In Case You Missed It: Review update, Host Guarantee & more

[Airbnb]

We’re excited to share what we’ve been working on over the past few months, from expanding our efforts to tackle inconsistent reviews (we heard your feedback!) to offering new promotional tools that can help your listing stand out. Read on to learn more.

A review update inspired by your feedback

Late last year, we announced a new tool to help address inconsistent reviews. Here’s how it worked: If a guest gave you a 5-star rating in each category (cleanliness, value, etc.) but 1, 2, or 3 stars overall, they’d get a prompt asking them if they wanted to correct that inconsistency.

We got lots of great feedback from hosts on the new tool, and some of you asked why we set the threshold at 3 stars or less—in other words, why wouldn’t a 4-star overall rating trigger the prompt if the guest gave 5 stars everywhere else? We heard you, and we’ve changed the system so that now, even a 4-star overall rating will trigger a prompt if the guest has given 5 stars in each of the specific categories.

With this update, we’re continuing our work to make reviews more relevant and useful for hosts and guests, and we look forward to sharing more changes later in the year.

New custom promotions to get your listing noticed

We recently rolled out our new custom promotions feature, which lets hosts choose their own date range and discount amount. Hosts who set custom promotions can get access to special perks, including:

• An eye-catching strikethrough price in search pages and on their listing (e.g. $100 $85/night)
• Special callouts on their listing page, and the discount clearly detailed in the price breakdown
• A spot in the emails that go out to guests who browsed their listing

If your dashboard doesn't currently show custom promotions as an option, it may be because you're in a location that isn't supported or because you've had fewer than three bookings in the past year. In the meantime, you can still offer deals to guests by setting a lower price for specific dates, or setting up weekly and monthly discounts.

Host Guarantee will soon cover damage by assistance animals

We know that assistance animals (which include service and emotional support animals) play a crucial role in the lives of many of our guests, and we appreciate your willingness to accommodate them. We also know that there are rare cases where an assistance animal causes damage to a host’s property, so in the coming months, we’ll be expanding our $1,000,000 USD Host Guarantee to cover those incidents. (Keep in mind that the Airbnb Host Guarantee is subject to certain terms, conditions, and exclusions—you can learn more about it here.) We hope this update helps bring peace of mind as you continue to welcome guests with different needs into your spaces.

As always, we’d love to hear your feedback on these changes in the comments below. We’ll continue to work on updates that help make hosting easier and more enjoyable for you, so stay tuned for more to come!

[Adam784]

I notice that the US airlines have got worse to this after people have claimed ponies and other ridiculously large animals as "emotional support" animals.

[Kaitlynne-Rae0]

There was a Emotional Support peacock on one airline... 

[Patricia-Anne1]

you don’t have to be concerned anymore because the airlines have gotten strict which I think is awesome. I have a small dog that is an emotional support animal and she is legally documented by my doctor, my dogs veterinarian, my therapist, and I also write a letter. I also have to make sure she has seen the veterinarian and is updated and her vaccines. Rules have changed in the last year and I respect it and everyone who has an emotional support animal should. Otherwise, it makes it hard for people like me that follow the law. But people don’t have to worry like I said because now the airlines require a lot so if you see an emotional support animal in the airport rest assured everybody they have jumped through hoops to beIng there and they do call and verify the documents an owner has. 

[Etta4]

I love dogs wo are servive tranine.

[Ed242]

Homeaway and Airbnb both forget that they do not own the houses! Without the homeowner, they are nothing! These are private houses and I will always have the last say in who my house guest is!

Emotional support dogs dont count. They need to be trained in a specific task. Being fluffy is not a qualification. lol

[Blake8]

Totally agree! Service animals are one thing but not an emotional support animal!  Plus, why would any guest think it’s ok to show up without notifying the host they were bringing an animal?! That should be a mandatory notification. 

[Patricia1017]

Especially if the host has other animals on the property. It could cause all sorts of problems.  Not fair at all for the homeowner /host 

[Elayne10]

It’s not their rule, it’s a legal issue 

[Francene-W0]

My dog is more fuzzy than fluffy. She is an emotional pain in the neck animal. When I leave her for vacation I have nightmares about something happening to her. I miss her little warm body sleeping next to me pushing me to the very edge of the bed with her 20 lbs. I travel timeshare a lot and always appreciate when I travel airbnb and choose a place where I can bring her. She is well behaved quiet and doesnt shed much. Just saying.

[Patricia-Anne1]

By law, Airbnb cannot force any owner to have an emotional support animal. I know because I have one. I cannot bring her to anywhere that does not allow pets since she is not a true service dog. She is certainly a service for me because she relieves a lot of my anxiety but legally she is not a service dog and I respect the law. I also would not allow somebody to have an emotional support animal at my place because they are not always trained as well as service dogs. Again mine happens to be very well trained but a lot aren’t so Airbnb you need to Realize the difference between emotional support animals and a service dog!

[Catherine-V-0]

Do they force it? I can't have other animals in my home. 

[Brian511]

I agree with your assessment 100%  I don't accept pets no matter what and nor should you or any other host. I personally love dogs but choose to not have any pets in my house and all guest should respect that. It's a personal choice and should not be forced on someone (Kinda like people who apply way to much perfume in close quarters and invade your space with a horrific odor) 

[Sherry320]

I had a lovely guest with dogs, but when she left, the dog hair and smell stayed. My next guest smelled it and found dog hair (You can never get it all out) He was terribly allergic to dogs so I had to bring in a deep cleaning team and remove the area rugs and replace them along with window coverings and bed spread. It cost me over $250 just for the deep cleaning to say nothing of the shampooing of the upholstered furniture and the replacement of rugs and bed spreads. NEVER AGAIN! My guest rented because after the former owner, a dog owner left I decided to go to not pet friendly and he thought that he would not have to contend with dog hair and smell remnants.

[Kathy235]

Alexander -  The role of emotional support animals is not a a whim or lie, usually.  You point remains and, like the airlines until now, an accompanying letter from a mental health professional would be a reasonable requirement.  Also — it is not unreasonable to require advance proof of immunizations, etc.

[Sherri151]

From my understanding it is suppose to be ADA service animals. A lot of people think emotional support falls under the ADA rules. Unless that has changed, emotional support does not qualify under ADA rules. Glad to hear Air B&B will take responsibility for both! My understanding is you can’t charge more for a service animal no matter what. It would be good to educate yourself on service animals so you don’t violate any laws which could cause you legal issues. Especially what you are allowed to ask to someone with disabilities.