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.

Almost every host starts in the same place: bedding configurations, duvet covers, towel counts, and what the living room will look like in the photos. Most people focus on the wrong things!

In this solo episode, Christine walks through what actually comes first when you're moving out of your own home for a season and renting it to guests and the order that saves you months and, in one case, your house.

In this episode:

* Why the regulatory shift of the last two years narrowed the door instead of closing it and why the person it narrowed toward is someone renting out the home they live in.

* The three separate authorities that each get an independent veto over whether you're allowed to do this at all, and how to approach each one.

* The insurance reality most homeowners find out about at the worst possible moment, plus why platform host guarantees are not insurance.

* The one door in your house you have to get right before you pack a single box.

* How to work out your nightly rate backwards from what your home actually costs, instead of from what the neighbours are charging.

* What to do when the market pays less than your break-even (hint: it isn't better photos).

Get the free checklist + break-even calculator

Send the words MOVE OUT, RENT OUT:

DM us on Instagram: @thefullybookedhost

Or comment it on this episode on YouTube

It's built to be printed and carried around the house while you work: the three gates, the insurance list, the lock-off walkthrough, what leaves the property entirely versus what goes into storage, the safety items inspectors actually ask about, and a blank worksheet for your numbers. The calculator takes about 10 minutes if you have your statements handy and gives you your break-even rate and the rate you'd need to hit the profit you actually want.

Free. No hoops. Prefer a form? Sign up here: moveout-rentout.vibepreview.com

What's coming up:

Move Out, Rent Out (live, free) — 45 minutes. 30 taught with screen shares, then open Q&A for as long as it takes. Licensing in the order that saves you time, and where you should be listed and why the answer isn't automatically Airbnb. [PRE-REGISTER]

The Playbook Sessions — four sessions with Christine and Sarah, working through the Fully Booked Playbook front to back. One: the ground you have to be standing on. Two: the listing itself. Three: the money. Four: the systems, so the thing runs without you answering messages at midnight. [PRE-REGISTER]

None of it's a pitch. Every session ends with open Q&A.

A note: short-term rental rules change fast and they change block to block. Everything here is general guidance to help you ask better questions — always confirm what applies to your exact address before you spend a dollar.

You were never meant to host alone. We're building a village.

📍 thefullybookedhost.com · 📩 hello@thefullybookedhost.com

Karmen woke up to twenty notifications. Every upcoming reservation at her property, cancelled!

Karmen and Jesse Brown have been hosting in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada for five years. Great reviews, an established business, a property guests love. And a licensing notice that arrived by email and got lost in the noise every host knows too well.

In this episode, Christine and Sarah walk through exactly what happened next: the first message, the first decision, and the plan that came together over tacos and a very long list of phone calls. Roughly 90% of those guests rebooked. About $25,000 in reservations moved off the platform and into Karmen and Jesse's own business.

This one is a real story with a real recovery plan, and four things you can put in place today so you're never starting from zero.

In this episode:

- Why an established listing is not a protected listing

- What Karmen had that made the recovery possible (and what most hosts don't have)

- The exact offer that brought guests back

- How to talk to a guest whose booking just disappeared

- Building a habit for catching the notices that actually matter

- Why community and a plan beat panic every time

Featured Host of the Week: Karmen and Jesse Brown, Viewpoint Lodge, Vernon, BC. Perched above the lake among the orchards, with a hot tub, cold plunge, barrel sauna, arcade games, and mini putt in the front yard. Go show them some love.

Viewpoint Lodge: https://viewpointlodge.holidayfuture.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/view_point_lodge/

Mentioned in this episode - The Direct Booking Checklist. Free, no gatekeeping: https://directbookchecklist.vibepreview.com

Want your property featured? Send us your listing link and tell us what you're facing right now. Every month we feature at least one property on the show and across our channels, and we choose one host for a coaching call where we dig into the business and make real recommendations.

The Fully Booked Host is hosted by Christine Brandle and Sarah Churchill. Website: https://www.thefullybookedhost.com

You were never meant to host alone.

Two hosts. One community. A shared mission to help hosts thrive with better systems.

It started with an honest question in a Facebook group: "How do I know if I'm ready for a property management system?"Sarah asked it. Christine answered — "let's hop on a quick call." That call turned into a friendship, a partnership, and this podcast.

The Fully Booked Host is where short-term rental hosts get the answers nobody hands out for free. Christine brings the systems brain — workflows, owner statement formulas, setup support, and the tech stack that actually scales. Sarah brings the rising-host reality check — what it's really like to run units while you're still figuring it out. Together they cover the stuff that decides whether hosting stays a side hustle or becomes a business.

We host across borders — the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia and Bali — so we talk openly about what changes country to country: regulations, platforms, payouts, guest expectations, and the tools that work in one market and fall apart in another.

Every week: property management systems and when you actually need one, channel management across Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com, pricing and occupancy, guest communication that doesn't eat your evenings, owner relationships and reporting, cleaning and turnover ops, direct bookings, and scaling from one unit to a portfolio.

Whether you're about to list your first place, running a handful of doors, co-hosting for owners, or operating a boutique property — you're in the right room. No gatekeeping. Just the systems, the numbers, and the honest conversation.

New episodes weekly. Follow the show so you don't miss one.

Welcome to the Fully Booked Host

Hosting is harder than anyone tells you, and most hosts carry it alone. Christine and Sarah on why that isolation breaks people, what changed when they stopped doing it solo, and what this show is here to build.

Nobody warns you about this part.

Not the guest complaints or the cleaning turnovers — those you can plan for. It's the part where you're the only person who knows how any of it works. The decisions you second-guess because you've got nobody to check them against.

Christine has been in short-term rentals since 2010, as a property manager and behind the scenes on the tech side. Sarah runs Exceptional Vacation Rentals in San Diego. Between them they've made most of the mistakes already, and neither of them figured any of it out alone.

You're not here for vague inspiration. You're here because you want your business to be more efficient, more profitable, and less draining — and because you don't want to do it all alone. You want a village around you for the days when you feel overwhelmed.

That's what we're building. Come be part of it.

Subscribe to the show!