Airbnb wont adhere to UK regulations

[Luke279]

I'm literally on the verge of a nervous break down due to Airbnbs lack of compliance to separate Government law/regulations.

In the UK we are now allowed to open to the public, but only to those who book under two households. 

Yet if we have instant book enabled and have a property that allows 6 guests this brings a situation that means a group can instantly book without question, advance or last minute.. 

I approached my local council which is Bristol, and I was advised that as a company we have a duty of care to the residents in the block the apartment is held in to adhere to the law/regulations set out. Failure to do so regardless of individuals/groups lying on booking we would be liable to not only fines but prosecution.

Now since we reopened to the public I've had continuous scenarios of groups trying to book or instant booked and the booking needs to be cancelled due to the regulations. Airbnb do not recognise this at all, they request proof direct from a high power for each reservation when trying to cancel which is impossible to do. Yet the law is clearly available online to view

How on earth do we as hosts keep a viable business running full well knowing deactivating instant book lowers our properties, we held to ransom at putting lifes at risk!

[Huma0]

My listings are for a maximum of two people and I mostly host solo travellers, so I haven't had this particular problem. I can see though how it is an issue.

I am asking all potential guests what their routines will be while staying here, e.g. will they be working from home or travelling into work on public transport etc. There is a lot more than this to consider though.

I currently have an enquiry from a London based guest who needs a temporary home for a few weeks before she moves back to Brazil. She will be working from home but mentioned that she would spend most weekends at a friend's. That made me ponder. What is the situation at her friend's place? According to Government guidelines, it is fine for her to stay over with her friend, but they MUST socially distance. Now, how on earth can I ensure that other than to take the guest's word for it?

Any suggestions?

[Debra300]

@Huma0,

There really is nothing that you can do to influence a guest's behavior while they are away from your space.  You can slip in subtle friendly reminders, "Be safe while your out and about.  Remember the guidelines.  I don't want you or anyone else in the house to get sick.  Take care."

[Huma0]

@Debra300 

Of course you are right. Here's part of the response I sent to a curren enquiry:

"Hi X, thanks for your answer. According to current Government restrictions, you can stay over at your friend's place but you must maintain social distancing while you are there and have no close contact.

Of course, I would have to take your word for it (plus the restrictions might have changed by August), but I am asking all guests to please do their best to ensure their safety and that of those they are staying with (myself and there will be another guest here during your stay) as we will be sharing some communal areas, using the same front door etc.

If you are confident that you can maintain the social distancing whilst at your friend's place, then that's fine."

I can only make a guess based on the tone of her response. Not sure there is anything else I can do?

[Helen350]

@Huma0 As you host long term bookings, I guess you view your guests as part of your household, which allows you to let more than one room? 

You say your listings are for a max of two so you don't have Luke's problem, but because your listings are all under your own roof, if you let to three couples, spending a short holiday in London, you'd then have FOUR households mixing? - Or are you covered by B&B regs, not private household regs, if you let to two couples & each of them & you had one of your three bathrooms each? (We've discussed that before!)

I'm still assuming that with longer term lettings you avoid falling foul of the 'no more than two households' rule, by counting your tenants as your household, which would not be the case if they were only there for a week or less...?  

[Huma0]

@Helen350 

Since I started focusing on long-term guests, I very rarely get two people in one room. The long-term guests are always solo travellers coming for work or study and, more recently, the enquiries are from locals who are temporarily homeless. So, I would never have three couples staying at the same time even before COVID-19.

I don't know if B&B regulations would cover me, but yes, I am viewing this more that I am sharing my household with someone as my long-term guests (who sometimes stay up to six months) are sharing my home with me and are not holiday makers. Right now, the ones I am likely to expect are locals, working from home etc.

The absolute last thing I would want right now is a house full of tourists checking in and out every few days. I wouldn't want that normally, let alone during these times.

[Helen350]

@Huma0 Yes, silly me, of course with your focus on long-term guests, you'll have singles rather than couples.

I guess the same issue applies with singles, that if very short term you could only let ONE room, as guest + you = one household...

But, Yes, you've concluded as I have, that longer term guests can be counted as part of your household. (Wasn't intending to sound Yah boo-ish, you can't do that, was just teasing out the fact that long term hosting = flatsharing= household = OK!) 

[Huma0]

@Helen350 

Yes, I am still trying to figure this out.

So, I have my first post-lockdown guest arriving on Sunday to stay for one month. He is from the UK and will be working from home full time.

Then I have a girl from Germany coming in September for a month. She was originally going to come in June and postponed quite a while before her stay was due to start. I thought that would be okay because all those months ago, September seemed so far away.

So, essentially, I only have one guest booked at any one time.

However, I do have an ongoing enquiry from another local guest who wants to book one of the other rooms at the same time as the guy above. Although she is local and will also be working full time from home, I am asking her a lot of questions. I am not sure what the sensible thing to do is right now. Certainly I don't want to fill all three rooms but where does one draw the line, at one guest or two? It's not just about following regulations but about doing the safe and sensible thing without going completely bankrupt at the same time!

[Helen427]

@Huma0  and others, rather than stress about how things may pan out, take the common sense approach and mention prior to & when they arrive, should they have any "symptoms" to let you know & self isolate / and/ or see a Doctor.

Take comfort in knowing wherever we are in the world we have all been told what to do from the same "25 ways of ensuring adherence to Social Distancing" which is on the UK Govt website - be mindful it's NOT been "peer reviewed " scientifically, nor has it been clarified if it's compliant with wider laws....and Human Rights.

Guests will be going through the same motions as we have to.

I see in the UK , and I understand in the USA they have suspended reporting of C19 cases until they fix up there recording methodologies as people have been recorded as having C19 when they haven't, notably with deaths, alas it is equally as relevant for those who haven't died.

All the best, focus on the positive in life !! 

[Sarah977]

@Helen427  "take the common sense approach and mention prior to & when they arrive, should they have any "symptoms" to let you know & self isolate / and/ or see a Doctor."

There are tons of infected, asymptomatic people walking around infecting others, so no, this isn't the "common sense approach".

[Helen427]

@Sarah977There's also the fact many people don't have Coronavirus/ Covid19.

One can either look at things in life as a cup half empty, or a cup half full.

We don't have people dying left, right & centre in our streets or neighbourhoods.

Yes there are people dying however there has been a known huge drop in people reported to be having & dying from "Influenza" this year.

Try figure out how that has factually happened.

Incidentally in New Zealand we have had those calling the shots that "testing" is not up to the numbers they are wanting & telling us that ALL people who have respiratory symptoms to get "Tested", alas if one has no symptoms & keep healthy, why would you add to the bloat of the unaccountable disbursement of public funds? 

Please be mindful of the fact I do care about the wider societies health & well being alas a blanket approach that we are all carriers of virus that appears not to even be classified in accordance with Koch's Postulates of 120 plus years ago.

[Sarah977]

@Helen427  You are quite welcome to believe anything you want, and deal with guests however you want, but most of us are not willing to take a chance on being infected with a virus which can be deadly and have long-lasting effects. So you really shouldn't be advising people as to what is safe or not, when you've made it quite obvious in these and many other posts that you don't take this virus seriously or consider it a threat.

[Luke279]

@Helen427 

I remember the last time I had this mentality, it was sixth form!

[Helen427]

haha @Luke279 now you are showing your age as we call different years at secondary school/ college Year 12, 13, 14, etc.

Do they call it the same in  the UK?

Or are they still the same?

Btw, we usually have metric weight measurements but know babies in the UK are still measured in pounds & ounces..Good on the UK as it helps one's brain do mathematics calculations when faced with those wee challenges & is a starting point for conversations.

I hope you folk are enjoying the sunshine.

All the best

[Luke279]

Ummm what?  The UK uses the Metric system..... 

[Helen427]

@Luke279< really??
They still announce Royal Babies weights in pounds and ounces 🙂