Protecting Superhost status until there is a vaccine for those over 60 who host a room in their shared space.

[Lisa252]

We have been a very successful Superhosts for over 3 years (and more than 150 guests).  We host the old-fashioned way... with very personal attention and a room in our home with all of our  common spaces shared. My husband and I are in our 60's and don't feel that we can allow any guests back into our personal space until there is a vaccine.  That is likely to be over 1-2 years away.  By that time we will no longer meet the Superhost requirement of having hosted at least 10 guests in the previous year.  We can't wait to start hosting again, and really miss the personal connections we have with our guests.  Any suggestions for how I get the following question to the folks who matter at Airbnb?   

"What provision for retaining our Superhost status will you make for those of us who host in our shared spaces, but because of age and/or underlying conditions, will not be safe to host until there is a vaccine?"   

[Sarah977]

@Lisa252  I was just thinking about this when I was having my morning coffee today. I've held Superhost status for almost 3 years now, since shortly after I started hosting.  My listing is a home-share, and I barely squeak by as far as the 10 guests requirement at the best of times, as my bookings are quite seasonal and most of my guests stay for a week or two, athough all my other stats are 100%. I will definitely lose Superhost Jul 1st, as my main booking season is from Jan-May.  I couldn't even host now if I wanted to- it's been banned by the Mexican govt. so Airbnb blocked my calendar for all of April and May. And I can't see hosting for quite awhile until things become safe to do so.

@Lizzie @Stephanie  Could you please bring this issue to Airbnb's attention, please? It would be mightily unfair if those of us who have held and maintained Superhost status were stripped of it simply because we couldn't host due to a pandemic.

[Lisa252]

Sarah977...note that Air has already said that all Superhosts will remain Superhosts as of the next assessment period (July), not matter how many guests you have had.  If you expect to be ready to host soon after that, you shouldn't have a problem.  MY question specifically pertains to what happens if, to protect my health, I cannot host until there's a vaccine...likely for several years.

[Anonymous]

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[Lisa252]

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[Anonymous]

@Lisa252  @Sarah977   You guys must have missed the most recent updates on the Superhost criteria. They're currently waiving the requirements for number of guests/nights hosted. I don't know when they're going to reinstate the requirements, but at least you should both remain eligible for keeping your orange badges for the next quarter.

https://www.airbnb.com/resources/hosting-homes/a/answers-for-superhosts-about-the-july-superhost-ass...

You will not lose your Superhost status for missing any of the four program criteria: responsiveness, commitment, ratings, or number of trips. For current Superhosts, the July 2020 Superhost assessment will waive all four of the Superhost criteria that could potentially be affected by disruptions caused by COVID-19:

• Maintaining a cancellation rate of 1% or less
• Hosting at least 10 stays in the past year (or 100 nights over at least three stays for hosts with longer-term reservations)
• Keeping an average rating of 4.8 or higher based on reviews from your guests in the past year
• Responding to 90% of new booking-related messages within 24 hours

[Lisa252]

Hi Andrew0.  I guess neither you nor Sarah read my OP carefully. I am NOT concerned about the next quarter.  I am more concerned about them protecting my Superhost status if I cannot host for several years. 

[Anonymous]

If you're not hosting anyway, does it really matter whether or not you're a "Superhost"?

[Lisa252]

Yes, of course it matters!  I expect to host again, and when I do, I want to hit the ground running. I did not give up hosting because I wanted a break... the income and experience are important to me.  I care VERY much about my Superhost status because without it, my listing would appear WAY down on the page. We have a lot of listings here, and most guests would not even open it to see all of my excellent reviews. It would likely take me a very long time to achieve Superhost again, let alone get to the level of occupancy that I previously enjoyed.

[Sarah977]

@Anonymous As you know, hosts close down their listings for all sorts of personal reasons- they might have a relative who needs housing for a year, they might decide to renovate. When it's a personal choice to close, I think it's reasonable for Airbnb to say, well, you haven't been earning us any money, so we will remove your Superhost status. But if hosts are closing because of the pandemic, and will only open when it's safe to have strangers in our homes, I feel that Airbnb should reinstate the status when we reopen. We are already at a disadvantage because we don't have entire house listings which will be more able to be safely booked.

[Anonymous]

@Lisa252 @Sarah977  I think it's pretty clear that Airbnb doesn't have a long-term plan. We can't be entirely sure that there will still be an Airbnb in 2 or 3 years. If there is, we don't know that there will still be a "Superhost" designation. And seeing as how they move the goalpoasts and change the policies at least once a year, who could possibly say what the parameters will be so far in the future? 

The thing is, if Superhost status were an award recognizing your achievements, it would not be something that could be taken away. Nobody comes around and hauls off Meryl Streep's Oscars if she decides not to do movies for awhile.  The fact that you can lose your status is integral to its entire purpose - which is to use hosts' anxiety triggers to control their behavior. No chance to rest on your laurels and feel good about a job well done when the whole thing can just be snatched away 3 months later.

By all accounts you are both excellent hosts and deserving of any rewards a fair system might have to offer. But from a cold-blooded capitalist perspective, an inactive host is worthless to the company. What would they stand to gain for supplying prizes to idle users who aren't filling their coffers?

Rather than being emotionally invested in the stars and badges, I think we're better off recognizing the SH thing for the manipulative gimmick it is. When you're able and willing to host again, if Airbnb doesn't deliver the business you need to thrive, they aren't worthy of your loyalty. Hopefully when that comes, there will be viable alternatives for homestay hosts.

[Sarah977]

@Anonymous  As always, articulately expressed. And I agree, totally.

Like I said, its not something I'm stressed about, and have always known it's a behavior modification tool. I never busted my ass to earn it, I would have hosted exactly the same way whether Superhost existed or not. And when all it takes is one horrid guest with an axe to grind leaving a 1* rating and you can lose your status, it obviously has zero to do with one's hosting prowess.

I'll never forget Fred's post a couple years ago titled something like "Oh No, I'm a Superhost again!"

I still think Airbnb should be pressured on this, or either eliminate it entirely. Because in this situation, although closed home-shares won't be earning them money, if they want to have home-shares on their platform at all, it's discriminatory to take it away from home-share hosts solely based on our inability to host because of a pandemic.

[Alon1]

@Sarah977 

It seems Airbnb's Dear Leader has stumbled on a classic Catch-22 situation.

[Sarah977]

@Anonymous  Thank you, I did miss that. I knew they did it for April, but didn't realize they'd updated for July.

@Lisa252  I realize you weren't just talking about July, and neither was I. Because my bookings are quite seasonal, if they don't suspend that requirement at least until Jan or April 2021, I won't make it, as I very rarely get bookings here in the summer or early fall when it's terribly hot and humid. And depending on how this pandemic unfolds, I may be closed much longer than that.

I won't be devastated to lose Superhost, it's not tops on my list of things to stress about, but it would be quite unfair to home-share hosts. And since Airbnb's latest PR is all about how they are going to go back to their roots going forward, we should hold them to not penalizing home-share hosts simply because it's unsafe for us to share our home now.

[Lisa252]

Thank you for clarifying Sarah.  It really matters to me (see my response to Andrew)  and will make a huge difference in me being able to get back into business.  Would love to come and visit you in Sayulita some day! 🙂