How to switch Airbnb co-hosts without losing your reviews

Most owners stay with a co-host longer than they want to. The handover sounds painful, and it feels awkward to look for a replacement while the current one still runs your calendar. The good news: on Airbnb the way to protect your reviews is to keep the same listing and make sure the listing is in your hands. This guide shows how.

First, what Airbnb says happens when a co-host is removed

Airbnb's help page on removing a co-host (Airbnb Help) says the following:

• The removed co-host loses access to the listing. They can no longer edit it, accept or decline inquiries, see the calendar, manage dates or message guests.
• You stay responsible for current and future reservations, including any the co-host accepted before they were removed.
• Co-host payouts stop for bookings that start after the removal. This applies to home listings.
• If the removed co-host was the primary host, the listing owner (or another eligible full-access co-host) takes that role, and the owner becomes the primary host by default if no full-access co-host remains.

Airbnb's overview page adds that the owner or a full-access co-host can add a co-host to a home listing, that a full-access co-host can add more co-hosts but only with limited calendar and messaging access, and that a home listing can have up to 10 co-hosts (Airbnb Help).

About reviews: the removal page does not mention reviews at all. We found no Airbnb statement that says reviews stay with a listing, and the only answer we found was an unofficial reply in the Airbnb Community forum saying reviews are tied to the listing's admin. Treat that as unconfirmed. What you can do is reduce the risk: keep the same listing, and make sure you, not the co-host, are the account that created and controls it. If this matters to you, ask Airbnb support in writing before you act.

One vendor source (Houst, a UK company) makes the same practical point: when a co-host works inside your own Airbnb account, reviews and Superhost status stay with you, and when a manager lists under their own profile, the history builds against theirs (Houst). That is a vendor's view, not Airbnb policy, but it explains why the first step below is to check whose account the listing sits in.

Step 1: Check whose account the listing is in

Open the listing on Airbnb and look at who the primary host is. If your name is on it, you are in the strongest position. If the co-host's name is on it, you need a plan: talk to Airbnb support and your agreement before you do anything else, because "a new listing" means losing the history. Never start a new listing to get away from a co-host.

Step 2: Read the agreement and give notice

Most agreements ask for 30 to 60 days. Give notice in writing, say thank you, and pick an end date that falls between bookings. Do not cancel reservations to make a point. Cancellations count against the host on the listing, and the current co-host is not the one who pays for that.

Step 3: Line up the next co-host before the last day

Aim for an overlap, even a short one. Looking for a replacement without telling your current co-host is normal and fair. On Pairhost, owners who want to switch can search privately:

• Co-hosts see an anonymous card, such as "Private search: 4 BR chalet in Lake Harmony", with bedrooms, tier, your brief and rounded performance figures. They do not see your name, listing title, link, photos, reviews or map pin.
• You can block your current co-host, or anyone else, so they never see your search or message you. This is enforced in the database, not only hidden on screen.
• You reveal your property to one co-host at a time, inside a conversation, only when you click Reveal.
• Contact details unlock only when you both agree.
• Every co-host is approved by a person, with a live property verified and references on file.

Owners never pay. Start with the switching page, then get quotes, and use the fee calculator to know what a fair range looks like before the pitches arrive. You can also browse approved co-hosts.

Step 4: The handover checklist

Work through this before the end date. The same list is on the switching page as tick boxes.

1. Listing access. You are the primary host on Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com and your own booking site. Add the new co-host before you remove the old one, so there is no gap, and remove the old one on the last day.
2. Tool logins. Pricing tool, smart lock, thermostat, cameras and Wi-Fi: change them to accounts you own, with the new co-host added.
3. Guest messages. Export the templates, the house manual and the check-in instructions, even if you plan to rewrite them.
4. Calendar. Confirm every future booking, with the deposit and payout status for each.
5. Vendors. Cleaner, hot tub and pool service, snow, lawn and handyman, with rates and who pays whom. Decide who keeps each one.
6. Supplies and keys. Inventory, spares, and how many key copies exist.
7. Permits and taxes. Your township short-term rental permit, county hotel tax account and any HOA registration, in your name, with renewal dates. See the rules guide.
8. Money. Final statement, held deposits and prepaid supplies, settled on the last day.

Step 5: Reviews and the record

Keep the same listing so the reviews stay on it. Ask the outgoing co-host for a short written summary of open guest issues, such as a guest who reported a broken lock. If they did good work, give them a reference. The Poconos is a small community, and a clean exit helps you too.

What to do in the first 30 days with the new co-host

• Ask for a weekly note on bookings, issues and cleanings for the first month.
• Check response times on guest messages. A slow reply drags down your ranking.
• Compare the first monthly statement with the agreed fee base.
• Confirm who covers the 24-hour contact your township may require.

Frequently asked questions

Will I lose my reviews if I switch co-hosts on Airbnb?

Airbnb's help pages do not say that reviews follow the co-host. If you are the primary host and the listing stays the same, you are in the best position. One Airbnb Community reply says reviews are tied to the listing's admin, but that is not an Airbnb policy statement. Check with Airbnb support if it matters.

Can I search for a new co-host without my current co-host knowing?

Yes, on Pairhost. Private search shows co-hosts an anonymous card and lets you block your current co-host. You choose when to reveal the property to one co-host at a time.

Should I cancel guest bookings during the handover?

No. You stay responsible for current and future reservations, and cancellations hurt you. Pick an end date between bookings and hand over the confirmed calendar.

How much notice does a co-host need?

It depends on your agreement. Many ask for 30 to 60 days. Read yours before you tell anyone.

Airbnb pages retrieved on 2026-11-03. Pairhost is not a party to any agreement between an owner and a co-host. Where money, permits or contracts are involved, ask a professional.

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