Get started as a host
What documents you need before your first listing
A short list of paperwork, gathered once before you list, saves you from a stalled approval or an awkward mid-booking request for proof you don't have ready. None of it is complicated, but having it organised in advance makes the whole process noticeably faster and considerably less stressful than assembling it under pressure later.
Proof of ownership or right to let
You'll need something that establishes you're genuinely entitled to list the property - a title document if you own it, or a tenancy agreement with sublet permission if you're leasing and re-letting. Flatmates checks this during the approval process, and having it ready as a clear scan or photo from day one avoids a delay right when you're most eager to go live and start earning. Keep a digital copy easily accessible rather than searching for a physical original at the exact moment you need to submit it, since that delay alone accounts for a meaningful share of slow first approvals.
A valid form of personal identification
A national ID, international passport, or driver's licence is required as part of host verification, matching the name on your profile exactly as it appears on the official document itself. Make sure the document is current and the photo is legible - a blurry or expired ID is one of the most common, entirely avoidable reasons a first-time host's verification takes longer than it needs to. If your profile name differs even slightly from your ID, due to a nickname or a shortened version, correct one or the other before submitting to avoid an unnecessary back-and-forth.
Proof of address for the listed property
A recent utility bill, a bank statement showing the address, or a similar document helps confirm the listing corresponds to a real, specific location rather than an address typed in without any supporting evidence behind it. This matters more for building trust with guests than it might first seem, since it's part of what keeps the whole platform credible for everyone using it, hosts and guests alike. Choose a document dated within the last few months where possible, since older documents are sometimes flagged for a fresher one during review.
Photos that match your current documentation
If your proof-of-ownership or tenancy documents describe the unit in a specific way - number of rooms, floor level, building name - make sure your listing photos are consistent with that description throughout. A mismatch between paperwork and photos is a common flag during review, even when both are entirely genuine, simply because the discrepancy looks unusual to a reviewer checking quickly across many submissions. Resolve any obvious mismatch before submitting rather than hoping it goes unnoticed.
Banking details for payouts
Have your bank account details ready and double-checked before you list, since incorrect details are one of the most common causes of delayed first payouts across new hosts generally. A small transliteration error in an account name or number can hold up funds for days while it gets manually corrected, which is an entirely avoidable delay if the details are verified carefully upfront against your actual bank records rather than typed from memory.
Co-owner or landlord consent, if it applies
If the property is jointly owned, or if you're a tenant subletting with permission, keep a simple written note of that consent on file even if the platform doesn't request it upfront during the initial listing process. Disputes over authority to list are rare, but on the occasion they do come up, having this documented in advance turns a potentially serious problem into a quick, easy resolution rather than a drawn-out disagreement with no clear evidence either way.
Keep digital copies, not just physical ones
Scan or photograph every document and store the copies somewhere easy to retrieve - a dedicated folder in your phone's photos app or a cloud drive works well for this. You'll likely need to resend some of these documents again over time, for a re-verification, a dispute, or a second listing, and having them ready saves you from digging through drawers or filing cabinets each time the need comes up unexpectedly.
Understand what happens if something's missing
If your documentation is incomplete, your listing approval will typically be paused with a specific request for what's missing, rather than rejected outright - so a gap here is usually a delay, not a dead end to your listing altogether. Respond to that request promptly and specifically, since the sooner it's resolved, the sooner your listing actually goes live and starts earning income for you as intended.
Treat this as a one-time setup cost
Gathering everything up front feels like the slowest part of getting started, but it's genuinely a one-time cost - once your documents are on file and verified, the rest of onboarding moves quickly, and a second listing later reuses most of the same verification rather than starting entirely from scratch. Think of the effort here as an investment that pays dividends across every future listing you ever add to your account.
Organise everything before you sit down to list
Rather than gathering documents piecemeal as each one is requested, set aside twenty minutes beforehand to collect ID, ownership proof, address proof, and banking details all at once, in one sitting. Hosts who prepare this way almost always move through submission and review noticeably faster than those who start the listing process first and then scramble to find each document only when the platform specifically asks for it midway through.
Don't let a missing document stop you from starting
If you're missing one specific item - say, a utility bill in your own name because you share accommodation - start the process anyway and look for an acceptable alternative, like a bank statement or a signed letter from whoever the bill is registered to. Most documentation requirements have a reasonable, accepted substitute, and reaching out to support with your specific situation is far more productive than assuming you simply can't proceed at all.
First-time hosts often overestimate how strict this is
The documentation bar exists to filter out genuinely fraudulent listings, not to create hurdles for ordinary, honest hosts with a real property to list. If you're a genuine owner or a tenant with real sublet permission, the process is usually far more straightforward in practice than it can feel while anticipating it for the very first time, before you've actually been through it once.
