Objective

Reduce risk from last‑minute 30‑day (or longer) bookings by applying consistent screening, removing same‑day booking access, and documenting clear acceptance / rejection criteria.

Policy Change (Effective Once Implemented)

• 30‑day minimum properties may NOT be booked within 24 hours of arrival unless we deem they are a good fit.

What Does Make Sense (Acceptable Scenarios)

Last‑minute 30‑day requests may be considered when the guest clearly explains a legitimate, verifiable disruption:

• Fire, flood, or major damage to their primary residence

• Emergency medical situation (self or immediate family)

• Sick family member requiring temporary relocation

• Insurance‑related displacement

Key requirement: Guest proactively explains the situation before being prompted.

What Does NOT Make Sense (Red Flags)

Automatically decline or escalate when you see:

• No explanation for why the booking is last minute

• Booking.com last‑minute requests over 25 days

• “Moving bookings because the last listing was bad”

• Vague landlord issues ("landlord kicked us out", "issues with lease")

• Excessive focus on pets or pet exceptions

• Overly needy tone before booking is confirmed

• Attempts to negotiate rules, pricing, or deposits immediately

• Resistance to providing address or confirming checkout date

Required Screening Questions (SOP)

All last‑minute 30‑day requests must answer the following before approval:

1️⃣ Purpose of Stay

Question:

What brings you to the area for your 30‑day stay?

Why: Filters out unstable, vague, or housing‑replacement situations.

2️⃣ Occupancy & Visitors

Question:

Who will be staying in the home, and will there be any visitors during your stay?

Why: Prevents unauthorized occupants, parties, and lease‑like behavior.

3️⃣ Rules, Temporary Stay & Address Verification

Question:

Please confirm you’ve reviewed and agree to the house rules (no parties, no smoking, occupancy limits), that your stay is temporary with checkout on [date], and provide your current home address for verification purposes.

Why: Written acknowledgment provides protection and helps establish non‑tenancy intent.

• Use saved reply "Last minute booking - 30 day min" 

Decision Tree

• ✅ Clear explanation + answers all 3 questions → Approve

• ⚠️ Partial answers, vague responses, or hesitation → Decline

• ❌ Refusal to answer, multiple red flags, or pushback → Decline