In the last 4 years as a host, as likely for everyone, it has been quite a ride with AirBnB. Many, many issues deserve measured, rational discussion without BIAS or fear of retribution for telling the truth about what is REALLY GOING ON, and this is just one. It seems we and especially AirBnB have gone so far down the road to be "fair" and "accommodating" that we risk actually losing our grip on a vision of REALITY, if not our hold thereof itself.
This is a new phenomena, IMHO, and in a recent discussion with a WW II Vet, who was a real exceptional example of TRUE GRIT and brutal honesty, said something to me that struck a chord. I had asked him to comment on an idea that people have simply lost their way....That many are sitting around "taking it" and waiting for someone else get with it and or get things accomplished. His generation, I thought "got it." It is still my belief, and I told him, that our biggest obstacle begins with "there's NOTHING we can do about it."
He really did a double take on that one, and turned square to face me from behind his mask and said...
"Let me tell you something....you should talk to people who went through the war. NOBODY had to TELL US what to do!! Nobody had to look over our shoulder. Whatever it was, we just got it done! Whatever it took....those days were real because we didn't fool around; we didn't have a choice. Things have changed. It's been nice talking with you and I gotta go."
We could, arguably, learn much from those who are slipping quickly away. Their ideas, morals and gumption are something that I believe we all can learn from, and yet:
I think that the dedicated Host Community is one of the best examples of people who STILL actually feel, do, and somehow even REMEMBER the importance of "getting it done", without fanfare, without complaining, without looking for someone to pat them on the back. It's one of the reasons why I really don't like the super host status, even though I am one. We are, really, all in this together, right? It's probably one of the main reason's why I'm still here, even though I comment on this board rarely.
So...that was a long intro, and this is just one example of things we should talk about, I believe. Maybe more later...many are already out there being discussed now. Though I have a love/hate relationship with AirBnB, my hope is that they (and we) can not just survive, but thrive, and begin to realize that doing the right thing for us Hosts, and not just Guests isn't only and simply the "right" thing to do. It is a matter of SURVIVAL.
With that...here ya go:
This idea could be way off the mark, and if so, please don't hold back. This is only one issue that needs honest discussion and requires our dismissal of any fear that would lead to delusion, muddy thinking or simple stupidity.
In my opinion, complaints about "neighborhood" usually come down to two things:
1. Excuses made for some other reason completely unrelated to location and
2. Racism
In every single case where a guest tried to get a refund on a strict policy because of "neighborhood" in my experience, AirBnB backed me up and said the neighborhood is something that is the responsibility of the guest BEFORE booking, not when they arrive. In all those cases, AirBnB cancelled the guest's reservation and upheld the no refund policy for last minute cancellations, BECAUSE THAT IS THEIR POLICY. This has been confirmed to me (as policy) in every single case, and by multiple people just today. However, for the first time, It seems I'm having trouble with a reservation where AirBnB is trying to get me to refund the guest, and I wonder, Why?
I for one am more concerned about the facts of a matter than what someone at AirBnB thinks about "my feelings" or why we should waste time with consolations like "I understand how you would feel that way." To me these seem like oft-used sentiments designed or otherwise to distract from the point of fact-based-questions, and their (uncomfortable?) answers.
Is it part of the prevalent bent toward favoring the guest while throwing hosts under the bus? I am pretty sure that the most recent catastrophe of changing the contracts, yes CONTRACTS, that we have for the policies we choose without notice or justification was a big mistake for everyone, especially the Host and AirBnB itself. I sincerely hope that they are seeing that it's also in the long run not in the interest of the guest either, since there won't be any hosts and therefore guests left if everyone leaves the platform.
In any case, we all spend so much time dancing around issues to be "politically correct" so much of the time, it literally wears me out. If we can't finally recognize and talk about racism NOW, then when?
OK...that's it. Let me have it. 😎