CEO Brian Chesky answers your questions

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

I wanted to let you know that the first global host Q&A with our CEO and Head of Community Brian Chesky is next week. In the Q&A, Brian will answer your top-voted questions.

To submit your questions about the Airbnb platform, hosting, or anything else you’d like Brian to address, visit the event page* (note that you’ll need to register first). You can also vote for your favorite questions from other hosts around the world.

The Q&A will be livestreamed from San Francisco on November 29th at 6:00pm PST (UTC–8) so make sure to tune in live, or watch the video afterwards.

The event will be held in English, but videos with translated subtitles will be posted in the Community Center a few weeks after the livestream.

I’m looking forward to reading your questions and seeing which ones are most important to you.

Thanks so much,

Lizzie

* ----------Updated Feb 2018----------

Hello,

This event has now finish, to watch the recording, take a look here.

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Karen56]

I bet Brian doesn't answer this question... but would love to be pleasantly surprised by having this message forwarded to the founders and receiving a response.

Can Brian please reopen a resolution which has been poorly judged and arrange the payout requested? 

We had a guest stay and graffiti their names into our 100+ year old feature tree that we built and designed our house around.  The guest carved all their names and the date they stayed... evidence enough.  The tree costs $605 to remove the names however it will still leave the tree permanently scarred.  Your resolution centre claims that 'we cannot cover the cost of the tree as it is not part of the actual listing'.

It is on the land that we own on which the house is built and is part of our landscape gardening and aesthetics and design of our house.  Your Host Guarantee T&Cs state that exclusions are below:

1. Land, water or any other substance in or on land; except this exclusion does not apply to (i) land improvements consisting of landscape gardening, roadways and pavements, but not including any fill or land beneath such property, or (ii) water that is contained within any enclosed tank, piping system or any other processing equipment.

I note exclusions do not apply to (i) land improvements consisting of landscape gardening. Vandalism and damage to our tree is not excluded from your T&Cs.

The resolution centre says they 'believe this to be a fair resolution'... I think not!!!  Airbnb is meant to protect hosts and simply fails to do so.

I look forward to receiving a response.

Regards
Karen

[Nick64]

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/11/16/toronto-condo-owner-decries-restrictions-on-airbnb-home-... 

What is now more important than ever, is to WIN arbitration cases like mine, which will reaffirm our fundamental right as home owners to host short-term guests, such as friends, students, or visitors via platforms such as Airbnb, to share with costs.  The next major battle will be with condo boards. Please view my story on this Gofundme campaign and support my effort, which can be instructive for others.  My arbitration is scheduled in March.

[Link hidden due to safety reasons]

[Welcome0]

Where can we get to read or hear the the questions? Where is the link? 

[David126]

@Welcome0

I do not think it has been published, I am sure @Lizzie will post it as soon as she has it.

[Lawrence16]

This was nearly two weeks ago, does anyone know when the link to view this will be provided for those of us who couldn't stay up to the American time zone to watch it?

Thanks in advance

Lawrence

[David126]

https://www.ustream.tv/hostQandA

It is up there, last bit is all about Experiences which does not interest me so I did not watch.

Noticed he never repied to the guest pgoto question, just went around and around.

Surprised the Host Guarantee and Extenuating Circumstances did not come up.

[Mark26]

@David126

> Noticed he never repied to the guest pgoto question, just went around and around. 

That and others caught my attention.  It was clear that he's not listening to hosts, and isn't really answering their questions or concerns at all.

Shortly after that the staff changed the question "AirBnB puts pressure on me to lower my prices, why hasn't AirBnB ever altered it's own commission?" to "Will AirBnb reduce its Host fees?"  Wherein Mr. Cheskey promptly smirked, and dismissed "The 3% Host Fees" when the question was clearly about the 11 to 15% fees AirBnB charges Guests.

It's clear that they're not listening.  Disturbing actually.

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

Just to let you know, as @David126 has mentioned, the video of the live Q&A is now available, with a multitude of different language subtitles! Take a look at my post: Watch the replay of our global host Q&A

It would be great to hear your thoughts.

Lizzie

Thanks David for also sharing this link. 🙂

[Still-Waters0]

With all of the local, state, and federal governments cracking down on income reporting from short term rentals why hasn't Air BnB added a an option to add an additional fee for taxes as a percentage of the total rent that can be charged to the consumer.  I think it could be an optional item just like a cleaning fee for the host/owner to choose to use or not.  Right now there is not a good way to capture required taxes without simply increasing the nightly rate, which makes it difficult to remain competitive or communicate to prospective renters the schedule of rents, costs, and fees.

Respectfully,

Gerry Ridens, Host and Traveler

[Linda108]

I agree, @Still-Waters0.  At this time, I include the city tax in my nightly rate, which is easier than asking the guest for an additional payment.  Problem is, Air BNB gets a few more dollars from the host fee.  I also have to calculated the city tax based on backing out the city tax from the nightly rate.  This is not a huge amount of money from me, but it adds up over time.

[Shani-and-Ariel0]

Thank you