusively. The key shift isn't platforms
15:10
disappearing, it's hosts reclaiming ownership of their
15:14
businesses while using platforms as tools rather than landlords.
15:20
Makes a lot of sense and a, yeah, a warning there really for
15:23
for Airbnb, especially in light of the the recent changes that
15:27
they've made to their policies in in terms of communicating
15:30
with guests and that kind of thing.
15:31
What did you make of that? So I love the irony of calling
15:38
out the extractive or what's the right word to use the extractive
15:46
system of Airbnb at the same time that they were updating
15:50
their T's and C's, making it even harder for property
15:53
managers and hosts to create a real business that they own.
15:59
And I, you know, this is as clear an example that Airbnb is
16:06
only interested in Airbnb and that they are a digital
16:13
sharecropper. They are wanting you to build
16:16
your business, to do all of the work to serve customers on their
16:19
platform. And yet they have the power to
16:23
kick you out and put you into digital XL at any point.
16:28
It is not OK. And like I said, extractive
16:33
systems face rebellion. And we saw some of that
16:36
rebellion come through in the post.
16:38
Fallout and Airbnb have kind of cooled The Jets when it comes
16:44
down to those policies. And they've left a lot of people
16:47
confused about what is going on or what or what isn't going on.
16:52
Interesting to see what what comes out in the in the wash.
16:56
Fascinating stuff. And let's move on now to to true
17:00
V your business. What inspired you to start it?
17:06
So True V emerged from a fundamental frustration I
17:12
experienced working in the short term rental industry.
17:16
So I interviewed over 2000 and the first question they all
17:24
asked was what happens if something, how much money can I
17:28
make? And the second question was what
17:30
happens if something goes wrong. Now True V emerged as the kind
17:38
of all round go to solution in answering that question.
17:42
We started off building an insurance company, but then we
17:46
realized how sub optimal insurance is in the short term
17:49
rental space. Because all of the risk, like
17:52
99% of the risk comes down to guest behaviour.
17:58
And if you are able to predict the likelihood of guest
18:04
behaviour going wrong, you are able to to to really minimize
18:09
the amount of insurance that you need in this space.
18:14
So we then moved fully into a global risk management system
18:21
and we're built for individual hosts, property managers to
18:27
really take in house all their guest screening and protection
18:32
requirements and give them ownership over their business.
18:38
So we're not here to tell people exactly what they should do or
18:42
shouldn't do. We are experts and we can help
18:45
and advise, but we're here to give them the tools which
18:48
enables them to put in place and execute the right risk
18:53
management strategy for them and their business.
18:56
And because we know how fragmented short term rentals
18:59
is, we've built it in a way that it's possible to customize, you
19:02
know everything on a listing by listing basis depending on who
19:06
your your owners are and what properties they have.
19:10
Talk to us about the verification process.
19:12
When a host sends you details of a guest, what do you do?
19:17
How does it actually work? So our verification process
19:23
really starts from a fundamental principle, which is trust should
19:28
benefit everyone in the ecosystem, not just a platform
19:33
extracting fees on both sides. So we've built a comprehensive
19:37
verification system that goes beyond basic ID checks.
19:41
We verify guest identities, we analyse booking patterns and
19:46
flag potential risks. But we try and do it in a way
19:50
that empowers hosts with actual information, not just with a
19:54
generic verified badge. So the hosts, the benefit is
19:59
clear, They get a detailed risk assessment that help them make
20:04
informed decisions about their bookings and their guests.
20:09
And unlike platform verification, that sometimes
20:13
feels like a black box. We provide transparency about
20:17
what we verified and what potential risks might exist.
20:22
This puts the control back in the host hands and for
20:27
legitimate guests, our process actually creates a better
20:30
experience. Once verified through Trivy, you
20:34
know, they are able to take that and use it across multiple
20:38
property managers and platforms when they book again, so they
20:41
don't have to start from zero each and every time.
20:44
And I guess what's different about our approach is that we're
20:49
not trying to own the relationship between hosts and
20:52
guests, We're facilitating it. So the verification data belongs
20:57
to the ecosystem. It's not locked away in our
20:59
platform. And hosts can use this
21:01
information to build their own direct relationships with
21:05
trusted guests. And this aligns with kind of my
21:09
broader philosophical thing around digital ownership, which
21:15
is that verification shouldn't be another form of platform lock
21:20
in. It should be a tool that helps
21:22
both parties build genuine portable trust that travels with
21:26
them wherever they choose to book.
21:29
It might seem obvious, but what are the risks for hosts out
21:33
there who don't verify their guests?
21:39
I feel like I'm going to be just in Ford and try and scare
21:41
everybody now. I'll, I'll try and do the scary
21:43
bit at the at the end. So look, the risks are far more
21:49
extensive than most property managers realize until it's too
21:53
late. Obviously there's property
21:55
damage and theft, but that's really just the tip of the
22:00
iceberg. You've got the hidden risk of
22:04
liability when something goes wrong.
22:06
Without proper screening, property managers often discover
22:11
they're personally exposed. Their standard insurance denies
22:16
claims because they didn't meet professional standards.
22:21
Platforms suddenly distance themselves, claiming the
22:24
property manager didn't follow best practices.
22:28
You're left holding the baby. Then there's also regulatory
22:33
risk. So cities are increasingly
22:36
requiring professional screening as part of short term rental
22:40
compliance. Operating without it isn't just
22:45
risky, it's potentially illegal, and one incident can trigger
22:49
investigations that shut down your entire portfolio.
22:54
But I think perhaps the biggest risk is your business's
22:59
sustainability. Every on screen guest is
23:03
essentially A roll of the dice with your reputation.
23:07
One party house, 1 neighbor complaint, 1 serious incident
23:12
and years of building your business.
23:15
Reputation can evaporate overnight.
23:18
Platform algorithms punish you, direct bookings dry up, and
23:23
recovery can take months or years.
23:26
And what really concerns me, James, is how property managers
23:30
rationalize their these risks. They think, it hasn't happened
23:34
to me yet, or I can spot troubled guests.
23:38
But we live in an era where a single incident can go viral,
23:43
where liability extends far beyond property damage, and
23:47
where platforms will protect themselves before protecting
23:51
you. And I guess the irony is that
23:55
proper screening and protection tools aren't just about risk
24:00
mitigation, they're about business empowerment.
24:03
When you have robust systems in place, you can actually take on
24:08
more bookings, expand your portfolio, and sleep better at
24:11
night. It transforms your operation
24:14
from reactive crisis management to proactive business growth.
24:18
It helps you lock in new owners. So for me, professional
24:23
screening isn't an expense, it's the foundation of a legitimate,
24:27
scalable business. And without it, you're not
24:31
really running a business, you're gambling with your
24:34
assets. Do you think the major booking
24:37
platforms, Airbnb, booking.com, are they doing enough when it
24:40
comes to guest screening? I mean, the short answer is no,
24:47
but it's not because they can't do better, It's because their
24:52
business model isn't aligned with truly protecting hosts or
24:58
guests. So these platforms are primarily
25:03
marketplaces focused on transaction volume.
25:07
Their protection measures are designed to minimize their own
25:13
liability and maintain marketplace liquidity, not to
25:18
genuinely safeguard the parties involved.
25:22
When it comes to push and shove, they're going to protect their
25:27
brand over individual hosts every single time.
25:31
I mean, let's look at their track record.
25:33
They offer host protection that's full of exclusion and
25:37
caps. They maintain verification
25:40
systems that are often just theatre checking.
25:43
A government ID doesn't tell you if someone will throw a party or
25:48
damage property. And when serious incidents
25:51
occur, their standard playbook is to distance themselves,
25:56
claiming hoster independent partners responsible for their
25:59
own risk management. And what's particularly
26:03
frustrating is that platforms have incredible data and
26:07
resources. They could build robust
26:10
protection systems. They could share risk insights
26:14
with hosts. They could create meaningful
26:17
products, but these would eat into their profits and
26:22
potentially slow booking velocity.
26:25
So instead they do just enough to appear responsible while
26:31
shifting maximum risk onto hosts.
26:33
And they market trust and safety heavily but deliver minimum
26:38
viable protection. So it's kind of protection
26:40
theatre designed to make guests feel secure enough to book hosts
26:44
feel supports enough to list without actually providing
26:47
comprehensive coverage. And I have to plug that This is
26:51
why true V exists. We're filling that protection
26:55
gap that platforms intentionally leave open.
26:59
And for property managers, they need to understand platforms are
27:04
marketing channels, not safety Nets.
27:08
And real protection requires independent solution that put
27:12
your interests first, not the platforms.
27:16
And the day platforms truly prioritise protection is the day
27:21
they start sharing liability meaningfully with hosts.
27:25
Until then, they're doing exactly what their business
27:28
model demands. Just enough to keep the
27:30
marketplace running, not enough to truly protect the people who
27:34
make it viable. Does that pretty much sum up
27:37
your feelings on air cover and what do you make of kind of what
27:42
Airbnb are doing in this space compared to booking.com, which
27:46
doesn't seem to have anything comparable?
27:49
So in some ways what booking.com do is way better than air cover
27:54
because they make it really clear they don't do anything.
27:57
Whereas with air cover you always have this idea that maybe
28:00
they will, but then you're just going to get disappointed.
28:04
So you know that there are all sorts of failings with all of
28:11
these booking platforms and my message isn't to shout out one
28:17
or the other and say 1 is worse than the other.
28:18
My thing is to say, look, as a property manager you must take
28:22
control of your business and it is up to you to put your
28:26
independent screening in place. Let's talk about the the wildest
28:31
claims that you might have seen. You must have seen some crazy
28:35
claims over the years, so give us an example of 1.
28:41
Do you know what? I I'd love to give you a story
28:45
like of tigers destroying apartments or monkeys running
28:51
wild, but like I can't. So what I can do is I can talk
29:00
you through a verification that we did.
29:02
It was a beautiful, stunning waterfront waterfront property,
29:07
and it appeared to come from a perfect guest.
29:10
So verified Airbnb profile, professional headshot claiming
29:16
to want to use a space for corporate retreat.
29:19
And when we ran it through Trivy screening, like the flags just
29:24
started popping immediately. The guest had changed their
29:28
display name on Airbnb and our system then recovered their real
29:34
identity, someone with multiple aliases who had caused over 100
29:39
KS worth of damage in another property just three months
29:42
earlier. And their social media.
29:45
They had a number of social media accounts linked to
29:49
different phone numbers. It showed them promoting mansion
29:52
parties and selling tickets to events at short term rentals.
29:56
So we were able to get that booking declined and then a week
30:01
later we learned the same person booked another property on
30:04
another booking channel, and that property had had a pretty
30:09
tough time. So what made this particularly
30:15
wild for me was actually seeing the two outcomes side by side.
30:19
One where you've got the host protected by proper screening,
30:22
and another devastated by trusting platform verification.
30:27
Hello, same guest, same week, completely different results.
30:32
And you know, this perfectly illustrates why I built Trevi.
30:38
So platform verification, I'm sorry, it is largely theatre.
30:42
It checks a government ID, but it just misses the behavioural
30:46
patterns. The name changes.
30:47
And then if anyone's gone on to Airbnb and see, you can change
30:50
your name so that when you book a property, you come out as a
30:52
completely different person that your host, your host thinks
30:55
you're someone else. And that profile will still show
30:59
all of the same great things about them.
31:01
It's just for names being changed because platforms allow
31:04
users to essentially reset their identities whenever needed.
31:09
So yeah. But maybe the really, truly wild
31:12
part, James, is that this happens every single day, and it
31:16
still does. And unfortunately, that's going
31:18
to go on for a bit. How do you see guest screening
31:22
technology developing over the next five years or.
31:26
So, oh, good question. I'll look, I'll go out there.
31:31
OK, look, I I think it's about to undergo a fundamental
31:35
transformation. I think we are moving from basic
31:39
ID checks to sophisticated behavioural analysis and
31:44
predictive risk assessments. In five years, screening won't
31:49
just tell you who someone is, it will truly predict how your
31:53
behaviour as a guest. AI will analyse thousands of
31:58
data points, from booking patterns and communication
32:00
style, to social signals in previous day histories, to
32:05
nuanced risk profiles. And then we're saying that I
32:10
think the technology has to be deployed ethically and with
32:14
transparency about what's being analysed and why.
32:19
But we will see the emergence of kind of portable reputation, so
32:25
where good guests build trust profiles that travel with them
32:31
across all platforms and all properties.
32:34
Think of it, you know, like a credit score for the for the
32:38
short term rental industry. Now I don't think that's a new
32:41
idea. I think that's been talked about
32:42
a lot. So I'm certainly not saying that
32:43
I've just come up with that. But I do think that this
32:47
benefits everyone. Trusted guests get easier
32:50
bookings and better rates. I think that makes sense.
32:54
While hosts can make informed decisions quickly, where else do
32:59
I think is going to go? I think we'll get more real time
33:03
monitoring, which will be way more sophisticated but way less
33:08
intrusive. So instead of cameras
33:10
everywhere, we'll see environmental sensors that
33:14
detect unusual activity patterns, whether it's noise or
33:19
overcrowding or smoking. You know, they'll all happen as
33:22
they kind of do at the moment without invading privacy.
33:26
And then the idea being that, you know, this technology allows
33:30
the property manager to intervene before problems
33:33
escalate rather than before. I just think they're going to
33:37
get way more sophisticated and be able to do that way, way more
33:42
quicker. But I guess, I guess, OK, look,
33:44
here's the crucial thing, OK, is that this technology must
33:47
empower hosts, not create new dependencies.
33:52
So the future that I'm building toward is 1 where screening data
33:57
is owned by the ecosystem hosts and guests, not locked inside
34:03
platform silos. So property managers should be
34:06
able to take their screening insights with them regardless of
34:10
the booking channels that they use.
34:13
Is there a myth about guest screening that you'd like to
34:16
debunk? I mean, yes, please.
34:21
And that the biggest myth I want to debunk is that thorough
34:26
screening creates friction that hurts booking.
34:30
This is like totally backwards, and I truly believe it's a
34:35
narrative that platforms push to prioritize their transaction
34:41
volume over host protection. So here's the reality.
34:46
Good screening actually increases conversion for
34:51
legitimate bookings. When guests know they're booking
34:56
with a professional host who takes safety seriously, they're
35:00
more likely to complete their reservation.
35:03
They feel more confident, not less.
35:07
So I see this play out constantly.
35:11
Hosts worry that adding screening will create a barrier,
35:15
but what actually happens is their legitimate bookings go up.
35:19
While problematic bookings naturally filter themselves out.
35:24
Party throwers and scammers avoid properties with robust
35:28
screening. That's not lost business, that's
35:31
avoided disasters. So the best screening is
35:35
invisible to good guests. They go through a smooth
35:39
verification process once, and then they're recognized across
35:44
the ecosystem. Meanwhile, hosts sleep better,
35:47
neighbors are happier, and the business becomes more
35:50
sustainable. This myth persists because
35:54
platforms have conditioned us to prioritize speed over security.
36:01
They've created this false choice between being protected
36:05
and being bookable. But look at any successful
36:09
hospitality. Hotels don't skip ID checks to
36:13
speed up bookings. Airlines don't skip security to
36:18
Fillmore seats. Professional screening isn't
36:22
about creating obstacles. It's about building a
36:25
sustainable business that attracts quality guests who
36:29
value what you offer. The hosts who don't understand
36:33
this just don't survive. They build reputation moats that
36:38
let them charge premium rates for premium experiences.
36:43
So the real friction in this industry isn't from screening,
36:46
it's from dealing with the aftermath of not screening
36:50
properly. One bad guess can cost you weeks
36:53
of income, countless hours of stress, and years of reputation
36:57
building. That's the friction we should be
37:01
worried about. Airbnb will tell hosts and
37:06
property managers they should have instant book available and
37:11
they will prioritise listings that do allow instant book.
37:14
They'll give it a boost in the algorithm and that kind of
37:16
thing. Would you say that you should
37:18
never have instant book on? No, I wouldn't.
37:23
I would make it very clear that your insurance provider requires
37:28
you to screen guests independently before they turn
37:33
up at your property and therefore this is what you will
37:37
do. Now, if you are getting more
37:41
than 30% of your bookings through Airbnb, you do need to
37:45
revisit your business model and your strategy on the basis that
37:49
you have got up to 30% than having instant book on four that
37:54
30%. As long as you were screening
37:56
those guests independently, there was absolutely nothing
38:00
wrong by playing to the game of the algorithm in order to get.
38:04
Those bookings fantastic. Humphrey, tell us where people
38:09
can find out more information about Truvy.
38:13
Truvy.com and if you're interested in connecting with
38:17
me, please do on LinkedIn. And I'm really hoping to, you
38:25
know, to, to, to talk to some of you afterwards from in the
38:28
comments of this around whether you agree or disagree.
38:32
And it's way more fun when we disagree.
38:34
So I'm looking forward to those conversations.
38:37
We'll put those links in the show notes.
38:40
All right then, Humphrey, we've got a few questions to finish.
38:42
So your favorite brand in the STR space?
38:46
Apart from Truvy of course. Apart from Truvy, you know what?
38:51
You know what, James? I can't just do 1 brand.
38:53
OK, I can't do 1 brand. But I am totally inspired by a
38:59
growing movement of companies that share a common mission, and
39:02
that's empowering hosts to reclaim control of their
39:05
businesses. So look at Boostly that
39:10
specifically helps hosts build their own direct booking website
39:13
and reduce platform dependency. Big thumbs up to them.
39:18
Like Stay Fi, who provide Wi-Fi solutions that help hosts
39:22
capture guest data directly. Thumbs up to them.
39:26
They're helping them build independent businesses.
39:29
Breezeway for helping hosts control their operations
39:34
management. You know, Price Labs for and
39:38
beyond for hosts, revenue management.
39:41
All of these companies have a mission that resonates with me
39:46
and it's simple. It's give property managers the
39:50
tools they could once only get from the platforms.
39:54
Those are the companies that are my favorite brands in this
39:57
industry. Some great shout outs there.
40:01
An individual in the STR space you'd like to give a shout out
40:05
to and why? So like I'm I'm a non
40:09
conformistic guy so I have to go down the same route.
40:13
Just forgive me. So I'll give a shout out to a
40:17
different kind of hero in this space, OK?
40:19
And my shout out goes to all the guests who've figured out the
40:23
game and are voting with their wallets for a better ecosystem.
40:29
These are the guests who use OTAs as search engines and then
40:34
take that extra step to find and book directly with property
40:39
owners. They understand that when they
40:43
book direct, they're usually getting better rates, more
40:46
personalized service, and they're actually supporting
40:50
small businesses rather than feeding platform monopolies.
40:56
So every single time one of those guest books direct,
41:01
they're casting a vote for a digital economy where small
41:05
businesses can thrive independently.
41:07
And they deserve recognition for seeing through the platform,
41:11
marketing and choosing to support real entrepreneurship.
41:16
Well said, good shout out there for the the savvy guests.
41:20
Finally, then, Humphrey, the one piece of advice you'd like to
41:24
give every host on the planet. Oh, OK, Stop thinking like a
41:34
platform host and start thinking like a hospitality business
41:40
owner. I think this single mind shift,
41:46
mindset shift changes everything.
41:49
When you see yourself as an Airbnb host, you've already
41:52
surrendered your identity and independence to platforms.
41:56
When you recognize that you're running a hospitality business
42:00
that happens to use various distribution channels, you start
42:05
making completely different decisions.
42:09
A hospitality business owner asks how do I build direct
42:13
relationships with guests? How do I create a brand that
42:17
stands independent of any platform?
42:20
How do I own my data, my processors, my guest experience?
42:24
A platform host asks how do I gain the algorithm?
42:29
How do I get more platform bookings?
42:31
How do I become a super host? See the difference?
42:36
One is building equity and independence, the other builds
42:41
dependencies. So use platforms strategically,
42:46
but never let them define you. You're not building an Airbnb
42:51
business, you're building a hospitality business that uses
42:56
Airbnb as one of your many tools.
43:00
And this isn't just philosophical because like you
43:04
said at the start, what if Airbnb disappears?
43:07
It's about practical survival. The hosts who thrive long term
43:12
are those who've built something they actually own.
43:15
The rest remain these digital sharecroppers, vulnerable to
43:20
every platform change and policy update.
43:24
So own your business, own your future, and everything else
43:29
flows from that fundamental decision.
43:33
Great message, Humphrey, very well said.
43:35
Thank you so much for joining us on the Host Planet podcast.
43:39
Such a pleasure, thanks for having me.
43:41
Great to chat to Humphrey Bowles there from True V about Airbnb,
43:44
guest screening and much more. I encourage you to take his
43:47
advice about developing A sustainable business.
43:50
And if you're looking for more free education, head to House
43:53
Planet dot Club, the fastest growing multimedia platform in
43:56
the short term rentals industry. We're proud to help host some
44:00
property managers supercharge their businesses by sharing a
44:03
wealth of free content. Head online to sign up for our
44:06
newsletter, download our suite of ebooks, and listen to our
44:09
podcast series. Until next time, happy hosting.