Communication between the Host and the Tenant is key to a smooth Stay. Your Host knows their property better than anyone and is typically the fastest route to resolving any issue you may encounter. If you are having trouble reaching your Host, please follow the guidelines below.
Understanding Host Types
Before reaching out, it's helpful to understand that Hosts on our platform generally fall into two categories: Corporate Hosts (B2B) and Individual Hosts (B2C).
- 🏢 Corporate Hosts (B2B) are businesses or companies that manage properties as part of their operations. Because they follow standard business hours, inquiries sent to Corporate Hosts may take one or more business days to receive a response.
- 👤 Individual Hosts (B2C) are typically owner-operators — the person managing the property is often the owner themselves. As a result, inquiries to Individual Hosts tend to be answered more quickly.
Please keep these differences in mind when waiting for a reply.
1. Quick Reference: Who to Contact
Depending on the nature of your situation, the appropriate point of contact will differ. Please refer to the guide below.
| Situation | Point of Contact |
|---|---|
| 🛠️ General inconveniences or everyday living concerns | Your Host |
| ⚠️ Urgent room issues (lockout, utility failure, etc.) | Your Host (preferably via hotline) |
| 🔥 Fire or fire-related hazard | Notify your Host first → if unreachable or situation escalates, call 119 |
| 🚨 Safety concern, suspicious activity, or potential threat | Notify your Host first → if unreachable or situation escalates, call 112 |
| 🆘 Immediate danger to life or health (active fire, crime in progress, medical emergency, gas leak) | Call 119 or 112 first, then notify your Host |
💡 Why the Host comes first: Your Host lives and operates close to the property, which means they can often reach the scene and resolve on-site issues much faster than an outside responder can. Whenever possible, make your Host aware of the situation so they can take immediate action.
2. Everyday Communication with Your Host
For everyday concerns related to your Stay — such as appliance issues, minor maintenance requests, or general questions — your Host is the correct point of contact.
If the Host is unresponsive due to personal reasons or work, we recommend:
- Sending another message via the System to remind them of your inquiry — following up more than once is perfectly reasonable.
- Allowing a reasonable amount of time for a response, keeping in mind the Host type described above (Corporate Hosts may require one or more business days).
[How Host Notifications Work]
Understanding how our messaging system delivers notifications can help you get a faster response. When you send a message, the System automatically sends a push notification to the Host's mobile device approximately 10 minutes later. This means that each additional message you send may trigger another notification — so following up more than once can naturally increase the chance of your message being seen sooner.
[Understanding Response Delays]
A delayed reply from a Host is rarely out of the ordinary. Hosts are people too, and everyday circumstances — a busy schedule, a day off, or a simply missed notification — can affect how quickly they get back to you. We work to maintain a trustworthy community of Hosts on our platform, so an occasional quiet period on a Host's end is usually nothing more than that.
That said, if the silence continues longer than you'd expect, the best next step depends on where you currently stand:
- 📝 If you have already signed a contract and are staying at the property: Please contact the Platform during our customer service hours. We will do our best to help re-establish communication with your Host so that your living experience is not disrupted.
- 🔍 If you are still in the pre-booking stage and exploring options: You are always welcome to consider other Hosts whose responsiveness better fits your preferences. Many Tenants find that reviewing a Host's typical message response rate before making a decision is a helpful way to set expectations early and find the right match.
3. Urgent Situations at the Stay
For urgent issues that are not immediately life-threatening — such as being locked out, plumbing failures, loss of heating or electricity, or other urgent room concerns — your Host is the first and primary point of contact. Hosts are responsible for responding promptly to urgent issues at their property, and they are best positioned to resolve on-site concerns quickly.
Examples of Urgent Situations handled by the Host:
- Inability to access the Stay (Lockout)
- Loss of essential utilities (water, electricity, heating)
- Appliance or facility malfunctions requiring immediate attention
- Non-criminal security concerns (e.g., broken lock, faulty door)
⚠️ Please note: Our Platform's customer service does not operate on a 24/7 basis. Outside of our support hours, we may not be able to respond to urgent inquiries immediately. For this reason, it is essential that you establish reliable emergency contact with your Host before any issue arises.
Secure a Hotline from Your Host in Advance
To prepare for urgent situations, we strongly recommend asking your Host whether they provide a dedicated hotline or alternative emergency contact method, separate from the standard 1:1 messaging system.
- Not every Host offers a hotline, but simply securing an additional point of contact can be an invaluable resource when urgent situations arise.
- As a best practice, always confirm at the start of your Stay whether your Host has a fast and reliable way to be reached in emergencies.
- Asking proactively — rather than waiting until a problem occurs — is the single most effective way to protect yourself against unexpected incidents during your Stay.
4. When a Situation May Require Emergency Services
Some situations are ambiguous — they may or may not require emergency services. Examples include a flickering light fixture, a minor water leak under the sink, an unfamiliar person repeatedly lingering near the entrance, or a minor injury. In these cases, the recommended flow is:
- Notify your Host immediately via hotline or the 1:1 messaging system. Describe the situation clearly and ask for immediate guidance or intervention.
- If your Host responds and resolves the issue, no further action is required.
-
If your Host does not respond, or if the situation escalates while you are waiting, call the appropriate Korean emergency service:
- 119 for fire, smoke, or medical concerns
- 112 for safety threats or criminal activity
Keeping your Host informed — even when you ultimately call emergency services — allows them to coordinate on-site response, meet responders at the property, and follow up on any damage or aftermath.
⚠️ Important exception — gas-related concerns: If you detect any smell of gas, no matter how faint, treat it as a life-threatening emergency. Leave the premises immediately, call 119 first, and notify your Host afterward. Gas leaks are dangerous regardless of concentration and should never be assessed by the Tenant alone.
5. Immediate Life-Threatening Emergencies
When there is active, immediate danger to life, health, or property, your priority is your own safety. Call the appropriate Korean emergency service first, and notify your Host as soon as you are safely able to do so.
- Active fire, heavy smoke, or any gas smell or leak → Call 119 immediately
- Crime in progress, assault, intrusion → Call 112 immediately
- Medical emergency → Call 119
Once you are safe and emergency responders have been contacted, please notify your Host and, if needed, reach out to the Platform so that we can provide follow-up support.
6. How to Contact Customer Service
If you need our assistance regarding a non-responsive Host or other platform-related concerns, please reach out to us:
- Email: stay_support@enko.kr
Please note that responses will be provided during our standard customer service hours. For emergencies, always follow the appropriate contact flow outlined above.