Can I sell my Airbnb business?

An Airbnb business can be a set of things held together: a property or a lease, a listing, a way of running it, and the permissions to rent short term. Some of those can be handed to a buyer and some cannot. This page sets out what Airbnb’s terms say and what local rules in two places show, so you know what to check before you talk to a buyer.

The account does not transfer

Airbnb’s Terms of Service say you may not transfer your account to someone else. They also say you may not assign, transfer or delegate the agreement, or your rights and obligations under it, without Airbnb’s prior written consent. Airbnb may assign or transfer the agreement itself on 30 days’ prior notice. Treat your account, and anything that lives inside it, as something you cannot hand over, and ask Airbnb directly before you promise a buyer anything.

What the buyer can take over

If you own the property, a buyer may be buying the property and your operating methods. If you lease, ask whether the lease allows short-term rental and whether the landlord must consent to a new tenant. Look too at any contracts with cleaners or property managers, and whether they can be assigned.

Local rules are part of the sale

The B.C. government says short-term rental hosts, platforms and strata hotel platforms in B.C. must register and pay annual registration fees. It also says short-term rentals are limited to principal residences in many B.C. communities. The City of Toronto says its regulations aim to allow residents to rent only their principal residence on a short-term basis. It requires short-term rental companies, meaning platforms such as Airbnb, to obtain a licence, and it publishes separate registration information for operators, the people renting their homes. Other provinces and cities have their own rules. Confirm whether a registration or licence can move to a new owner, or whether the buyer must apply on their own.

Tidy the records first

Whatever a buyer takes over, clean records of bookings and costs make it easier to check. See How do I clean up my financial records before selling?.