European coordination for host requests on energy issues.

[Debora1454]

Dear Friends, you will certainly know of the important energy restrictions that Europe had to adopt for the winter of 2022-2023 and probably also for the following years, as a consequence of the energy crisis due to the war in Ukraine and climate change.

Not only do we have to pay a lot of attention to the consumption of electricity, gas and even water, but we must contain the very high costs that hosts today are forced to face to guarantee you the best holiday. As a host we can implement all the best practices possible, but without the collaboration of the guests in respecting the duties, nothing can save us from succumbing to the weight of the energy bills.

For this reason we believe that an intervention by Airbnb is essential to protect us. As an Italian Airbnb community, we have decided to send personal feedback to the company to ask for new rules and tools to be introduced to deal with this emergency. Airbnb can be decisive in this historical period for a new awareness of travel.

Airbnb must ask its customers IN PREVENTION and as a NECESSARY CONDITION FOR BOOKING on this site to:

1) always observe the laws of the States in which they go regarding leases and behaviors connected to tourism. So they are required to inform themselves.

2) strictly observe the laws on energy saving that are simple (how to do separate collection carefully) or more complex (how to adapt to the new heating limits which for Italy will be 19 °). If apartment owners ask to observe the energy saving regulations, they must follow them. NOT FOLLOWING THEM IS OUT OF LAW (not just unwelcome or rude behavior).

The Host must be enabled to ask a guest who does not comply with the law to leave without suffering a penalty. And in the same way, complaints regarding the energy containment regulations are not admissible: if the law says that we must keep the temperature inside the apartments at 19 °, a complaint and a consequent request for reimbursement for a " discomfort "that does not depend on us".

It would also be important to introduce a tool to request an "extra" for energy costs, so as not to have to raise prices in a generalized way that is not easily understood by travelers.

We believe that coordinating European hosts in sending feedback with these requests can help draw Aribnb's attention to these issues. We therefore ask you to take action to send personal feedback to the platform on this issue.

Thank you all in advance for your cooperation.

[Sudsrung0]

@Debora1454 

Please can you tell me where you sent it to, so I send it to the same place, Thanks

[Debora1454]

@Sudsrung0  This is the Italian link to send personal feedback https://www.airbnb.it/help/feedback , I guess there is one that is the same for each country, it probably differs in the end of the address, instead of "airbnb.it" for example, there should be "airbnb.uk" for the UK, "airbnb.fr" for France and so on. You have to find out for yourself. Maybe you can ask your community managers.

[Adriano78]

Hola @Huma0  The problem with water is very serious here in the Seville area, we have very severe water restrictions.

Sevilla Area has only water reserves for 1 year maximum!, it is a very serious problem.

Like you, American guests put very tiny loads of washing machine laundry with crazy water consumption.

This is very frustrating because the host tries to raise awareness of customers at the economy of our natural sources but like you  Americans they stare at me blankly like they have no idea what I am Talking about

[Huma0]

@Adriano78 

Yes, I can imagine it must be very difficult in your area. I have only been to Seville once and, my goodness, it was hot and that wasn't even in the middle of summer! We do not often experience drought here, but this summer in London we had the highest temperatures in recorded history, combined with the driest few months since 1976. These were facts I kept repeating to guests, but they had no interest really. 

It is difficult, because you cannot educate people overnight. You can imagine, in that hot dry weather, it is really not necessary to dry your laundry in the machine. I have a sunny roof terrace with drying wracks for guests to use. Still, a couple of recent guests had never hung washing up to dry in their entire lives. It just wasn't part of their culture, even though one of them came from a hot, dry climate, and they thought it totally bizarre. Another guest from the same area, put on a tiny load to wash/dry for more than THREE hours, ignoring all instructions. 

There are cultural differences in attitudes and habits towards these things that are difficult to change. I have had a guest from Russia tell me that she won't recycle because where she comes from it's just not a thing and that they turn on the heating on a certain date, regardless of the temperature, and walk around in bare feet. I explained that it was warmer here and technically still summer, we still had windows open etc. but she didn't care. She wanted the heating on. Another guest, this time from Egypt, told me that he will not recycle because in Cairo, it's just a money making scam by the authorities. I explained that was not the case here but, again, he didn't care.

I will also never forget the guest from Miami who threatened me when I said I would not turn the heating on in the middle of June. He barked at me, "Well, this is not hot where I come from!"

So much for 'When in Rome'...

[Mira63]

Thank you @Debora1454 Debora, awesome job. 

[Stephanie365]

Sadly, Americans actually can comprehend high energy costs when it affects them. You should hear the b*tching when gas prices rise and they have to pay more at the pump.

The problem is so many Americans have a sense of entitlement and complete disregard for others. Not to make this a political discussion but this self-centered "me-me-me" attitude is the core of the Conservatives in this country. They don't want to work together and make things better for everyone. That's Socialism and That's evil!
No, Bubba, that's called being a good human being and wanting things better for everyone, not just your selfish, sorry-@$$ self.

**[Content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Debora1454]

@Stephanie365 when it comes to guests, no one wants to specifically target Americans as superficial, it is always the quality of the person and not the nationality that makes the difference. For example, this summer I had Dutch guests (Northern Europeans are believed to be more environmentally aware) who set the air conditioning at 18 degrees for three days in a row, day and night. Everything is relative. However, it is a fact that many Americans tend to be a little less conscientious than others, perhaps because the problem does not concern them directly yet.

[Michelle1851]

@Debora1454 Excellent topic

@Stephanie365 is very correct, many Americans need educated.  I wonder if you put it in your house rules and post it in/on your property if that would help.  I have stayed at several Airbnbs in the US where they explicitly state instructions by the front door of the property, I also have instructions by my thermostat.  Sadly many people just don't even give it a second thought.  A hefty fine would also get their attention.

[Debora1454]

@Michelle1851 in the Italian community we have already been discussing good practices and solutions to be put in place in the short term for months, we communicate with guests, write rules in manuals and pre-booking messages, we turn to technology and home automation when possible to control the systems, but all this is not enough if we do not all work together.

[Maria-Rossella0]

@Debora1454 Ecco, così mi piace!

L'argomento è affrontato con molta serietà, senza animosità,  con un'oggettività molto facilmente verificabile. Questo "format" di richiesta riguardo la criticità della situazione attuale è decisamente condivisibile.

[Delphine348]

Hello @Debora1454 ,

Thank you for this discussion!

You make a really important point about host protection on this energy consumption subject.

As a host, I usually settle the temperature around 20-21 degrees to avoid any complaints (I have remote control on it) and I fear this new rule will get me into trouble. I often host people living in Paris and they are used to collective heating (usually around 22-24 degrees ).

@Stephanie hello,  for your attention , it’s a big concern for all of us because our guests could complain about the cold this winter in our listings and we have no choice. 

[Stephanie]

Thanks for the tag @Delphine348 - every single post about the energy crisis is being fed back at a high level to our teams at Airbnb. I hope to bring some information on this to the CC, soon!