Uk accommodation is closed until at least the 4th July!

[Hazel85]

I am becoming very frustrated with Airbnb not keeping there information up to date. I own a holiday cottage and have lost thousands already however we(uk) are not allowed by law to be open until 4th July! I contacted airbnb last week but they still haven't changed the information so it means that guests can book holiday accommodation during June which is breaking the law! 

My concerns have been worsened today as I visited my local beach Crackington Haven.  It was busy!

There were a lot of locals making the most of a lovely day however there were (they are easy to spot) a lot of people not from the area.  The public toilets are closed which raises concerns straightaway with no other facilities available. I'm sure everyone would like to see Cornwall open for business but it's just too early.  There is no lifeguarding on any beaches at the moment  and there will be approximately only 70 beaches around the whole of the UK with lifeguard cover this  summer. 

Its a bank holiday weekend,  the forecast is amazing and the surf is going to be big and people are flooding into our county.  There will be fatalities which is not a good advert for Cornwall. 

Please get it out there that Cornwall is still closed until at least the 4th July.

[Gordon0]

Airbnb operate in 191 countries, @Hazel85, so it's not unusual they ask us to apply our own country's rules. Why not just close your calendar until July 4?

[Helen3]

Hi @Hazel85 

Sadly not all your fellow hosts and B&B owners are being as vigilant and as you know there are lots of second holiday home owners happy to flout the laws.

Airbnb has already blocked listings in the UK till the end of June.

What else would you expect them to do.

It is up to the local police to police UK legislation relating to STRs and/or local government.

I do feel for you....people are so selfish.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen3 meant to say listings are blocked to end May. Easy mistake to make as lockdown means its very hard to tell what day of the week it is let alone what month we are in!

[Helen3]

No I meant end of June as I said, as that was how long my calendar was blocked until @Mike-And-Jane0.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Hazel85 Workers can still book accommodation - Its only holidaymakers who cannot. If you don't want the hassle of policing the current rules then just make your place unavailable until July.

[Helen3]

@Mike-And-Jane0 sorry but based on our discussions yesterday there are no new regulations or legislation which has come out which says that legislation introduced in April has been amended and STRs can now open to any type of worker and only holiday makers are excluded, so it's rather misleading to advise people here,  that it is only holiday makers who can't occupy STRs in the UK.

It is not only holiday makers who we can't accept; it's those visiting family and friends,  those coming to attend a party, those who are isolating from their families but who aren't key workers and any worker who is NOT a key worker.

I know we would all like to get back to our STR business but sadly nothing has changed since the April legislation was introduced to ban STRs for all but those in restricted groups.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen3 Please read the AMENDED legislation. section 5 item 4 aa ii

[Helen3]

Could you post the section you are referencing?

Truly I would love STRs to be opening up here, but haven't seen the clause you are referencing.  Can you provide a link to the amended clause you have found. @Mike-And-Jane0 

I wasn't clear from what you are saying. Are you saying we can now accept everyone who is not a holiday maker or that we can now accept everyone who is travelling for work, regardless or not as to whether they are a key worker.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen3  - I have added the bolding to the text below. I read it as allowing accommodation for people who need accommodation for their work. This act was amended on 13/5/2020 as shown below

3) Subject to paragraph (4), a person responsible for carrying on a business consisting of the provision of holiday accommodation, whether in a hotel, hostel, bed and breakfast accommodation, holiday apartment, home, cottage or bungalow, campsite, caravan park or boarding house, must cease to carry on that business during the emergency period.

(4) A person referred to in paragraph (3) may continue to carry on their business and keep any premises used in that business open—

(a)to provide accommodation for any person, who—

(i)is unable to return to their main residence;

(ii)uses that accommodation as their main residence;

(iii)needs accommodation while moving house;

(iv)needs accommodation to attend a funeral;

[F4(aa)to provide accommodation for any person—

(i)who works in one of the critical sectors listed in the guidance titled “Guidance for critical workers who can access schools or educational settings” published by the Cabinet Office and the Department for Education and updated on 5th May 2020, and

(ii)whose need for accommodation is connected to their work;]

(b)to provide accommodation or support services for the homeless,

(c)to host blood donation sessions, or

(d)for any purpose requested by the Secretary of State, or a local authority.

F4 Reg. 5(4)(aa) inserted (13.5.2020) by The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (S...., regs. 1, 2(2) (with reg. 3)

[Helen3]

I can see why you think that @Mike-And-Jane0 for me I read it as them being combined;

F4 provide accommodation for any person who;

(i) who works in one of the critical sectors ie health, farming, construction etc

(ii) whose need for accommodation is connected to their work

I agree it is not clear, so I am not going to risk it.

The reality is that as we still have stay put orders in place the vast majority travelling for work at the moment are key workers; so as a host they would be the ones I would consider accommodating as I can most easily check they are actually legitimately travelling.

Anyone can say they are travelling for business and not be doing so.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen3 Its always good when even the Government cannot make things clear. I think they are separate as all the clauses in (a) above are separate and if they were supposed to be combined then it would just be a single clause (i).

The other thing is that Social Distancing is still a requirement so I am not sure accommodation with shared facilities can be provided.

[Helen350]

I have found social distancing between the upstairs & downstairs of my home to be considerably more achievable than in Aldi/Tesco @Mike-And-Jane0 !

Re the shared facilities, the list in Paragraph (3) of accommodation types who may host key workers DOES include all types, including those with owners/staff on site, not just self-contained units.

[Cecile220]

Hiya - I just want to ascertain if we can, or cannot, accept guests now in the UK? Thanks

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Cecile220 Have a read of the legislation in England.www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350

Simple answer is if they are holidaying then not yet - But there are significant types of people you can host