This is meant to be a small safety guide-line for hosts of free accommodation offers. The checklist is provided on behalf of several suggestions made by the belodged.com community. The instructions and advices will be updated as soon as we get more and better information from you, you and you… (last update 8th of May)
At any time
- Follow first the checklist for HOST AND GUEST
- Print out the profile and e-mails of the guest you look forward to welcome in your home.
- Instead of receiving visitors on your own have some friends around you. Inform your prospective guest about this circumstance beforehand.
- Keep your friends regularly up-to-date during hosting someone.
- Present your passport to the guest, she/he will show you hers/his one.
- Take a photo of the passport, write down the passport number or other details. It’s fine! The majority of hotels proceed the same way. This approach may appear quite harsh and not very hospitable but aren’t we just talking about a maximum of security matters one can catch at interaction between belodged.com hosts and guests? Someone who has nothing to hide will understand this (possibly your guest has read this check list (coming soon) , too, so she/he will not mind at all.
- Check the passport against all the information you already got from the guest before.
- Take a welcome photo together. Store the photo and send it by e-mail / MMS to your friends/family.
- Kindly ask your guest to leave a sort of security deposit. Hotels usually proceed the same way…
- Listen to your own feelings. If you are not 100% sure about your guest’s trustworthiness, help her/him to find some other cheap hosting alternative. Please be prepared to be able to furnish your guest with all required information (directions and rates).
And again: It is absolutely ok to come up with such a back-up plan at any time. The guest may be prepared as she/he is assumed to have read this checklist. - Decide how “open” (open/locked door) you want to have your home. Inform your guest about your ‘open-door policy’
. - At the beginning make an agreement with your guest how long she/he can stay at your place.
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Furnish your guest with a kind of timetable on when you’re available at home and when not. Be reachable for your guest! It is absolutely okay for you and your guest to leave the house together (for example when you have to go out for work).
- Show respect to each other. Enjoy your time together. It does not happen very often that both of you have the opportunity to get to know to a foreign culture and different way of life.
So far this is all about safety. Sounds tough, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, everything will be for good 
Above all just remember why you joined belodged.com: It is all about fun, making new friends, being accommodated free of charge, traveling off the beaten tracks and so on… doesn’t sound too though anymore, does it?
Some more advice about ‘how to be a nice host’ can be found here… (coming soon)
