Covid-19.....lets help each other

[Robin4]

Reading many of the posts on this hosting board almost all correspondents are critical of the way Airbnb have handled this current pandemic situation.

What disturbs me is, some are trying to whip up hysteria by creating scenarios of their own which is not helping.

One host here  @Sheila22 has claimed she as a guest has double dipped on her travel insurance and also got a refund from Airbnb and then goes on to talk about price slashing, guests cancelling and rebooking at cheaper rates and even looting!! She then backtracks and says she is a host and just trying to put different ideas in the mix!

Sheila, I appreciate that you are simply trying to play the part of 'Devils Advocate' with your comments, but this is seriously not the time to be doing it! 

The hosting community are going through hell at the moment......as it stands this will cost me $20,000 this year if there is no short term remedy to the current pandemic. And all 3+ million of us hosts are going through the same thing.

I am also concerned that this pandemic could spell the end of Airbnb! To suddenly lose $94m in invest-able funds is not something a service company with few tangible assets can handle. Airbnb depend on cashflow and, that cashflow has stopped. The company may quite possibly not recover from this.

We are a community of hosts who collectively have a mass of experience and ideas to draw on. This is the time to be constructive and support each other and think of alternate ideas that may help us get our hosting wagons back on the tracks again once the worlds medical brains get on top of this. 

Please folks, can we be creative, not destructive!

Cheers........Rob

[Robin4]

@Fred13 

Fred, where the F have you been? I have so missed your input and wise words. 

Mate the host board is out of control, I understand this current event is going to break many hosts, but those it does should not have been hosting in the first place. In life you always have to have a plan B and I am afraid many here do not.

My feeling is Airbnb (if they survive this) are going to lose possibly a third to a half of their hosts through this Covid-19 event....and that may not be a bad thing. I think it will make Airbnb more appreciative of just what makes their clock tick.

Mate, I hope all is well on Bird Island, I am sure you would have protected your investment the same way many of the rest of us are trying to do with ours.

All the best Fred.

Cheers......Rob

[Fred13]

Hiya @Robin4 . I am a very grateful person by nature and this break was a Godsend for us. There were so many great additions we wanted to do in the past but in 5-straight-back-to-back- years of hosting, we never had more than 2-3 days here & there to do anything big; it is a wonder we did got so much done though at breakneck speed. It was almost at a point that it was no longer fun, so we are grabbing the opportunity to finally be able to sit down, and of course finish some projects we been dying to do for ages, in total leisure. We close the island tomorrow till June 1st, and see where things stand then. Moved everyone into the future, with not one cancellation.

Yes, God only knows how things will be in the future, maybe some improvements will occur. We were the 3rd Airbnb host in our 12-mile peninsula 5 years ago, now Airbnb rentals are at 400+ by this year; many people building multiple places (and borrowing money) just for Airbnb renting, chancy moves indeed.

Glad to see so many of the old guard still here.

[Jessica-and-Henry0]

So glad to see you @Fred13 

[Wendy1071]

I don't think many hosts will leave as soon as the going gets good again.  It's human nature.  Everyone jumps on board and enjoys the easy money when times are good and then wants blood when the situation turns.  Airbnb is hurting as much, or more, as every host on the platform.  They aren't to blame for COVID19.   They were up front with their EC policy and every host agreed to it. They aren't asking people to refund money they've already earned. Hosts just won't earn money as they expected, which is the same as most of the world at the moment. Hosts expecting guests to pay for accommodation when they aren't allowed to travel is just wrong and Airbnb isn't keeping or making any money by refunding them.  It's really the only decent thing to do.  I feel for so many hosts who are in a financially bad way due to all of this but I think it would be wiser to support Airbnb, not wish that they go under.  When the world returns to normal, you'll be happy that they're here to get you back on your feet.  Those who want or need a stable income are probably right in that longer term renters would suit their needs better.

[Linda108]

Thanks for your post and expressing what most hosts believe is right for not only the long term health of this business but also what is right for world.  Of course when someone sees their livlihood threatened they react strongly, early on many did not realize how threatening this situation is.

Given the original reason for this discussion thread, I hope the name calling and divisive posts will change to how each of find ways to weather this storm.

[Sandra126]

@Fred13 ! Good to see you back. 

[Fred13]

Hi Sandra. I trust all goes well with you. Last night I was scrolling through the posts and see Robin, Henry, Sarah, you, Linda, et al; it brought a smile.

[Sandra126]

Yes thank you, all good under the circumstances but my resting pulse is through the roof.  I had a break from the forum as well, but back on for a while. Unprecedented events. Was actually getting ready to sell my house but that is now indefinitely delayed.  Oh well, a day at a time!

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

oooo welcome back @Fred13  :))

[Ute42]

.

Hi @Fred13 

welcome back. I've missed Your jokes. Maybe it's not a good time for joking but I made one today in the germany CC and everyone joined in. The world will not go under.

[Lizzie]

It's so lovely to see you back @Fred13. I was dreaming of your island the other day–I was bobbing around in a kayak with a nice iced drink 🙂 

I and many of us here have missed you.

I hope you are doing ok. 

[Sarah977]

@Fred13  You've been missed. Nice to see you here again.

[Cathie19]

Well @Fred13, it’s so good to hear your voice!

[Suzanne302]

@Linda108 and @Sarah977 My thoughts exactly.

[Ange2]

@Robin4       @Sheila22    said she was taking on the voice of a guest and she has not actually done this. Probably she should have the comment removed as many are taking it for fact.