House Rules We really want you to have a great experience staying with us. Please read these rules before booking, so that you'll know if our place is a good fit for you.

Rule #1 - Always communicate through Airbnb messages. We have a small team that manages several listings, so our team will be able to respond to the Airbnb messages faster than calling or texting us outside of the Airbnb platform. If we do need to speak about something, please send us an Airbnb message first.

Rule #2 - Help us keep the property safe and comfortable. We have tried to think of everything, but we're not perfect. If a battery in a smoke detector is beeping, please tell us! If we run out of coffee or cooking oil in the kitchen, please tell us! Even if it's something outside of our control, like the neighbors being too loud, we want to know about that.

Rule #3 - No Smoking. No smoking, lighting candles, or burning incense or anything else with a strong smell in the Airbnb. The other tenants will notice if you smoke, and they will tell us. If you break this rule, we will ask you to pay a $200 fine, and we may ask you to vacate the property immediately. While we prefer that you do not smoke anywhere on the property, you may smoke outside if you are 20 feet (8-10 steps) from any doors or open windows.

Rule #4 - Number of Guests. Please check that the number of guests on your reservation is correct before booking. No additional guests are permitted on the property beyond the number of guests on your reservation. If you bring additional guests that are not on the reservation without our written approval (Airbnb message), you agree to pay an additional guest fee of $20 per night, for the duration of your stay.

Rule #5 – Lost and Found. We will happily have any lost items shipped back to you. We charge $20 for this, which covers the cost of shipping, plus our housekeeper’s time to go to the post office and put it in the mail.

Rule #6 – Cleaning. Please help us keep the place clean. Two little things that really make a big difference for our housekeeper:

1. Pick up your trash and recycling before you leave and put it in the bins.
2. If it’s rainy or snowy outside, take off your shoes at the door.

Rule #7 – Kitchen. Use whatever you want… but wash whatever you use! You may leave dishes in the dishwasher – just start it before you leave.

Rule #8 - Noise in the Building. This is an apartment building, and there are other tenants who will be home during your stay. The building is older, so noises can carry easily through the walls and ceilings. We expect our guests to be respectful of the other tenants. No loud music, noises, TV volume, etc.

Rule #9 - Doors and Access. There is a door inside the Airbnb that leads to an interior stairway to another apartment that is occupied by a tenant (it’s a quirky old building). The tenant is someone we trust who we've known for years. She's very friendly and you may see her outside the building since the yard is shared space. This door inside the Airbnb will be locked from the hallway side when you arrive - you will not have access to that part of the building. You will also be able to lock the door on your side from within the Airbnb. Please unlock it when you check out (our housekeeper uses this door).

Rule #10 - Booking requirements. To minimize the risk of parties, we have a policy not to host anyone who already lives in the Columbus area. If you acknowledge in your messages to us that you have read this, and you provide your reason for booking, we will consider making an exception. For all 1-night stays, we require previous positive reviews and your message should mention that you have read this.

Special note about air quality: Two cats live in this building with the other tenants. They do not go inside the Airbnb. While nearly all our guests don’t notice anything, we have had guests who are extremely sensitive to smells and/or have cat allergies who have been affected by this. We do not recommend booking our place if you have cat allergies or if you are extremely sensitive to smells. If you choose to book and then decide not to stay, we will offer you a refund for your unused nights that we can get rebooked to other guests. We do provide a Levoit air purifier in the bedroom to help keep the air as clean as possible!

Changes and Alterations: The cancellation policy that is in place at the time of booking will also apply to requests to move dates or shorten stays (we may not issue refunds for short-notice changes unless we have reasonable time to re-rent those dates).

Long Stay Discounts: To receive weekly and monthly discounts, guests must book the full term (7 nights or 28 nights) at the time of the initial booking. Dates that are added to existing stays will be charged at the published rate at the time of the alteration request (e.g. a 6-night stay that is later extended to 7 nights will not be eligible for the weekly discount). Stays that are booked with weekly or monthly discounts and then later shortened will be recalculated without the discount.

Thanks! Nat & Kate