Introducing new COVID-19 safety requirements, updated guest standards, and more in the latest Host Update

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Introducing new COVID-19 safety requirements, updated guest standards, and more in the latest Host Update

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In the latest Host Update, Catherine Powell discusses quality hosting, updates to guest standards, and new COVID-19 safety requirements for members of the Airbnb community. 

 

Last year, in an effort to hold guests accountable for their actions during a stay, we announced new guest reliability standards. Since then, roughly 100,000 guest accounts that violated these policies and standards have been suspended or removed. In response to ongoing host feedback, we’re adding five new criteria to our guest reliability standards to address late checkouts, unauthorized pets, removal of approved security devices, and other issues. 

 

Between now and the end of the year, we’ll be investing in improvements to our systems and processes. These efforts will help us in making progress to ensure consistent enforcement, quicker response times, and higher overall accountability with guests.

 

As the heart of the Airbnb community, we know you work incredibly hard to provide the highest level of hospitality for your guests. When travelers have a bad experience with a host on Airbnb, it affects hosts’ reputations in their local communities and governments—and hurts our community as a whole. We’ve noticed recently that a group of listings didn’t live up to our expectations for quality. So just as we are removing guests to help protect the Airbnb community, we’ve decided to suspend or remove listings that have a consistent pattern of serious issues or that have regularly received low review ratings and failed to meet guest expectations.

 

In most cases, hosts with affected listings have already been notified and there is an appeals process in place to help address concerns. To learn more about these updates and how they may impact you as a host, watch the full Host Update. 

 

 

To help keep our community safe and trusted, starting October 12, hosts of stays will be asked to commit to a five-step enhanced cleaning process. Hosts will be required to attest to the protocol by November 20. If you’ve already attested, you’ll simply need to follow a quick prompt to agree to wear a mask and practice social distancing. New hosts will also need to commit to the safety practices. According to internal Airbnb data, listings enrolled in the Enhanced Cleaning Protocol are some of the most popular listings and have three times more bookings on average than listings that were not enrolled in the protocol.

 

We know health and safety has been top of mind for both hosts and guests alike, and we will continue to try and ensure standards are being met. As always, thank you for sharing the topics that matter to you. Please let us know what you’d like us to cover in future Host Updates with Catherine. 

 

To read a full overview of the video, visit this Resource Center article.

383 Replies 383
Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Does this Covid19 cleaning & social distancing also apply to those who have tiny homes/ tents listed?

 

@Catherine-Powell 

@Katie 

@Anna 

@Airbnb 

@Lizzie 

Elizabeth2017
Level 2
Moravian Falls, NC

Is it possible to still use Airbnb if the cabin you rent is in an off grid cabin with no electricity, or running water? I do the best I can, but it is impossible to meet all the guidelines in this circumstance. I wash cabinets and doors  with  a disinfectant. I spray fabrics with a hospital germicide. I do not do dishes. If the guest is concerned, they can bring paper plates.

 

Lisa723
Level 10
Quilcene, WA

@Airbnb @Katie @Catherine-Powell @everybody else

 

I just got this from CS:

 

Community Expert11:26 AM
Hello Lisa
thank you for contacting us, I hope you are well.
My name is Miles, I'm an Airbnb Community Expert and happy to help you.

No, only the used dishes are required to be washed thoroughly.

If you have any additional questions, just let me know!
Best wishes,
Miles

 

Lisa11:29 AM
Thanks, and does this apply also to linens?

 

Community Expert11:36 AM
Yes

@Lisa723 Common sense at last.  I suspect Miles may be wrong but its an official response from Airbnb so that will have to do.

Jenny1281
Level 1
Aztec, NM

Hello,

I cannot find where I agree to the terms and conditions for the new Covid 19 cleaning policies. Please let me know where I find this. There was nothing in my app or dashbord. Thank you.

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

@Jenny1281 This will appear in due course, so the moderators said. We have till 20 Nov.

Belinda55
Level 10
Bundeena, Australia

This global policy is inappropriate, paternalistic and bullying. I do not intend to comply. Please see my thread at https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/COMPULSORY-enhanced-cleaning-protocol-unrealistic-for-ma....

Kevin1148
Level 2
Wellington, New Zealand

Where community transmissions of COVID-19 are being managed, the blanket policy for wearing masks that AirBnB is requiring hosts worldwide to agree to is absurd.  Perhaps the wearing of masks could be an additional safety option for hosts and guests to request if they feel they are at risk from community transmission of COVID-19.

@Kevin1148hello from a fellow New Zealand, up in the Big Smoke, don't dare suggest such an Option or there will be all hell to pay with that.

 

See my other comments elsewhere here in CC including under New Zealand & Public Health Acts.

 

 There's always "Grey areas" in laws.

Roll on the Andrew Borrowdale JR Appeal against the Director General of Health & others.

 They have much to be answers me for and are not exempt from Laws.

Marg11
Level 10
Warwick, Australia

Wearing of masks is to prevent cross-infection! If either the host or guest has Corona-19 then neither has any business to be a host or a guest.

Should we check the temperature of our guests on arrival and cancel those who show a reading above normal? Where would they go? Here, in Western Australia, they would be taken to a secure quarantine hotel at their expense or if needing hospitalisation to our local hospital which has a covid-19 treatment centre. We would also need to quarantine for 14 days in our home and cancel any Airbnb bookings in that period or longer till we show a negative test result. If we became ill enough to require hospitalisation then we would be taken by ambulance to our local hospital. All of our contacts would be advised to quarantine as well. That is no going out to work, shops, school, for exercise or anywhere.

However, our state has no cases from community contact and our guests are local or interstate or international FIFO who can't go home and require accommodation for their days off duty. 

What is the point of the face masks?

Katie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hi everyone, 

 

I just wanted to clarify for those who mentioned that they couldn't see the option to agree to the 5-step process: this has now been rolled out to all hosts, so please do check your profile and try again. If you have any problems then just let me know and I can report back 😊

 

@Erik1327 @Alex-and-Rob1 @Jenny1281 @Cathy823 @Maali1 @Evangeline16 @Mike-And-Jane0 @Gordon90 

Aidan65
Level 6
Great Malvern, United Kingdom

@KatieWhen are you going to respond to hosts concerns about the protocol rather than just ignoring us?

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

@Katie @Airbnb3 

 

Whilst it's mentioned that this protocol is based on WHO & CDC information, would you please find out and disclose which Scientific Research Paper/s that ABB Head Office are relying on to implement this?

 That information should be freely available on all links & documents for us to read.

Why isn't it?

 

What steps is ABB taking to ensure that it's in compliance with our own countries laws?

 

New Zealand and 53 other countries are all members of The Commonwealth and have Queen Elizabeth as our Head of State, she has made a public appearance today with NO FACECOVERING & neither did her Grandson, Prince William.

 They were visiting one of the most dangerous places where Microbiology investigations take place in Proton.

 

 If it's fine for them to not wear face coverings in such a place, it is irrational to expect ABB Hosts & Guests to in their own countries when healthy & Covid19 free.

 

@Paresh3 @Deb3 

@Belinda55 @Mike-And-Jane0 

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 @Alex-and-Rob1 @Super47 

@Erik1327 @Jenny1281 @Cathie823

@Helen350 @Gordon90 @everyone-else

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I totally feel your frustration.  I only have to look at my President Trump to see that lack of diligence.  However, as a Physician Assistant, Professor of Medicine and with a background in Microbiology and Infectious Disease, I can offer this advice:  

    Do everything that you can to protect yourself, your family, your community and your guest.  Do this out of respect for your common man and consider your actions to be a sign of your care and love of others.  If you are ridiculed for wearing a mask, it will surely be the least of anything you have already endured in your life.  Blow it off and move on.  It is a small thing. Hold your head up high and be proud of your signal to the rest of the world that you care.  

   Love from the USA.

Mike-And-Jane0
Level 10
England, United Kingdom

Hi @Katie 

I still can't find where to sign up. Is it possible that when I originally looked and didn't sign up the option has now been removed from me?