WHY WILL COVID-19 BANKRUPT HOSTS AROUND THE WORLD?

[Michael303]

COVID-19 WILL BANKRUPT HOSTS AROUND THE WORLD BECAUSE AIRBNB REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE EXISTENCE OF TRAVEL INSURANCE!

Travel Insurance is easy and inexpensive for Guests to purchase. The lack of travel insurance protection is completely devastating for Hosts!

For 3 1/2 years I have been trying to get AirBnB to listen. Well, unfortunately, a global pandemic is going to bankrupt hosts around the world because AirBnB refuses to make legitimate travel insurance available for booking guests.

VRBO and HomeAway do such a superior job offering travel insurance to their/ our guests.

1. If you drive a car without insurance and get into an "unforeseen" accident, you are responsible, not the person you ran into. If you book a trip without travel insurance and something "unforeseen" happens, you are responsible, not the person who is hosting you. 

2. I have to carry liability insurance, flood insurance, homeowners insurance with an added hotel policy on top of that on my building to protect me and my guests for short term rentals. I would carry travel insurance for all my guests if I could... no wait it do?! It is AirBnB's insane policy of refunds?! Hosts are not Insurance companies. 

3. I think it's beyond unfortunate for Airbnb, hosts and guests that Airbnb does on hold guest accountable for travel insurance. The simplest way to handle this is to explain travel insurance up front - prior to booking and let guests know it's their responsibility to purchase it or guests will be taking the risk themselves. Travel insurance has existed since the beginning of modern travel. 

4. Airbnb Actually Recommends Travel Insurance. (the AirBnB link is blocked by AirBnB) Airbnb offers refunds at the host’s expense. It is completely unacceptable as a policy and puts the hosts in an untenable situation of loss that cannot be recouped for last minute cancellations – which, by the way, is why trip insurance exists.

5. Suggestion: if Airbnb wants to act like an insurance company and refund guests their money then charge a fee ($35 – $45 to be competitive with trip insurance companies) for that service.

This part of the Airbnb & Host relationship is 100% unfair and 100% unprofessional. Hosts are not Insurance companies. This policy is insane. Travel insurance has existed since the beginning of modern travel.

Airbnb is hurting the small business owners who are the reason Airbnb is in business at all. Shame on them for allowing this and for interfering with legitimate trip insurance companies who protect the owners as well as the traveler when situations happen outside of either parties control. Airbnb clearly is not protecting owners and their businesses with this kind of policy.

[Simon198]

**bleep**, this is true.

In this moment we need to safe our business and we need to work on all sides like the hell. But really this we can't except at a!!!We need to activate the host community for this case and future cases. They do marketing on our backs.

And  the email to the hosts is an affront. They can skip to write write that they are looking forward to find a solution for the host? How many manager they need for?

Reduce your comission. Split the cancelation refunds 50/50, give our guest voucher amounts and give us our payout.

#HostAreNotYourInsurance

#OnlyHostsPayYourRefunds

[Adriano78]

@Michael303 @Elite-Holiday-Homes0 ..........

It is not to the US taxpayer to pay for AirBNB !

Moreover, Airbnb is taking money from US hosts but also from hosts ALL OVER THE WORLD!

But this, not the US taxpayer whos is going to give money to non-US hosts! (and that's normal !)

[Adriano78]

It is not to the US taxpayer to pay for AirBNB !

Moreover, Airbnb is taking money from US hosts but also from hosts ALL OVER THE WORLD!

But this, not the US taxpayer whos is going to give money to non-US hosts! (and that's normal !)

[Maria188]

Hosts need to come together to do something about this. Someone on a similar thread suggested we all de-list our properties on the same day. Lets face it, we're not getting any booking so have nothing to lose.  There have been a few articles in the media but not enough. Hosts need to call on contacts and get the message out there: Airbnb are taking all the glory whilst their hosts go under. There are also a couple of petitions on change.org. Sign them and share them on social media people!

Here are the links 

https://www.change.org/p/airbnb-airbnb-s-unfair-treatment-of-hosts-amid-covid-19

https://www.change.org/p/airbnb-covid-19-airbnb-hosts-economic-hardship

[Jean-François73]

Hi does anyone thinks that after the 1 month (we don't care about you host ) Extenuating circumstances  so  April 16 our strict cancellation policy will be  respect from the direction ?

Im curious  who thinks they will and who thinks they wont?  : ) 

tums down = they wont respect our policy

 tums up = they will respect our strict cancellation policy?

I might get high rank in the tums down category LOL

[Sheila22]

Be warned.  As expected Airbnb is starting to censor this Community Board.  I am actually suprised it didn't happens sooner.  This post which was at the top and another post that had a GIGANTIC following of likes, comments, and viewings "Airbnb threw it's Hosts under the Bus" have disappeared from the Community Board.  Some suggested that would happen so I made a private FB page "Airbnb Hosts United."  Go there if you want to have this conversation uncensored.  @Michael303  you spoke of a class action suit, and others are speaking of mobilizing and coming up with some ideas.  I'm interested in unifying to see how we can help each other, the Hosts that Aribnb threw under the bus.  Join us there "Airbnb Hosts Unified" on FB.

[Sarah977]

No @Sheila22 , that thread did not disappear, it's still right there where it always was in the Hosting section. Nothing gets censored here, as far as I've ever seen, except personal attacks, profanity and discriminattory comments. The moderators of this forum are good and they don't work directly for Airbnb. You should maybe take a few steps back.

[Sheila22]

It was the TOP post.  It still is by far the most popular thread.  I didn't see it there anymore.  Is that normal?

[Sheila22]

In fact, this thread was also just at the TOP about a minute ago and is not longer there.

[Sarah977]

@Sheila22 Aside from the pinned posts which are always at the top, the most recent post to have a new comment put on it moves to the top. It has nothing to do with which posts are the most popular. I could pick some older post on page 6, add a response to it and it would then appear at the top. Then the ones below it shuffle down a notch.

[Sheila22]

The one at the top now says 'last replied 3 hours ago.'    But whatever you say.

[Sarah977]

@Sheila22  The one that says replied 3 hours ago is one of the pinned posts I mentioned. It was started by Lizzie, the moderator, and that's why it stays up there. The other most recent posts are below those pinned posts. This post is now at the top of those because we are posting on it. If someone else responds to another post in the next few minutes, this one will move down below it.

[Sheila22]

Moderators are pinning posts at the TOP.  Thanks for clarifying that.

[Sarah977]

@Sheila22  There are pinned posts at the top of every internet forum. And yes, the moderators of all forums are in charge of that.

[Sheila22]

Right.  Exactly?  That is censoring.

[Sarah977]

No @Sheila22, censoring is removing posts or removing part of the content of posts. EVERY internet forum has pinned posts at the top, every single one. The pinned posts are the ones the forum moderators leave or put there because they have information that they consider important for all users. They don't put them at the top because they are trying to bury other posts. 

You've had one criticism and accusation after another for days about this forum, other posters, other posts, Airbnb, and now the forum moderators. If you don't like it, I don't understand why you're here.