***WE CANNOT PAY OUR RENT WITH BIG IDEAS: AN OPEN LETTER TO BRIAN CHESKY***

[Rose123]

On March 14, 2020, Airbnb changed policy to allow guests full compensation for cancelled bookings as a result of the current COVID-19 health crisis. This policy overrides existing policies hosts have in place to protect their homes and livelihoods, placing the responsibility of an entire global health pandemic on their shoulders.

Brian, you say your hosts are “heroes”, but everyday heroism can take many forms, and among these is corporate social responsibility. You tweet that Airbnb is concocting “big ideas” to help hosts, but we cannot pay our mortgages, rent, staff and bills with big ideas.

The impact of your March 14 policy change will be rapid and far-reaching. The diverse individuals who comprise your host community will face the very real prospect of eviction. This impacts individuals who may not have another source of income. Or, they may have a hosting income, but are also active participants in creative industries. They are poets, painters, artists, writers, academics, musicians, dancers, ceramicists, bloggers and others who balance the economic precarity of creative work with hosting as a matter of necessity, not luxury. They are the same individuals who, reliant on a gig economy, do not have access to health insurance, nor the protection of employer benefits and sick leave.

Your guests have a refund at stake: your hosts, their homes and livelihoods. We ask you to protect hosts as well as guests. We urge you to reimburse hosts for cancelled reservations according to their cancellation policies. We as a host community do not believe that guests should be traveling in the current health crisis. We also do not think that hosts should suffer crippling losses. We ask you to acknowledge the loyalty – and the revenue – of the hosts who built you. And we ask you to consider how to best support your most precarious hosts, those who will soon be on the verge of eviction.

*** Airbnb hosts, feel free to copy, paste and share. Use the hashtag: helpyourhosts ***

[Elizabeth550]

Very well said. We all need to share the burden of this situation. Placing all of that burden on to hosts is deeply unfair and we, amount many others will feel a significant impact on our income and livelihoods, where as guests would share a small burden under the existing (or even a relaxed) refund policy.  

We have undertaken many steps already to ensure guests can still travel if allowed and be left in piece during their stay. 

I can imagine there will be a substantial departure from Airbnb by hosts who are either no longer in business or simply want to be assured of their survival in the future. 

And to finish, we are also Airbnb guests, using the service for years. We are families, parents, young and old, with personal and property related bills to pay. Taken this approach is hugely disappointing and something I never thought I would see AirBnB do given the social ideals it was founded upon. 

Rob W. Northumberland, Uk

[Rose123]

Thanks for your reply Rob. I just published this article on Medium. Please share to support hosts working in the creative arts who have been adversely affected by Airbnb’s recent policy change. Please share it with your guests, friends, and on your social with the hashtag #helpyourhosts https://medium.com/@vickers.rose/we-cant-pay-our-rent-in-bold-ideas-943fb4c68602

[Helen350]

I disagree. If we don't host why should we get paid? I don't have a problem with the guest getting 100% of their money back & the host getting nothing. Earning money on Airbnb was always dependent on bookings, no bookings = no income, - tough! That's the risk you take when you become a host.

[William1258]

But we are supose to decide our own policy.

They took this decision for us, and put us in a difficult situation.  I have few places, my rents total monthly is 20k... and now 0 income.  How i am suppose to pay that.  Homewaway vrbo at least the let each owner make own decisions

[Lucy617]

But Helen this is why we set up a cancelation policy as we do. If you are happy for guests to cancel and have refunds then set up flexible terms.

The brunt of cancelations should be with travel insurance companies, this is what they are there for.

[Heather397]

Not true Helen they booked they knew the cancellation policy and therefore they are in a contract. Ie if you miss a flight you still pay for the flight. Also they should have taken travel insurance and then they would have been refunded we would have got our 50 per cent and we could have all survived this nightmare instead people are at risk of loosing their properties.

[Sarah977]

@Heather397  Most travel insurance is not paying out for anything related to the pandemic, so even if guests had purchased insurance, it wouldn't do any good in this situation.

[Heather397]

well then why should we take the brunt of the pain?

[Helen350]

@Heather397 You wingeing people! It's ONLY ONE MONTH that Airbnb are giving 100% ! - I got my payout yesterday for a cancellation, in accordance with my moderate policy. SO WHAT if reservations were refunded? Your calendar is OPEN - and new people can book!

I am SICK of these money grabbing hosts who make a living from Airbnb - It's a HOMESHARE platform, for making pocket money in your spare room. DONALD was right!

[Heather397]

I have a right to winge I have lost many bookings Not just for one month June will be gone too. I have had no payout from Airbnb and I had a strict policy so how you got one from your moderate policy. If you wish to be rude please do not comment on my comments go and have a figt else where

[Robin4]

@Rose123 

Noble words Rose but, I am afraid directed at deaf ears. 

For years we have been told by Uncle Brian, Nate, Laura Chambers, Greg Greeley and others what a wonderful  asset we hosts are to the company and how our messages and our input are truly taken on-board and respected...............bull!

Here is Mr Chesky's email address.......

Seems he even had a bit of problem getting that tweet right! I think he mean 'dm me' rather than 'do me'!!! 

I have had the best part of 5 years here on the CC and a couple of other sites and I am not aware of anyone over the years who has actually got a response from any correspondence to that email address! I have even had a couple of go's myself without any success!

Where Airbnb is concerned Rose, pain is a one way street, you take the profits and the accolades when times are good.....you look for ways to limit your exposure when times are bad and load the pain onto someone else.....it's not great. I was never anything approaching a $30 billion dollar company, but I am proud of the fact that I never screwed anyone, and I never walked away from my responsibilities!

I love what you have to say Rose, but you are never going to have a megaphone loud enough to make it heard!

Cheers......Rob

[Rose123]

It is pretty funny that he said "do me". Lols. Poetic justice? @Robin4 

[David6722]

I couldn't agree more. 

We have been on airbnb for 3 weeks before the policy. And we have already blocked out all dates, and will remove our property the moment our last commitment to guest(if anyone doesn't cancel has been fulflilled. 

I'm proud to say, I have never felt the need to crap on the little man. I take my lumps when they are handed to me, like a big boy : )

David Laing

[Donald28]

I disagree with the OP. If you RELY on airbnb income to pay your rent or mortgage, you're doing it wrong. You rented too much apartment or bought too much home... neither of which you can afford. Get a place you can afford and then use airbnb income as a supplement. Don't be reliant upon it. Your town could shut you down, your apartment manager or HOA could force you to stop airbnbing, airbnb could delist you for a couple bad reviews, a guest could get hurt on your property,  lots and lots of things could happen that could stop airbnb income altogether.