Last updated: July 7th, 2025

Welcome to the hive, Hosts! 🐝 StayingBee is all about connecting AIESEC travellers who share similar interests, values, and sense of community. By opening your home to fellow AIESEC, you're not just Hosting—you're creating memorable experiences. Let's keep it buzzing! 🏡✨

Host Role and Responsibilities 🏠

1. Accommodation Offering:
   1. As a Host, you're offering more than just a bed; you're providing a slice of your world 🌍. No subletting drama here—it's a stay that's all about connection, not contracts.
   2. You agree to provide FREE accommodation for guests who book through the StayingBee community platform. This arrangement is not a subletting or rental agreement; it is an invitation to stay without a charge for accommodation.
2. Host Support Fee:
   1. Think of this as your "honey jar fund" 🍯—a little something to cover the cost of Hosting. You decide the fee based on your location, utilities, and other considerations. Because who doesn't love having the lights on when your guests arrive?💡
   2. StayingBee provides a "Host Support Fee" as a token of appreciation for Hosting a guest. This fee is designed to help cover the basic costs of Hosting, such as utilities, internet, and other incidental expenses. You, the Host, will determine this fee based on relevant factors like location, expected costs, and other personal considerations.
3. Community Standards:
   1. Let's keep the vibe friendly and fabulous. StayingBee is about building bridges, not walls 🌈. Only invite verified StayingBee members to your home, and make sure it's a safe and welcoming space. Think of it as Hosting an international AIESEC conference, one guest at a time! 🌍🤝
4. Property Standards and Safety Requirements:
   1. Hosts must maintain basic safety and quality standards including: working smoke detectors, secure door locks, clean linens and towels, functional bathroom and kitchen facilities (if advertised), accurate listing descriptions and recent photos, maximum guest capacity appropriate for the space and local regulations, and compliance with local safety codes and building requirements. Basically, everything that you’d want in a home (which you probably already have in yours).
5. Guest Screening and Acceptance:
   1. While StayingBee pre-verifies all community members, Hosts may decline booking requests for legitimate reasons, including: unavailable dates, guest count exceeding property capacity, incomplete guest profiles, or previous negative Hosting experiences. As good world citizens we are, Hosts may not decline based on nationality, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristics.
   2. Respond to Bookings Within 24 Hours!
      1. To keep our guests stress-free, please respond to booking requests within 24 hours. Some travellers have already booked flights and are ready to go—let's not keep them waiting! You will receive an email every time a new Guest requests a booking.
      2. Can't Host? Decline ASAP so they can find another Host. Let's keep the StayingBee experience smooth, fun, and full of connections! 🐝💛
      3. Hosts are expected to uphold StayingBee's community values, which include creating a welcoming, safe, and respectful environment for guests. Hosts may only invite verified members of the StayingBee community into their homes.
6. Communication and Hosting Standards:
   1. Put yourselves in the shoes of the Guest, and help them feel safe and welcomed by responding quickly to inquiries, provide clear check-in instructions in your listing, and provide assistance with local information and recommendations when requested.
7. Booking Modifications:
   1. Hosts may receive requests from guests to modify dates, guest count, or other booking details.
   2. Hosts have 24 hours to accept or decline modification requests. Approved modifications may result in adjusted Host Support Fees.
   3. Hosts should consider guest circumstances and maintain flexibility when possible while respecting their own availability and capacity.

Platform Fee and Payment Process 💳

1. Payment Process:
   1. Guests will pay the Host Support Fee via StayingBee. We're the beekeeper 🐝, ensuring you get your payment hassle-free.
   2. Platform Fee:
      1. We charge a modest 20% commission (aka "The BeeKeeper's Share") 🐝 on top of your fee. This keeps the hive buzzing, covering our costs so we can continue making magic happen.
2. Payout Timing:
   1. Your well-earned honey (aka payment) will be processed within 24 hours of your guest's arrival. Sweet and simple! 🍯💸
3. Payment Processing Details:
   1. Payments are processed in the local currency of your Host Support Fee. Currency conversion rates apply to international transactions.
   2. In case of payment disputes or chargebacks, payouts may be delayed pending resolution.
   3. Failed payments will be attempted multiple times before booking cancellation.
4. Payout Partner:
   1. Payments are handled by Stripe. You’ll be asked to connect your account to Stripe to receive payments automatically. 🧾

Legal and Tax Obligations ⚖️

1. No Subletting Arrangement:
   1. Remember, this isn't subletting—it's community Hosting! You don't need to alert your landlord or wrestle with subletting laws. Just be your amazing self! 🌟
   2. Just ensure that your housing committee has not specifically denied this kind of short-term Hosting in your apartment and you're good to go.
2. Extended Stays:
   1. If you’re planning to leave for extended periods of time (i.e. 2 months) and find an AIESECer to stay in your place and help you cover your rent, then you might need to communicate with your landlord about the situation in case any issues arise while you’re not there.
3. Tax Reporting and Documentation:
   1. As the Host Support Fee is provided as a support measure and not a rental payment, this arrangement should not be considered subletting under local law. Therefore, you are not required to report this arrangement to a landlord or adhere to typical subletting regulations.
   2. If you are unsure about the legal status of the matter, please check the legal status of the short-term Hosting in your home country or get in contact with a local legal advisor.
   3. While we like to keep things light, taxes can be serious business. Consult a tax advisor if you're unsure about your obligations. You know, just in case your honey pot gets too full 🍯😉.
   4. As a host, you may need to report income you receive through StayingBee to your local tax authorities, depending on your country and income level. In most cases, no VAT registration is required unless you exceed national thresholds. Please consult a local tax advisor if unsure.
   5. Hosts are responsible for reporting their earnings in their respective countries. StayingBee may collect tax-related information and share it with tax authorities as required by local law.
   6. U.S.-based hosts may receive a Form 1099-K from Stripe if their payouts exceed the IRS reporting threshold. StayingBee does not issue tax forms directly.
4. Host Verification and Compliance:
   1. Hosts must maintain accurate profile information and verify their identity through StayingBee's verification process.
   2. You must ensure your property listing accurately represents the space, amenities, and house rules.
   3. Regular updates to the availability calendar are required to prevent booking conflicts.