Free template

Airbnb co-host agreement template

Adding someone as a co-host on Airbnb takes a minute. Agreeing what they are responsible for, what they are paid, and what happens when a guest breaks something takes longer, and it is far easier before the first booking than after the first dispute.

This template covers the points that co-host arrangements most often fall out over. Fill in the brackets, delete clauses that do not apply, and have both parties sign.

This template is a starting point, not legal advice. Rules differ by country, state, and city — have it reviewed by a qualified local lawyer before you rely on it.

Short-term rental co-hosting agreement

This agreement is made on [date] between [Owner full name] ("the Owner") and [Co-host full name or company] ("the Co-host") for the property at [full address] ("the Property").

1. Services

The Co-host will provide the following services for the Property: [listing creation and maintenance; pricing and calendar management; guest communication before, during and after each stay; coordinating cleaning and laundry between stays; restocking consumables; arranging minor repairs; handling guest reviews]. Services not listed here are not included unless agreed in writing.

2. Platforms and accounts

The Property will be listed on [Airbnb / Vrbo / Booking.com / direct bookings]. The listing remains in the Owner’s account, and the Owner will add the Co-host with [full access / limited access] permissions. Neither party will change payout details on the listing without the other’s written consent.

3. Fees and payout

The Co-host will receive [20]% of [each booking’s host payout after platform fees, excluding the cleaning fee]. The cleaning fee collected from guests will be paid to [the cleaner / the Co-host] to cover cleaning costs. Payment will be made [through the platform’s co-host payout split / by bank transfer within 7 days of guest checkout]. A monthly statement of bookings, fees, and expenses will be provided by the [10th] of the following month.

4. Expenses

The Owner will pay for consumables, repairs, utilities, and replacement items. The Co-host may spend up to [150] per item on repairs or replacements without prior approval and will be reimbursed with the receipt; anything above that requires the Owner’s approval except in an emergency affecting guest safety or a current stay.

5. Damage and security deposits

The Co-host will document the Property’s condition after each stay with photographs and will file any damage claim through the platform within its deadline. Amounts recovered belong to the Owner. The Co-host is not liable for guest damage except where caused by the Co-host’s negligence.

6. Owner use of the Property

The Owner may block dates for personal use by giving at least [30] days’ notice. No co-host fee is payable on owner stays. The Owner will not cancel confirmed guest bookings except in an emergency.

7. Insurance, licences and taxes

The Owner is responsible for appropriate property insurance, any short-term rental registration or licence required at the Property’s location, and declaring rental income for tax. The Co-host is responsible for tax on their own fees. [Tourist or occupancy tax will be collected and remitted by: the platform / the Owner / the Co-host.]

8. Term and ending the agreement

This agreement starts on [date] and continues until either party gives [30] days’ written notice. Bookings confirmed before the end date will be [handled by the Co-host and paid as normal / transferred to the Owner]. On ending, the Co-host will return all keys and access codes and will be removed from the listing.

Signatures

Owner: ____________________ Date: __________

Co-host: ____________________ Date: __________

The clauses that matter most

Clause 3 is the one to get exactly right. "20%" means nothing without a base: 20% of the payout including the cleaning fee and 20% of the payout excluding it differ on every single booking. Use the co-host fee calculator to see the difference on your own numbers, then write the base into the agreement in words.

Clause 4 sets a spending limit, which saves a message to the owner for every lightbulb while keeping larger decisions with them. Clause 6 protects the co-host from an owner blocking the summer at the last minute, and clause 8 settles what happens to future bookings if the arrangement ends — the most common source of conflict at the end of a co-hosting relationship.

Who keeps the listing and the reviews

This template keeps the listing in the owner’s account, with the co-host added to it. That means the reviews stay with the property if the co-host changes, and the owner never loses access to their own payouts. Some professional co-hosts prefer to list the property under their own account to manage many listings together; if you do that, add a clause on what happens to the listing and its reviews when the agreement ends.

For a fuller picture of how co-host fees are usually set, see co-hosting fee structures: what to charge and how to track it.

Running more than one co-hosted property

Once you co-host several properties for different owners, each with its own percentage and expense limit, the agreement is the easy part and the monthly accounting is the hard part. The Property Tool for co-hosts keeps each property’s fee rule alongside its bookings, generates each owner’s statement, and gives owners their own portal to check it.

Common questions

Do I need a written agreement to co-host on Airbnb?

Airbnb does not require one, but without it there is no record of the fee, its base, or who pays for what. A short signed agreement is the simplest protection for both sides.

What should a co-host agreement include?

The services provided, the fee and what it is calculated on, how and when payment is made, who pays expenses and up to what limit, damage handling, owner stays, insurance and licence responsibilities, and how either party can end the arrangement.

How much do Airbnb co-hosts charge?

Commonly between about 10% and 25% of booking revenue, depending on how much of the operation the co-host takes on.

Is this template legally binding?

A signed agreement can be binding, but this template is a starting point, not legal advice. Short-term rental and contract rules differ by country and city, so have it reviewed by a local lawyer before you rely on it.

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