Service animals & pet fees

[Margaret1384]

Good morning,

I'm beginning my third month of hosting and appreciate the education I'm receiving here from contributors.  My house has a no pet policy but I understand that I must accept guests with service animals.  If a guest says they have a service animal when requesting a booking - which I understand they're not required to do - is it acceptable to add a pet cleaning fee? I've had one such experience so required two extra cleaning days.

[Sonya6]

Thank you Joan for your in-depth answer. I am a homeowner and host in France. No animal is considered a service animal unless the owner has been certified with a "carte d'invalidité" and a "carte de titulaire d'un chien d'assistance" This you can only obtain in you are living in France. The go around for tourists coming to France with a service animal is the send your US or other official accreditation showing training and the reason for your handicap to CANIDEA (LA CONFÉDÉRATION NATIONALE DES ORGANISATIONS DE CHIENS D’AIDE AUX PERSONNES)

I am an elderly person who lets out my part time home in France. I have a medical condition asthma that inhibits me to be around cat or dog dander. My face swells 3 times the size, my airways are cut-off and I can very easily die if I do not get to a hospital in minutes with is difficult for me to get there in time. I carry and Epi-pen but sometimes this does not do the trick depending on the animal breed. I have explained this on my listing, it is in my house rules, and my online handbook as to why I can not accept service animals. Recently I had a pushy guest from Seattle Washington who decided to book anyways. She had a second thought or maybe she decided to get out of her reservation without penalties, made a month earlier starting in two weeks and booked for a month. Whatever the reason she brought it up in the chat that she was bringer her husbands service animals ( yes plural) with her. My place is the size of a postage stamp 300 squ feet. Air Bn B allowed her to cancel with a full refund. When I inquired about avoiding this happening in the future Air B n B then proceeded to suspend all of my listings for an indeterminable amount of time and said that I was discrimination and going against their policy. Firstly their policy in illegal in France, secondly they are asking my to put my life at risk by accepting their illegal policy in my home? I am a bit of a loss. Is Air B n B above the law? Are they allowed to impose their policies in places where these policies are  illegal?

[Petra824]

Airbnb policy states that you can get an exception if it endangers the hosts health. I would contact them and request the exception. 

[Joan2709]

@Sonya6 

@Petra824 pointed out you can request an exemption from hosting guests with service animals if they pose a threat to health or safety. I would begin that process with Airbnb (they will probably require medical proof of your allergies). Once you receive the exemption, you should clearly indicate on your listing and in your Addl House Rules that you are unable to accept service animals and that Airbnb has provided an exemption to allow you not to Host guests with service animals:

Host Health or Safety Exemptions - Service Animals

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/3052

"If a Host is unable to host service animals for reasons such as the animal would pose a direct threat to the health and safety of a permanent resident at their home, Hosts may be granted an exemption if they notify us proactively."

[Sonya6]

Hello Joan, I did exactly what you described. Instead Air B n B took my request and acted on it as if I was being reported. They then suspended ALL three of my listings for more than two weeks. When I pointed out that their own policy outlined that I could be exempt because if a proven medical condition they lifted the suspension without offering any apology and then refused to process my exemption and cut off communication. I offered them medical paperwork that proves my exemption. I have been been an exemplary superhost for about 8 years. I am appalled with how I have been treated. This is not the only issue where I have been treated like this. I am currently looking for another option to advertise my homes and will be leaving Air B n B as soon as I have it settled. To be treated so disrespectfully and having to deal with irresponsible, illogical support who do not even know or follow Air B n B policy which is updated with no notice ever 10 minutes has become exhausting and tedious.

[Joan2709]

Hi @Sonya6 

I am appalled as well. If considering other platforms, be sure you understand their Service Animal and Emotional Support Animal policies as well. Did the guest involved complain to Airbnb that you would not allow an ESA and was that the reason for the suspension?  I would definitely add you can't accept ESAs to your House Rules. 

Perhaps one of the moderators @Rebecca , @Sophia , @Quincy can forward this case to the appropriate team at Airbnb?

This exemption policy is made available by Airbnb for those hosts that simply cannot host service animals due to health & safety reasons. This policy is outlined by Airbnb as noted below and should not result in a listing (s) suspension simply by asking for the exemption. Additionally, Airbnb's policies allow Hosts to decline to Host guests with ESAs (except NY or CA). 

Host Health or Safety Exemptions - Service Animals

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/3052

"If a Host is unable to host service animals for reasons such as the animal would pose a direct threat to the health and safety of a permanent resident at their home, Hosts may be granted an exemption if they notify us proactively."

Accessibility Policy

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1869

Emotional Support Animal: An animal that provides companionship, relieves loneliness, or helps with depression, anxiety, or certain phobias but is not required to have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities

• What we allow:
  • Unless the reservation is a stay in New York or California (USA) or another location where applicable law prohibits it:
    • Hosts may charge pet fees for a guest who is traveling with an emotional support animal
    • Hosts are allowed to decline the presence of emotional support animals from a stay or Experience

[Sonya6]

Hello Joan, the guest did not report me or complain because it is written both in my house rules and in my description and even though she was renting for a month and blocked my apartment for those dates several months in advance she only read the house rules less than two weeks before. Even still I offered her a complete refund. So she had no complaints. It is very difficult to find a guest for one whole month shortly before the stay so it put me in a hard situation of not being able to pay my mortgage. In Paris we are restricted to rent for stays no less than 28 days if our property is not zoned as commercial property or it is not our primary residence which neither is my case. I then made my request to Air B n B that they put on my account this waiver due to my medical situation which they already had documentation for so it would not happen again at the recommendation if an Air B n B support person who handled the cancelation request from the guest who initiated the cancelation. Instead of adding the waiver they blocked ALL of my listings for more than two weeks. Making it impossible to get a booking for that period. And making me loose bookings in my other homes for which I am still suffering from. I am still considering drawing up a case against Air B n B  as these actions where against their own policy and everything is documented by email. What is one to do in defence of such lunacy? The management with host issues gets more ridiculous and fascist each day and until there is a real competitor on the market they will not be forced to change this sort of behavior. Hosts are now treated a dime a dozen with no regard or even protected by their very own policies. Its a truly crazy situation overall and very sad. Thank you Joan for your concern and helpful comments/ resources.

[Sonya6]

Please excuse misspelling as I am commenting from my phone app. 😉

[Joan2709]

Hi @Sonya6 

I re-read your original post and if you had told a guest or added to your House Rules and manual you cannot accept service animals, that may have been the issue if you hadn't already obtained an exemption from Airbnb.

Airbnb requires you to get the exemption FIRST, then you would be able to post on your listing you cannot accept service animals. This could be the reason for the suspension, as you didn't proactively obtain the exemption from Airbnb before excluding service animals in your property.

"If a Host is unable to host service animals for reasons such as the animal would pose a direct threat to the health and safety of a permanent resident at their home, Hosts may be granted an exemption if they notify us proactively."

@Quincy , @Sophia , @Rebecca 

[Sonya6]

This was added to my houserules etc. Many years ago. Air B n B might have updated with a new policy since I have had this in my house rules but they did not specifically say this was the reason they suspended my ALL three listings. They told me then in writing that they would suspend my listings until I agreed to allow guest animals in my home. When I explained many times that I could not because of my medical condition or it would result in serious consequences for me they were adamant on this point. They kept my listings suspended this time because I would not agree saying that the needs of the guest for a service animal or an ESP superseded my health concerns. And that no matter the personal  safety consequences I had to agree in writing that I would allow these service ESP animals with fur. This went on for two weeks because I would not state in writing what they demanded of me.  I explained that in Paris there are only thousands of homes for guests with these needs could chose from but I only had one home in Paris. I also explained and shared from the french government authorities in English the laws that outlined the definition of a service animal in france which conflicted dramatically Air B n B US definition. It also says in the Air B n B policy that all stays have to adhere to the policies of the country where the stay is taking place. So according to both of their policies they were wrong to try and force me to make this agreement that they were in all actuality trying to blackmail me to make by suspending ALL of my listing. I use my home regularly.  I explained that I did not buy a home in Paris to be forced to stay in a hotel where I could not be guaranteed that a service animal with fur had not stayed previously. In fact this is one of the main reasons I bought it as I can not be positively sure now when staying in a hotel or Air B n B if a fur bareing service animal has not stayed there before my stay. This did not concern the support team in the least and only when they sent me a screenshot underlined of their policy were it actually said on it that a medical safety issue for the host was applicable for a waiver and I pointed this out did they lift the suspension. But even then they did not explain that they were lifting it, or apologize or even reply to my subsequent communication. Nor to my request for the waiver.

[Kimberly557]

Good stuff here.  We had a Guest instant book with a "registered service dog".   There is no such thing as a registered service dog.  All good until she  informed us that the dog was unvaccinated. Next, guest claimed descrimination because we asking for veterinary record just as we had for previous 5 years, every dog.  No disparate treatment.  Both our description & rules state clearly that only vaccinated dogs are permitted. It is a requirement for homeowners insurance, the state we live in, the state she lives in and our township.  I did NOT ask for "documentation" of her service dog, just vaccines per legal requirement. 

Anti vaxxer Guest just wanted money back.  Airbnb cancelled the reservation & suspended 11 listings, now for weeks.  They still insist we cancelled.  Superhosts don't cancel on guests.  

Everything in writing upfront.  Airbnb has placed themselves above the law.  39 of 50 US states require vaccines.  Airbnb claims that asking for vet record is the same as asking for a service dog's certification.  THEY ARE VERY DIFFERENT.  I remain unwilling to break the law for any business partner, including Airbnb, that would require me to do so.  I remain unwilling to lose my homeowner's insurance or license.