Peerspace

What: Peerspace allows you to rent out your space (home or office) by the hour to people looking for wedding, photography and special event locations

Commissions and fees: 15% of host’s gross, including cleaning fees

Husl$core: $$$$$

Expected pay: $50 + per hour

Requirements: A home or office/studio/warehouse/outdoor space that you’re willing to rent. Be able to sign a legal contract and maintain whatever licenses may be necessary in your area to rent your real estate as a venue.

Where: California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Washington, D.C. and Virginia (full list of cities here)

Review: 

If you have a home or work space that you’d like to list as a location for movie studios, photo shoots, weddings, baby showers, office parties and other special events, Peerspace will allow you to list it on their site and rent it by the hour.

The site allows you to specify what activities are acceptable in your space, the price and whether you impose a cleaning fee. You can also specify the number of hours the space is available and charge a penalty fee (1.5 times the hourly rental) for events that go overtime. Like Airbnb, you need to communicate with the renter; figure out how to get them in and out; and work out other details of the deal.

Rent by the hour

However, because you are usually not renting overnight, you don’t necessarily need to change the sheets or worry about finding another place to stay while your home is rented to strangers. With hourly rates ranging from around $50 to $500, this gig could return some serious change. And the site offers $1 million in liability insurance, which is important when you have strangers partying in your home. (But still check with your own insurer, to make sure your homeowner’s policy isn’t void when renting your home for commercial purposes.)

Peerspace collects payment from the renter and reimburses you, minus their fee, by direct deposit three days after the event is over.

If a guest cancels at the last minute, you earn a cancellation fee up to the full amount of the booking (depending on when the cancellation is made). But if you cancel, you could be penalized too.

Cancellation penalties

There’s no host penalty for canceling within 2 days of the reservation being made, but if you cancel at the last minute more than once in 6 months (barring serious emergency) you get fined $100 or 15% of the booking amount. A third cancellation in 6 months will get you kicked off the platform.

Given that renters can’t easily move their events, these seem like reasonable terms. Don’t agree to rent out your space unless you’re serious. Four other platforms — Giggster, Avvay, Splacer and ThisOpenSpace — also allow you to rent your house as a venue. If you’re in their geographic footprint, we suggest signing up with all three.

What their users say:

Filmmakers have recommended the platform to us, saying that they regularly check it for good places to shoot. However, we’re looking for host reviews. Please contact us if you rent out your space through this platform.

Want to try it?

List your space @ Peerspace

If you’re a photographer, film maker or want to host a wedding or party in some unique location, you can search for rentals here.

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