Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
What do you think if the new requirements instituted by AirBnB? I thought AirBnB was a marketing platform, but they apparently see themselves as much more, with the ability to dictate how I manage my own property. I'll be canceling my service with them.
Here's the announcement:
Coming together for the health of our community
As the pandemic continues, it’s important that we all do our part to help protect one another from COVID-19. With this in mind, we’re launching mandatory safety practices that everyone in the Airbnb community must follow. For hosts, this means wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and following Airbnb’s 5-step enhanced cleaning process.
All hosts are required to agree to these COVID-19 safety practices by November 20, 2020. Hosts who don’t complete this requirement before the deadline may be unable to accept new reservations. Learn more
On our end, we’ll give you access to tools and resources you'll need to uphold these standards, which you can find in the cleaning section of your Performance tab.
Thanks for being our partner, and for everything you do to support the Airbnb community.
We're now requiring all hosts to follow a 5-step enhanced cleaning process. This is based on Airbnb’s cleaning handbook, which was developed in partnership with experts.
Ready to get started?
It only takes a few minutes to review and agree to the terms. Get started
Investor · Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2019 · 185 posts · 205 votes
5y
First, whether we want to accept it or not, covid is real. Two people in my network have died, one older (late 60s) and one young (late 20s).
Are the odds high that your guests are going to catch covid from your property? Probably not, (although that varies geographically). And of that group that might catch it, will they die? Also unlikely.
Does that mean, we shouldn't take preventative measures to keep our guests safe or that it's unfair for Airbnb to impose regulations? Absolutely not.
I like your drunk driver analogy, and let me take it in another direction. Think about it this way: if I go out and crush a six-pack, drive home, and get there safely with no accident, does that mean that I made a smart decision or made the right choice? No. It means that I got lucky. Just because the result was me getting home safely, doesnt justify me ignoring the safety precautions.
If I host people in my home via Airbnb, ignore their protocols, and my guests never catch covid, did I make the right choice? No. It means I got lucky. Again, the probability isn't the issue as much as taking steps to play it safe.
Can Airbnb check to ensure we meet these new covid requirements? Some maybe, but it seems most are on the honor system.
It's in the host's hands to decide whether they want to abide by the rules or not, just as Airbnb has the right to implement them in the first place on their marketplace (to protect themselves from liability).
If we want to follow the rules, great. If we want to ignore them, go for it. But know that we run the risk, no matter how small it may be of someone getting sick and then we get sued. Rules or not, in my opinion, take whatever measures you can to ensure the safety of your guests without putting an undue burden on yourself.
Most of the measures on the Airbnb list seem "easy" to assign to your cleaning staff. What's a few more things to add to their list? Maybe you pay them a bit more for the time it takes to execute, but in the bigger picture, this wont impact your margin all that much.
Consider how much $$ you'll lose by de-listing from Airbnb. If you'll lose more than you'll spend by following the rules, regardless of your personal opinion or desire to keep your guests safe, your decision should be an easy one.
Rental Property Investor · RVA · Member since 2016 · 5k+ posts · 4k+ votes
5y
My guess is this is motivated by 3 things:
- Travel and bookings have got to be way, way down. AirBnb needs to look like they're doing some level of quality control, because all hotels have something in place now. Hotels being their main competitor.
- Liability - always flows to the deepest pockets
- Fear of regulation - regulatory bodies are gunning to take down short term rentals basically everywhere. This helps take away some of the potential ammo that regulators may try to use.
Just a few thoughts. I'm a bit surprised they didn't have something like this already.
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
5y
I don't know about the rest of the country but our bookings are way up this year. People are using vacation rentals where it's easier to socially distance.
Investor · San Antonio · Member since 2020 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
5y
How are they going to enforce it or even know if their are new rules are followed? In reality it’s more like a recommendation. It’s like grocery stores putting a sign in the bathroom that says all employees must wash their hands. What store will have the staff to stand in the bathroom to verify that their workers wash their hands. LOL
Is there anything that they’re asking that’s not a good idea to start with?
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
5y
I don't believe we need to create new regulations and burdens for a virus with a 98% survival rate (actually higher for likely travelers).
What you believe about COVID doesn't matter. AirBnB should stick to their lane and stop trying to dictate how I greet my guests or wipe down my counters. Alcoholism kills more people than COVID, will AirBnB ban me from leaving champagne for a guest? Or cookies when diabetes kills millions? Where does it stop?
I don't believe we need to create new regulations and burdens for a virus with a 98% survival rate (actually higher for likely travelers).
What you believe about COVID doesn't matter. AirBnB should stick to their lane and stop trying to dictate how I greet my guests or wipe down my counters. Alcoholism kills more people than COVID, will AirBnB ban me from leaving champagne for a guest? Or cookies when diabetes kills millions? Where does it stop?
I wish you could convince the media of all those profound statements. I felt like it was a big media hype all along. I’m simply trying to state how would Airbnb know if you didn’t follow their “for looks only”, regulations?
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
5y
They will probably develop a "COVID violation" reporting process where guests can report owners for punishment. Of course, the downside is that guests would use this to punish owners they are unhappy with or blackmail them for various reasons.
It reminds me so much of the Eastern Block under the Soviet Union where you couldn't control your own private property and everyone operated in fear, knowing their neighbors could report the slightest violation and destroy their life.
Investor · Brooklyn, NY · Member since 2019 · 185 posts · 205 votes
5y
First, whether we want to accept it or not, covid is real. Two people in my network have died, one older (late 60s) and one young (late 20s).
Are the odds high that your guests are going to catch covid from your property? Probably not, (although that varies geographically). And of that group that might catch it, will they die? Also unlikely.
Does that mean, we shouldn't take preventative measures to keep our guests safe or that it's unfair for Airbnb to impose regulations? Absolutely not.
I like your drunk driver analogy, and let me take it in another direction. Think about it this way: if I go out and crush a six-pack, drive home, and get there safely with no accident, does that mean that I made a smart decision or made the right choice? No. It means that I got lucky. Just because the result was me getting home safely, doesnt justify me ignoring the safety precautions.
If I host people in my home via Airbnb, ignore their protocols, and my guests never catch covid, did I make the right choice? No. It means I got lucky. Again, the probability isn't the issue as much as taking steps to play it safe.
Can Airbnb check to ensure we meet these new covid requirements? Some maybe, but it seems most are on the honor system.
It's in the host's hands to decide whether they want to abide by the rules or not, just as Airbnb has the right to implement them in the first place on their marketplace (to protect themselves from liability).
If we want to follow the rules, great. If we want to ignore them, go for it. But know that we run the risk, no matter how small it may be of someone getting sick and then we get sued. Rules or not, in my opinion, take whatever measures you can to ensure the safety of your guests without putting an undue burden on yourself.
Most of the measures on the Airbnb list seem "easy" to assign to your cleaning staff. What's a few more things to add to their list? Maybe you pay them a bit more for the time it takes to execute, but in the bigger picture, this wont impact your margin all that much.
Consider how much $$ you'll lose by de-listing from Airbnb. If you'll lose more than you'll spend by following the rules, regardless of your personal opinion or desire to keep your guests safe, your decision should be an easy one.
Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
5y
@Nathan Gesner I am pretty sure hardly any hosts are following these enhanced cleaning protocols, even those who certify to it. I know the time and money it takes to clean to this level and hosts are stacking people in so close it is just not possible. Most AirBNB are not run as businesses, but rather part time hosts who clean a property on their lunch break. Even those who hire a cleaning person are not going to pay twice as much for a new COVID protocol.
I am not sure I would compare it to the Soviet Union. That is pretty extreme, lol. I would just do the best you can to sanitize, not only because of COVID, but because your guests deserve a clean property.
Investor · Member since 2019 · 59 posts · 150 votes
5y
In my opinion, when Airbnb releases these sort of processes, they do it mainly as a checkmark to indicate that they are doing something -- even if it doesn't carry any real weight behind it.
I think there is value in it and it will get a number of hosts to follow these rules. But, I'd argue that most of the hosts already considered what measures they will need to take to keep themselves and their guests safe and implemented their own protocols.
We've seen similar things occur in the past as well. For example, after they've had some issues with parties occurring during reservations, they've passed a rule that says that guests can't book acommodations for more than 16 people and cannot throw a party. However, since this is not really enforceable, guests will still bypass both of these rules and do it.
At the end of the day, Airbnb will do what they need to do to maintain their image as a safe and reliable marketplace. While many of their measures are not really enforceable, it's fairly understandable why they still take these actions.
Realtor · Centennial, CO · Member since 2018 · 30 posts · 10 votes
5y
I'm with you @Nathan Gesner We had a bunch of cancelations at the beginning of COVID, but they were immediately re-booked, and it hasn't slowed down all summer, and into fall. I think people are more eager than ever to get out, while staying safe.
I am frustrated by their changes in policy and them allowing guests to cancel with full refunds, without approval from hosts. Doesn't seem ethical when the guests contract is actually with our cancellation policy. What are your thoughts on that?
And will you be implementing the new cleaning regulations, or getting off the platform?
Investor · Nortnern Colorado · Member since 2020 · 157 posts · 131 votes
5y
I think the point @Nathan Gesner was making initially was about the intrusion of our "partner" in STR into our lane of business (correct me if I got that wrong, Nathan). At the moment, the hot topic is Covid cleaning. But the REAL issue (I believe) is about the amount of control and leverage a third party has in our business. This is a really big deal if you are into STR as a business as I am.
Why does it matter? Think of all the thriving businesses built on MySpace. Whoops. They're gone. Talk to folks who have built their business on Amazon only to have it disappear overnight because of a bribe paid to an insider to shut down competition. YouTube. Facebook... and Airbnb. If we build OUR businesses on THEIR rug... they can pull that rug any time they want and we're hosed. And this seems like tugging on that rug.
I recently left a corporate partner in the STR business because they inserted a clause in their contract that basically said "we can do whatever we want with your listing any time we want and we don't have to tell you when we change the rules." Really. It was about that bold. True to form, they didn't disclose they had added that language. And they DID swing that hammer. They refunded guests in a way that was 180 what their contract with me said. They changed pricing all over the map, sometimes too high, sometimes too low -- and there was little I could do about it except leave. Which I did.
My takeaway isn't much about cleaning. It's about the risks of allowing another business to sit in the driver's seat of our vehicle. Yeah, we need these platforms (and they need us), but we should be cautious too.
