When was the last time you actually read your own house rules? Not glanced at them. Read them, the way a guest does the night before they book.

On November 20, Airbnb's updated house rules policy takes effect for all new bookings. Seven standard rules, no more cleaner-type checkout chores, everything disclosed before booking. A lot of hosts are treating it like a crackdown. We treat it like a forced spring clean, and the best excuse you've had in years to open the hood on a listing you set up a long time ago and haven't touched since.

In this solo episode she covers what's actually changing, in about forty-five seconds, and then the five moves she'd make before the 20th:

1. Read your listing like a stranger

2. Rebuild your rules from Airbnb's seven

3. Redesign checkout with your cleaner, not against your guest

4. Open your pricing and fee settings while you're in there

5. Sync it everywhere, not just Airbnb

Plus the one detail that matters more than anything else in the new policy: the difference between a house rule and a request, and why it changes what you should write.

Next week: Kara from DK Properties joins Christine for "OK, So Now What? Raise Your Rates or Own Your Guests."

What's changing on November 20:

Applies to reservations booked on or after November 20, 2026, not stays.

Seven standard house rules: maximum overnight guests, quiet hours, events, pets, smoking, commercial photography and filming, lock up at checkout. Plus reasonable requests.

Hosts can no longer require guests to wash dishes, strip beds, run laundry or take trash off-site. Dishes in the sink, towels gathered and waste sorted into bins are still fine.

All rules and requests must be shown before booking. No separate rental agreements unless required by law or strata. Limits on collecting guest ID and personal information.

Guests must follow house rules; they're only encouraged to follow requests.

Hosts can't restrict use of an amenity the listing advertises.

Links

Free fee repricer and OTA Fee Survival Guide

Live workshop, Thursday November 19, 10am Pacific / 12pm Eastern, $19.99, replay included

Get your properties on The Fully Booked Host Stays page (free, no commission) — send your listing link to hello@dreamvr.ca

The Channel Brief, weekly platform news for hosts

StayFi (affiliate link; Christine only shares tools she uses herself): https://stayfi.com/?afmc=79

Book a call with Christine

Next week's guest, Kara Sutherland at DK Properties

Follow for more to stay in the loop:

The Fully Booked Host: https://www.thefullybookedhost.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thefullybookedhost

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fullybookedhost

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fullybookedhost

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thefullybookedhost

Comment FEES on any post and Christine will DM you the repricer.

The fees were just the headline. Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com all slipped new rules into the fine print, and you're agreeing to them right now just by keeping your listing live. Christine breaks down Vrbo's price matching and 30-day rule, Airbnb's November 20 checkout changes, Booking.com's kids and infants change, and the brand new phone number masking. Plus how to keep your guest relationships the right way.

Last week we talked about Airbnb's 15.5% and Vrbo's jump to 12%. But the fees were just the headline. Every one of these changes came with fine print, and most hosts have no idea what they've agreed to.

In Part 2, I walk you through what changed on every channel, what it's really costing you, and exactly what to do about it this week.

IN THIS EPISODE

- Why the commission now comes off your cleaning, pet, extra guest and resort fees, and the real markup you need to break even: about 18% on Airbnb, 13.6% on Vrbo and 17.6% on Booking.com

- Vrbo's fine print: when the new rate applies, Expedia and Hotels.com bookings, price matching across channels, the 30-day rule, and the new Reserve Now, Pay Later option

- Airbnb's November 20 rules: no more checkout chores, house rules becoming "requests," and why you should price it instead of fighting it

- Airbnb's new dynamic pricing and the top-rated guest discount, and why it's not really a 30% hit (but stacking discounts can hurt)

- Booking.com's November 19 kids and infants change, and how to opt out

- Why Google Vacation Rentals and a direct booking website matter more than ever

- Breaking: Airbnb is masking guest phone numbers in Canada and the US as of October 30, and Booking.com already stopped sending them

- What NOT to do, and how to let guests opt in so you can own those relationships the right way

THIS WEEK'S LISTENER SHOUT-OUT

Casa Grande San Miguel, a boutique hotel and private estate in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Eight suites, sleeps up to 21, with a chef's kitchen, gardens, an event space and a rooftop hot tub. A perfect spot for groups and retreats, created from the ground up by Michelle Sturdevant.

Website: https://www.casagrandesanmiguel.com

Email: sanmiguelproperty@gmail.com

WhatsApp: +52 415 566 2457

FREE RESOURCES:

- Fee Repricer: plug in one real booking and see exactly what to charge on each channel → guide.thefullybookedhost.com

- The Channel Brief: a free weekly email with what's new on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and more, and what it means for your payout → https://fbh-channel-brief.vibepreview.com/

LIVE WORKSHOP: NOVEMBER 19

Bring your numbers and your questions. We'll work through them together, and you'll get my exact guest sign-up scripts.

Wednesday, November 19, 2026:

Register: https://thefullybookedhost.com/fbhfeechangeworkshop

STAYFI:

The Wi-Fi sign-up and digital welcome book I use in my own homes to let guests opt in to my list.

https://stayfi.com/?afmc=79

WORK WITH CHRISTINE

Need help setting up a direct booking website that stays in sync with all your channels, or want someone to co-host with you? Book a quick call: https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/booking/aiYbzRdIE3hJFEDPcgKI

Lately it feels like everybody wants a piece of your payout.

Airbnb moved to a single 15.5% host-only fee on September 15th, and it applies to your whole subtotal, cleaning fee included. Now Vrbo is following. Starting October 29th, every host moves to a flat 12% commission. For hosts connected through a management system who were paying 5%, that’s more than double. Unlike Airbnb, Vrbo is keeping its guest service fee too.

In this solo episode, Christine draws on 20+ years in the short-term rental industry to cover what changed, what’s coming, and where your energy should really go. She compares Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and your own direct booking site on Google Vacation Rentals: what each one costs you, and who owns the guest relationship. She also explains the catch with direct booking: the management software that connects you to Google often takes its own cut, usually tucked into payment processing.

You’ll leave with six questions to ask before you sign with any property management software, a quick look at new platforms trying a different model, and a clear channel strategy whether you’re brand new or have been hosting for years.

6 questions to ask any property management software before you sign:

1. What does payment processing cost on a direct booking, and do you add anything on top of the processor’s rate?
2. Is there a booking engine fee or any per-reservation fee on direct bookings?
3. Does that fee change by country or payment processor?
4. Is the direct booking website in my plan or an add-on, and does the fee change if I upgrade?
5. Can you connect me to Google Vacation Rentals, and is that included?
6. Who owns my guest data, and can I take my guest list with me if I leave?

Free resources:

• The Repricer: see what Airbnb’s 15.5% and Vrbo’s 12% do to your payout → guide.thefullybookedhost.com
• The Channel Brief: the week’s STR channel news in your inbox every Monday → thefullybookedhost.com

Connect with The Fully Booked Host:

• Website: thefullybookedhost.com
• Instagram: @thefullybookedhost
• Facebook: /fullybookedhost
• TikTok: @fullybookedhost
• YouTube: @thefullybookedhost

Fees and figures are accurate as of October 2026. Platform pricing changes often, so confirm current rates with each provider.