Two for One Problem

[Kelly149]

Dearest Hosts, can you help me put to rest or better solve a problem (or tell me if you think it is unsolvable in this Covid era)??

Problem One, please tell me what you think this means:

In an abundance of caution, we are making the barn available primarily to single household groups traveling independently. If you are a group made up of multiple households or your visit to Austin includes extended visits with people outside your household or if your travel includes public transport (airplanes) then please discuss with owners to see if your trip can be accommodated (this may require higher cleaning fees or purchasing days before or after your stay as a buffer).

Problem Two: I'm not sure if it is participating in CC or the collection of guests we've had or the moving target of ABB expectations or my personal predilection to perfectionism, but such a high percentage of guests are a problem that hosting is more dread than joy. Even the money doesn't seem to outweigh the ninnys. So, ideas?? Turn off IB, turn off listing (this may happen on ABB in a week when I don't sign Cleaning thingy, but we'll still be on Vrbo), shorten listing, lengthen listing, take less guests....

I look forward to your suggestions!

[Anonymous]

@Debra300 Thanks for the update!

Once again, the threatening language turns out to be hot air, much like with the Acceptance Rate. 

[Lisa723]

@Debra300 @Anonymous just got a new booking (one week in June). Dashboard notice now says "We’ve asked hosts to commit to Airbnb’s COVID-19 safety practices by November 20, 2020. We have already begun to notify hosts that their calendar will be blocked for new reservations if they don’t agree soon. To avoid this, please agree today."

[Debra300]

@Lisa723,

Thanks for the update. @Kelly149 mentioned seeing the same type of message.  I still see the old reminder on my dashboard.

[Clare167]

Update here: I wake to news of the IPO on the radio, and when I go to the Airbnb app to see how you all are, for the first time I am NOT reminded to sign up for the Enhanced Cleaning Program. @Kelly149 @Debra300 @Lisa723 @Ann72 

[Kelly149]

@Clare167 @The request is still there for me. & my calendar is definitely blocked. It wasn’t when the CM was on but as soon as it flipped to an individual host managed account. Blocked. I guess we’ll see how the next few weeks go

[Clare167]

Sorry to hear that @Kelly149 . I would presumably have trouble if I try to unsnooze.

[Debra300]

@Clare167,

Interesting, I didn't get prompted, either.  The reminder is still a banner at the top of my dashboard page though.

[Clare167]

It's back! I had to say "I understand". @Debra300 @Kelly149 

[Debra300]

@Clare167,

I saw that the prompt is back for me, also.  I still go past it.

[Clare167]

It seems to me that it's not wholly hot air, in that the host is placed in the same jeopardy as if she had signed up. If a guest alleges that you have not followed the protocol, Airbnb may punish you with refunds and goodness knows that else. @Debra300 @Anonymous @Kelly149 

[Debra300]

@Clare167,

You may be correct, but we hosts play the Airbnb payout Russian roulette with every reservation.  Today, guests make claims about bugs, safety issues, cleanliness, non-working amenities asking for discounts and refunds, and Airbnb usually sides with them sans any communication with hosts.  Since this is the case, there is no need to threaten hosts into complying with policies that probably aren't even legal in many US states (and other countries), because Airbnb doesn't own the inventory, and as such doesn't have the authority to dictate personal behavior that's not illegal or presents an imminent danger to the occupants.  Especially, in a private residence.

As I've mentioned before, if Airbnb really cared about the health of guests and hosts they would have a similar policy about smoking inside of shared spaces.  Right now, a homeshare host doesn't even have to inform a guest if they smoke in their own home.  So, as @Anonymous, and others have pointed out, these policies are just "Hygiene Theatre", because the threats of blocking calendars and non-payment are not necessary since Airbnb already took these actions before the policies were implemented.

[Anonymous]

@Clare167 I'm thinking along similar lines to @Debra300 here - even if you don't sign your consent to the protocol,, is that going to stop Airbnb from denying your payout when a guest complains you're not following some aspect of it?

I guess we'll see soon enough... Seems there are more people than ever scamming for free stays lately 

[Clare167]

Yes @Anonymous @Debra300 my view exactly, refusing to sign is not going to do you any practical good, the only benefit will be to your conscience and self-worth, as you will know you didn't make unfeasible promises. Before I started letting on Airbnb, I was pretty anxious, then once I began was pleasantly surprised to find that nearly all guests were pleasant, reliable, and (I suspect) under the illusion that my ability to review them created some genuine jeopardy for them, so they'd best earn a good review. Now I am encountering more sub-optimal guests and I think I want to withdraw from the casino before I lose money or cheerfulness or both.

[Kelly149]

@Clare167 my cheerfulness left quite some time ago...

right now, the money outweighs the risk, but I'm not willing to invert that ratio... we shall see

and WHEN will ABB realize that losing a place like yours (or like mine), a place with comfort, personality, and an actual Owner at the helm, is truly a loss???? How can these transient, drug-dealing, party-throwing miscreants be more valuable to the platform than we are? I just don't get it.

[Anonymous]

@Clare167 I think a significant enough number of active hosts choosing not to sign the ultimatum - and perhaps a perceptible drop-off in inventory - is the best way hosts can reject the precedent Airbnb is trying to set, and demonstrate the determination to remain independent operators and not Airbnb minions.

If these tactics are ultimately deemed to be a success, it's easy to imagine similar policies in the future that force hosts to use Instant Book (let's not forget, they already tried this with new hosts in 2014, who weren't given the option of screening bookings) or yield control of their pricing to Airbnb's algorithm in the style of Uber.  You can bet the house on one thing:  if they thought they could get away with those things and still retain inventory, they'd already be doing them. So any time they start rattling their sabers to assert more control over your hosting, it's important to make sure the initiative fails.