New Airbnb Infant Policy

[Wylie1]

Babies are louder, smellier and they often break things. So why has Airbnb decided not to let hosts charge for the worst guests?

Due to airbnb's most recent pricing decision I will be denying all requests from people with children who will be staying for free.

[Inna31]

Look for Family/Kid Friendly listings. Trust hosts if they say the property is not safe for children: they care for your child.

[Leslie249]

I’ve been searching for an Airbnb (filled out the filters for “Family Friendly” And even stated we have an infant) and yet homes still show up that are unsuitable or unsafe for kids 0-12. It wasn’t until I noticed the additional rules that I found this was even an issue.

Our 5 month old isn’t going to do any damage and yet we are being penalized.

Airbnb is making it difficult for families to find places to stay, especially ones that are reasonably priced & “Family Friendly”.

[Letti0]

@Leslie0 Did you click on the trip type option and select For Families? This is a collection of family friendly rentals only that all accept children. 

[Sarah977]

@Leslie0     The problem stems from the people who are creating these designations at the corporate level. Some one posted here somewhere that they checked it out, and only one of the big mucky-mucks have kids. Childless millenials have no understanding that a babe in arms is different from a toddler, from a 10 year old. Of course your 5 month old is not going to do any damage. But airbnb classifies 0-2 years old as "infants". I only rent to one guest because that is all the space I have to offer. But if I had a bigger guest space, I wouldn't be able to host walking toddlers, as there are crazy steps, high balconies without child-proof railings, etc. But a 5 month old wouldn't be any problem.

Also, there are unfortunately some parents out there who don't take enough responsibility. So even with a 5 month old, if the parents change the baby on the bed without a waterproof pad, fill the garbage can with stinky diapers and don't take it out to the dumpster, or let the babies eat sticky food all over the place, hosts are going to be upset. In other words, the irresponsible parents ruin it for the responsible ones.

[Lorna3]

I agree with you Sarah.  Airbnb REALLY needs to rethink this policy.  They don't seem to understand the difference between a babe in arms and a toddler.  Babies up to 6 months old, yes, okay.  But more than 6 months old, that guest creates as much work as any other guest (much MORE in fact) and should pay the same as any other guest.

[Paul1380]

We state that we do not cater to children but it is certainly not due to not liking kids or penalising parents. We built this house a year ago and are in the zone after our kids have grown up but before grandkids. So we do not have childproof cupboards, our detergents are in low cupboards, we have a dog who is lovely but could bump a little person over. Our furniture is not secured to walls, our alcohol is in a low display case, the kettle cord might be reachable, we might leave a packet of headache pills on a coffee table, etc, and we simply don’t want to have to do all that child proofing to have extra guests that we don’t get paid for. Also, we had one guest who brought a child (did not read the listing?) and promptly propped open the safety compliant pool gate and then went to get showered leaving her child to wander in and out of he pool area. We did not sign up to baby sit or be lifeguards so rather than have these issues we choose to be honest and say we are not set up for kids whereas plenty of other houses will be.

[Donald28]

"Our 5 month old isn’t going to do any damage "    that's what they all say! LOL

[Linda1137]

Awe — bring the baby to our place 🙂 

[Kathie21]

 Hosts still may not want the noise of crying, or disposible nappies in the rubbish (many local councils in the UK now only collect non-recyclable rubbish every 3 weeks).  And the view that children are a blessing is just that - your view, one not shared by everyone.

[Ann72]

Abraham, as a mother, I don't say "not suitable for children or infants" because I don't like them, I say it because I care about their safety.  Last year someone tried to book my "unsuitable-for-little-ones" cabin with a 15-month old, although he would be 21 months old when they came to stay.  I expressed my concern about the unchild-proofed cabin, which has a spiral stair, an upper loft with railings, and sits on a high ledge of rocks.  The parents insisted they would watch him and be careful, but I was so worried I even spoke to my attorney about it.  Her conclusion and Airbnb's conclusion was that if I was that worried, it was reason enough to decline.  The prospective guest and I had a very nice exchange and I asked her to return when her son was older.

Because I'm a mother, I know how different children can be at different ages.  Some kids are chill and cautious and some are fearless and adventurous.  I couldn't sleep at the thought that this little guy, who I knew nothing of, might decide to take a flying leap off the rocks when his parents were distracted for one crucial second.  So while I agree that it's disheartening to read such negativity toward children, there are some of us who have thoughtful reasons for implementing that rule.

[Pam206]

As a parent, I suppose you would feel disheartened however, I am of a totally different mind. I just greeted a family with two young children (probably 3 and 4) and an infant.  I really have no problem with the infant for whom I provided a pack n play.  But as I started the tour in the kitchen, the 4 year old boy had already climbed on a counter-height barstool and was jumping up and down.  The parents said nothing.  As we turned to the living room, he'd jumped down and he and his sister were running up and down the sectional sofa and jumping on that. My place is SUPER NICE.  I'm grateful this is only a 4-day stay but wish I hadn't rented to them.  Since it's a beach house, I get families sometimes but only a couple of times have I had smaller kids there.  The place is not kid-proofed at all.  I'm horrified that the parents would allow that.  I get it "kids will be kids", but they can be ill-mannered in their own home where the furniture may be better suited.  However, my sea colored sofa is NOT meant for filthy little feet (and they are filthy from walking barefoot outside).  Is there any way to just say NO KIDS under 10?

[Fiza1]

Exactly!! We watched parents allow their 2 year old to draw on our very high end white quartz marble with pen. It took us 3 hours to get the stains out.

No more kids allowed at our place...

[Sarah977]

@Pam206  Yes- Not suitable for children 2-12. Under house rules.

[Donald28]

infants and toddlers are a nightmare to host. Especially if you have a swimming pool and an arcade. Young kids under 6 have not been taught respect or the value of things or what's dangerous and what isn't. I watched a 5 yro pick up a plastic pistol from one of my arcade games, look at it for a brief moment and then drop it to the floor. That gun just cost me $80 to replace. It wasn't broken but what if it was? That's the kind of stuff young kids do. They also leave food pieces, saliva and greasy handprints all over everything they touch. 

[Lorna3]

Abraham18:  I hear what you're saying, I have 7 grandchildren and love them dearly and have gone through all the stages of child development with them -- seven times.

But we hosts are not being treated fairly when it comes to children.  Hosts should not be asked to accommodate children under 2 years for free.  Babes in arms, before they can crawl, yes, that's fine.  But not toddlers:  they create THE MOST work of any guest.

As a parent you know all about leaking poopy diapers, ruined mattesses from peed beds, banana-sticky hands on everything, spilled sticky milk from dropped bottles, the list goes on. 

What we hosts object to is the expectation that these guests, THE most labour-intenisve guests possible, should be free.  Frankly, I think children under 6 should be charged DOUBLE simply based on the amount of cleaning work they create. 

When you choose to have children, you know they are going to be a lot of work and expense.   That's your responsibilty.  It shouldn't be our cost as hosts to subsidize your choice. Children should pay the same as everyone else, the're people, too!