November lockdown calendar block

[Marcus21]

As per their recent email it now seems air bnb have taken it upon themselves to block November supposedly due to the lock down. It hasn’t happened like last time, the dates appear available but I see in my inbox now enquiries for dates that are available have been altered to “not possible” and the statement is “some or all of these dates aren’t available” so I can only presume this is what’s going on. I’m very very unhappy about this, the initial lockdown cost me thousands in lost bookings but I could understand that, we weren’t allowed to host under government guidelines but this is different, we ARE allowed to host work trips and people moving home so why has this been done? Supposedly for the safety of our community? Well I’ve had lots of requests over the past couple of months for people who freely admit they are travelling to the uk and will not be quarantining as they should, I raised this with air bnb expecting them to put a stop to it or  at very least contact the guest and educate them, they wouldn’t intervene at all..so how was that looking out for the community? Almost all my stays since lockdown have been people working or moving/between flats, rates are terrible but I’ve managed to keep going on these payouts by living frugally/selling things off on eBay etc  (air bnb is my only source of income) now I’d expect 3 weeks without bookings will halve what savings I have left. I thought air bnb were going to listen to hosts after the March/Covid cancellation fiasco? How is this listening? I can’t imagine any host would agree this was the right thing to do.

[Marcus21]

I wouldn’t do it...say one of the guests has an accident, a public liability claim..if it’s serious the value of the claim could lose you your home..I know you can get your own cover for this independently  but you need to define terms for the arrangement..seems like a legal minefield to me. At least air bnb should have this sewn up..they couldn’t be offering this service/talking about host protection and just turn round and say you weren’t covered.

[Emilia42]

@Marcus21 I would never ever, ever count on Airbnb to help you with something like that. 99.99% chance they only cover it.

[Marcus21]

@Emilia42 

well who do you count on to cover it then?? 

I don’t think air bnb have “got my back” but I don’t think the average home insurer has either..they all have loss adjusters and small print...they are all trying to find reasons to say it wasn’t their responsibility 

all I’m saying is you do it via the platform as opposed to under the counter..you have some hope someone will cover it!  Entertaining a “private booking” I’m just interested to know where the cover is coming from..what are your tips for covering yourself?

I’ve thought about doing this myself via...Facebook or something..I have a friend who takes loads of cash bookings that way.. but I’ve had hells own game getting my own cover previously (I gave up when the started whacking the premium up without my making any claims) 

I just think at the moment short term holiday lets in private homes is a very grey area..insurers, freeholders, councils don’t know how to handle it..I can well imagine it’s not coverable full stop..but to my mind if you can do it via the platform and have their supposed cover..it’s one more party saying they will.

[Helen350]

@Marcus21 - Don't trust the 'Host Protection Guarantee' spin! - It's just marketing! If you search this forum you will find countless laments from hosts who found Airbnb did not pay up following some disaster.

"They couldn't turn round and say you weren't covered." - You said! - Well they do! All the time! - It's a BOOKING platform, - nothing more!

When I last renewed my home insurance, with a new supplier, I came clean about doing Airbnb in my own home. They said that was fine; I was covered for up to 5 guests at a time, and it would only cost about an extra £20 per year!

- Try HomeProtect Insurance.

- Regarding the Council's attitude, I had a spot of bother with a malicious neighbour reporting me for running an illegal b&b... The man from the Council ambled along & said, "Well, it's only Airbnb, that's like having lodgers really, so who cares?" (But this is Cumbria... they are probably less lackadaisical in London!)

[Marcus21]

@Helen350 

as I say...

I do not put all my faith in air bnb.

but I don’t feel I can put anymore trust in a home insurer either..and you’ve hit the nail right on the head..home protect were the insurer I used but after a year or two premiums started to go up...for no reason and not by a small amount. 

it’s all very well for an insurer to say “ok we understand what you’re doing” but what do they say when the worst happens?

we’ll just have to see..

and yes of course you see lots of grumbles about air bnb and host protection because we’re all in one place talking about air bnb..I wonder if all the grumbles about  independent insurers were stuck in one place what it would amount to.

I think I ended up cancelling home protect because I wasn’t convinced by either them or air bnb;s cover and at least air bnb don’t cost me anything! Well..they invariably do but it’s not something I can opt out of.

they do state pretty publicly their is cover for liability and I don’t believe they can just say it’s something that isn’t covered if it hits the fan. I think in law you would have been given an assurance and be operating under the assumption that assurance meant something..you couldn’t at least be seen to be crossing your fingers entirely.

I have seen people complain about air bnb and I’ve seen after some legal wrangling they’ve had to pay up..it’s bad publicity not to when they are trying to get people to sign up and let their places..do home insurers have to worry if they don’t pay out everyone will stop insuring their houses?

same applies with the council..it’s a lottery..and one I don’t wish to play.

ive never had to make a liability claim and I’ve never had a neighbour rat on me because I run a very tight ship, guests defer to my neighbours and I’m careful to only pick sensible guests/I’m very stringent in fact.

long and the short of it is I don’t put much store in anyone’s insurance/you make your own luck.

But can you really support a “hand shake/under the counter/off platform” booking over one inside the site? 

im really just saying it’s another level of cover..another net to fall through..I think having home insurance is one more level..good for you..but I wasn’t prepared to have home protect ransom me out on  premiums every year for something I wasn’t convinced by.

we are getting off topic with this I think.

[Helen350]

All good points @Marcus21 . - I suppose the way I rationalise things is that I sometimes host Mon-Fri lodgers via SpareRoom. With that platform, there are no claims to insurance/protection; we are on our own! So I figure that if an ex-Airbnber made themselves known as wanting to come back for another week's work, then there would not be much difference. I suppose I'm just hoping for the best! 

[Marcus21]

@Helen350 

i should look to other platforms I think..I’m seriously unhappy with air bnb after the way they’ve handled this. I think like you mention I just want to host working professionals pandemic or not.

with air bnb I just can’t believe there has been all these big announcements about how they’ve changed and we’re partners and they’ve learned and they’re listening and now..before this event has even passed..they done us all over again! 

the only problem for us is..they’ve only done uk hosts (as far as I know)  ..so they aren’t going to experience that tsunami of dissatisfaction they had with the guest refunds and covid.

I see what you’re saying about your circumstance and agree ..I think there’s a lot of finger crossing involved in this game..you just do what you can so if it comes down to it..you took reasonable/responsible precautions ..you can’t be shown to be an outright chancer. 

I don’t like the not knowing with it all, I haven’t for example cleared my air bnb’ing with my freeholder as you apparently should..

I’d much rather KNOW I’m covered even if that costs ..but I don’t see anyone offering this 100%.

[Helen350]

@Marcus21 Re the thing about my neighbour complaining to the council, I'd like to make it clear that ALL my guests have been quiet, unobtrusive, and no trouble at all! The neighbour complained cos he is a nasty bully, who has abused ALL the neighbours, & is constantly rude & unpleasant to all! - It absolutely wasn't because either I, nor my guests had done anything wrong! - Just bullying & harrassment, & resentment of outsiders! (Of which I am one, being not from round here!) 

Forgive me if deviating from original topic - I DO tend to just use the forum as a chat room!

[Marcus21]

@Helen350 

dont worry about chatting...chatting seems to be a lost art..something superfluous and from another age to most people..I thought we were supposed to be chatting on here??

better than saying nothing at all! 

perhaps people reading my posts would disagree! 

re reporting..I can’t say much..I air bnb but my neighbour also air bnb’s..I do get stressed with her about it..she’s an absentee landlord and it ends up a constant stream of guests not having a clue how anything works in communal areas..thinking everything is hers (eg using my washing line when I have guest laundry to turn around!) too relaxed I think..

im sure if you asked her about my character she would say “he’s a nasty bully who has abused all the neighbours, constantly rude and unpleasant to all!” 

 it’s just more often than not how it is with neighbours! I don’t expect too much..

You really have no idea why he felt the need to report you?

i guess I’m just saying ...in an ideal world..I can see no one wants air bnb going on..it’s never going to be as good as long term owner occupiers all round you..hell I wouldn’t be doing it myself if I didn’t need the money! I’m certainly not in it for “the stories”

I guess I’d report me if I were a neighbour who wasn’t air bnb’ing..

that is one thing good thing with myself and my neighbour ..as we both air bnb it’s in our own mutual interest that no one reports anyone as we are all up to tricks! 

[Helen350]

@Marcus21 Trust me, my neighbour is the nastiest person you could meet! He objects to people parking in our quiet country lane, and has even been known to rip wing mirrors off! A Tanzanian care worker during the first lockdown (private booking!) got his wing mirrors ripped off TWICE! He parks his 2 cars outside my house so my guests can't park there - even tho' he has TWO double garages and hard standing for 6-10 cars! He once angrily photographed the allegedly "seven cars!" in the layby, shouting at me "Seven cars!" - even tho' only 3 were cars of my guests. He said "I'm reporting you to the benefits!" I replied "I'm not on benefits!" - He seems to have calmed down since that piece of information. A young Romanian lady who stayed got glared at by him, as ALL who encounter him report... "WHO was that angry man?" she asked. "He looks like a rapist or a murderer!" - "That's him!"  I replied, "the one I warned you about!" - Some people are just full of hate, and resentful of outsiders. Tho' he also shouts & swears at his other neighbours, even ones born & bred here like him... Nicer neighbours say he's jealous cos I've got two houses.. tho his one house is bigger & better than my two together, so why?

[Marcus21]

@Helen350 I trust you..

I just think you and my air bnb’ing neighbour would have a lot to chat about 

“who has the nastier neighbour”

I draw the line and damaging others property I will say that 

I guess I agree your guests shouldn’t park outside his house..

im interested to understand his logic for why people parking a lot of cars in the street is a matter for benefits...

or why he assumes someone with two houses is on benefits! 

Perhaps there’s a seriously high threshold for eligibility where you are! 

I’m not liking the sound of the Romanian guest who believes rapists and murderers all have a certain “look”...she will come to a sticky end with that approach I fear! 

but yeah..angry man..full of hate...resentful of outsiders..

perhaps he’s my long lost sibling..

[Marcus21]

@Helen350 

oh! I’m re reading..he parks outside your house so they can’t park there!

it’s communal areas that cause these issues..

what about just asking him how he wants you to handle parking? 

you’ve already identified countering his accusation about benefits worked..

hear what he has to say.. he might calm down if he feels listened to..

he might falter if he has to come up with a method for how to handle things.. perhaps he might see then he’s been unreasonable.. 

I think if you flag him up to all your guests so they treat him with distrust he’s got little option for improvement. 

[Helen350]

I wish I hadn't discussed this @Marcus21 . You are causing me  distress, with your poo-pooing of my very distressing situation. My nasty neighbour moved in around 5 years ago, & has made my life a misery ever since. He has caused me tremendous stress & anxiety, for several years I was frightened to go outside my front door, or in my garden because of him. Thankfully, counsel from the nice neighbours "Don't worry about it, tell him to F*** off" has helped, & I'm now better at ignoring the situation. The police were supportive, and assured me I was doing nothing wrong.  

 I am receiving your comments as a form of gaslighting, i.e I recounted  (initially in passing in the context of discussing local Councils)- a very distressing experience which has been ongoing for years, and you make excuses for this bully, to whom ALL my neighbours testify is a bully. MANY of my guests have been alarmed at the menacing looks he gives them when passing in the street. Thankfully most don't encounter him.

Re parking, we are 8 houses on a country lane; there is room for all to park, & my guests do not park outside his house, because he parks there despite having garaging for 4 cars himself & hard standing for 6-10 more! The police have informed me that my guests MAY park outside his house; it's the public highway! Mr Nasty's house is set well back from the road behind a 10 ft wall, so he can't see my guests nor their cars unless he ventures out. 

No of course there is no connection between cars parking & benefits! He must have presumed I was on benefits because I'm at home all day and never go out to work to a conventional job! Probably resents me making 'money for nothing!!!! Sitting on my backside all day making money from STR/LTR whilst he has to go out to work! He's also resentful of my rental cottage round the back, no doubt, and complains about my two tenants' two cars between them, one each. (If I sold the house(s), the new people would have cars! And Mr Nasty is now a 3 car family! 

Not nice to say that about my Romanian guest, it was just her way of saying how intimidated she felt by 'that look', the poor girl was shocked & of course I feel embarrassed when he upsets my guests. Even my 55 year old social worker lodger who passed him in the road for 3 years remarked on the severity of 'that look' & the social worker has seen it all!

Anyway, YOU said a while back about going off topic, now you've encouraged me to do it again!

[Marcus21]

@Helen350 

ok.

[Joey208]

Thanks for this thread - just saved my bacon!  I have contractors staying but their company only books on a Sunday night for the week ahead - they have been with me for 6 weeks painting various Morrison’s stores in the local area and are now unable to book for their remaining contracts? So wrong but as they have left all of their belongings and are definitely coming back I will be taking a private booking.....

My concern is that if this continues beyond 2 December Once the contractors go that leaves us with no income at all...