Covid regulations and guests

Jackie618 · ‎07-04-2021

I've become aware of guests booking with what seems like their intention to try and get around local covid rules.It makes me wonder how liable hosts are to fines and if our tourist licences could be placed at risk...

A couple of examples of what I mean

1, A family booked asking if they could have a few friends over for dinner...at the time they booked the rules were that you could have 2 non household people over out side...so that was not a problem as I saw it.But about a week before they were due to arrive the rules changed and you could have no additional people over.So I messaged my guest telling them that I could not allow extra people now.He went berserk accusing me of scamming him and breaking my contract ...I asked him to contact air b and b as clearly the situation had become hostile.Air b and b contacted me and it was agreed they could cancel the reservation, give him his money back and I would suffer no other penalties for canceling.So clearly my guest expected me to break the law and he was clearly going to....so using my place and the air b and b system to get around the law..this is a very concerning incidence

2, I have a number of bookings from 4 adults...I have no idea of their relationship or if they are from the same household.....if they are circumventing the covid rules....am I liable to prosecution?

What do other hosts feel and what are your experiences ?

I asked my advisor that air band b should make some ruling

about this .. she said that would be difficult and suggested I should put it on my house rules....but not sure that would cover me if guests break the rules on my property ?

Anonymous · ‎07-04-2021

@Jackie618 You'll have to check with your local authorities about what your rights and obligations are in terms of enforcing the restrictions. Some places absolutely do penalize the accommodation provider if they host illegal gatherings, even unknowingly; others consider the burden of liability to fall on the guest. It depends entirely on your locality, not Airbnb policy - and Airbnb will not get involved on your behalf if you are prosecuted for your guests' behavior.

Either way, I'd strongly suggest establishing a rule that forbids unregistered guests from entering the home, for at least as long as contact restrictions are in place. Your local tourism bureau can advise you on what information you're obliged to collect at the time of booking, which might mean that disabling Instant Book is the best way to make sure guests meet the requirements before confirming.

If the rules change between the date of booking and the arrival date, the situation is a bit more complicated. If you're no longer legally able to fulfill the booking on the terms it was made under, it's best to allow the guest to cancel for a full refund. But "having a few friends over for dinner" is a special privilege rather than a right, since those friends aren't paid guests. Also, this guest sounds much more like he was actually planning to throw a party, which would definitely be a world of trouble for you. If I were in your position, I would ask Airbnb to grant you a neutral cancellation on the basis of your correspondence, and absolutely not allow this stay to proceed.

Jackie618 · ‎07-04-2021

Thankyou..sound advice and I could see that air band b dont really want to get involved....clearly I believe you would not be assisted should you get prosecuted...