Host terms

Listing a space

You must have the right to let the space — if you rent, or your lease or mortgage restricts it, that's yours to check.

Your listing must be accurate: photos of the actual space, honest about the facilities and access.

You're responsible for the space being safe and for arranging the right insurance. Deskhops does not insure you, your space or your guests. See "What you need to arrange" below — a standard home policy almost certainly does not cover this.

What you need to arrange

These are conditions of listing on Deskhops, and they are yours to sort out before your first booking. We can't do any of them for you, and we don't check them.

Tell your home insurer. Call them and say you are letting desk space to a remote worker during the day, and ask for a home business use or business visitor extension. Without that permission in writing, your buildings and contents cover could be void — not just for the desk, for everything.

Get public liability cover. One quiet person at a desk still trips over a charger or slips on the stairs, and can bring a claim against you as the occupier. Your home insurer may add it (often called occupier's liability for business visitors), or a standalone home business policy typically starts at a few pounds a month.

No clients, visitors or deliveries. Your guest may not bring clients, business visitors or couriers to your property. We say this in our terms, but put it in anything you agree with a guest directly too. It is what keeps your insurance valid and your neighbours comfortable.

Check you're allowed. If you rent, or your lease or mortgage restricts business use, that is between you and your landlord or lender.

Tax

Money you earn hosting is taxable, and declaring it is your responsibility.

The Rent a Room Scheme does not apply. That £7,500 allowance is for residential lodgers living in your home, not for letting desk space during the day.

Declare it to HMRC as commercial rental income on your Self Assessment return.

The £1,000 Property Allowance may cover you if your total income from this is under £1,000 in the tax year. Above that, you will need to report it.

Your earnings page shows what we have paid you, which is a starting point rather than a tax return.

We're not advising you

Nothing on this page is legal, insurance, tax or financial advice. It is a list of what we require and what hosts commonly need to sort out, written to be useful rather than exhaustive.

Allowances, thresholds and rules change, and your own position may differ. Check with your insurer, your landlord or lender, HMRC, and an accountant or solicitor where it matters. If something here conflicts with advice you are given by a professional, follow theirs.

Accepting bookings

Respond to booking requests within the window shown, or they expire automatically.

Repeatedly cancelling confirmed bookings may mean we pause your listing — it's the thing guests find hardest to forgive.

Getting paid

You are paid through Stripe. Set that up in Hosting → Getting paid before your space can be booked: Stripe has to verify who you are before it will send anyone money, which is a legal requirement rather than a Deskhops rule.

We pay out at least 24 hours after you check a guest in, so there is time for either of you to raise a problem before the money moves. Stripe then sends it to your bank on their usual schedule.

If a guest never turns up and you mark them as a no-show, there is nothing to pay out — the guest is refunded according to the cancellation policy on the listing.

We deduct our 10% host fee before paying out. The guest pays a separate 4% fee on their side. Those are the only charges we make.

You're responsible for your own tax. We don't give tax advice.

Guests in your space

Guests see your first name, the address once a booking is confirmed, and your access instructions.

You never see a guest's surname or email address.