Age requirement

[Jeffrey268]

I have an 18 year old guest that wants to book for a weekend.  She asked me if I had an age requirenment.  I had asked how old she was and what brings her to the area of my home.  She is local and wants a place for 6 friends and family to stay for the weekend.  They are all 18 or 19 years old.  She is new to Airbnb and has no reviews.

I have a bad feeling on this.  Would I be able to decine without being discriminating due to age?

[Ava30]

@Jeffrey268  Go With Your Gut! Locals? and all under 21? Oh No, No, No, No Way! Just Decline, don't mention age,  and wait for a real booking. This reeeks of party time!

[Ann489]

@Jeffrey268   I would agree with Ava; this reeks of a party!  Definitely decline!  Renting to locals raises(often justified) suspicion with me--especially,  when the potential guest is under 21.

[Ruth508]

Hello, I am fairly new to hosting, but my experience with young college students at my house has been  excellent, and for the most part they were new to airbnb and no reviews. I don’t allow parties or guests not registered and is in the house rules. 

In contrast, my only negative experience so far was with a mid 30s couple with good and ok reviews. Have a great weekend!

Ruth

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Ruth508yes, my experience with young guests is also good.... but 6 of them... 18 y.o..... locals ..... weekend ... last minute reservation...?????

No.

[Ruth508]

I don’t see the message I wrote before so forgive me if I am repeating myself.

I overlooked that they were local. Maybe that could be a problem. 

My house is in Puerto Rico and most of the people that have stayed are young college students. Thank you for responding.

Ruth

[Emilia42]

@Jeffrey268, 

I’m torn here.

I’ve had two similar situations happen to me. Both times I read the young ladies the riot act and both times I asked them to cancel for their money back if they planed on breaking my rules at any point. Both assured me there would be no problems. And both turned out to be decent guests. One group was probably some of the best guests I’ve ever had, honestly.

But I would never recommend that a host go against their gut feeling. If you don’t have the safety measures put in place to make you feel more comfortable, (i.e. living close by to have eyes on your place, security cameras outside, no hesitation about removing a group and possibility receiving a bad review) then don’t do it.

[Jody79]

@Jeffrey268  in my limited experience as a host I had 4 parties within the first month of listing my place.  All of these were locals looking for a place for a small ‘gathering’. Based on my experience thus far I would decline this one.

[Julie984]

I have been a superhost for several years and just today found out about this "age discrimation" malarchy. In my listing it clearly states over 25 years. Who does airbnb think they are! What gives them the right to dictate who comes into our homes! I understand some hosts are small hotels and only in it for the money, and therefore don't care about the safety or upkeep of their property. However there are other hosts, myself included, who have worked hard to make their home welcoming and want it to remain so.  Perhaps if hosts came together and communicated to airbnb that guest restrictions, of any kind, are the sole business of the home owner and not up to airbnb to decide, we could remove this most riduiclous policy. What do you think?

I have a guest coming soon who has booked through instant book and is under 25, she clearly states in her reservation.  Airbnb tells me if I cancel I will loose my superhost status.  This is surely going to be a pleaseant stay.  She has ignored my house requirements and airbnb won't back me up.

[Helen3]

Hi @Julie984 

When you signed up to Airbnb as part of the terms you signed you agreed not to discriminate against guests on the grounds of race, religion, sexuality, sex or age.

Obviously if there is a legal reason i.e. your housing association or complex doesn't allow it, that means that you can't host this age group ie 18-25's then Airbnb will back you up. They won't if you are simply choosing  not to accept having youngsters as guests..

I think it is rather rude of you to suggest that hosts who accept youngsters are only in it for the money or don't care about their homes. I have had over a hundred young people stay with me who have been under 25. They have all been delightful including a young couple who took me out to breakfast, another who bought be a candle when I stayed up late to check them in when their flight was delayed and another who helped carry some heavy items up the stairs for me.

I am happy that Airbnb actively advocates that hosts shouldn't discriminate and see no reason to lobby against this. After all, why would I sign up to host with them if I didn't want to abide by their terms?

There are other platforms that I believe you can put age restrictions on, perhaps listing there would better suit your needs @Julie984 

[Julie984]

Thank you i will look into the other platforms for sure. Airbnb is becoming too much of a “big business”. I believe I have the right to control who comes into my home and dont see how this is rude. We host people of all nationalities,  genders, just over 25years of age. I choose not to have my home damaged by party goers. Sorry you think ones right to choose is rude.

[Helen3]

@Julie984 

I did not say your 'right to choose' was rude. I am not quite sure how you could have read that in what I posted.

I said you insulting hosts who choose to accept guests of all ages is rude, saying that we don't care about the safety and upkeep of our properties. What I said was:-

"I think it is rather rude of you to suggest that hosts who accept youngsters are only in it for the money or don't care about their homes. I have had over a hundred young people stay with me who have been under 25. They have all been delightful including a young couple who took me out to breakfast, another who bought be a candle when I stayed up late to check them in when their flight was delayed and another who helped carry some heavy items up the stairs for me".

[Rachel177]

@Julie984 like you I host a private room. I see no problem with hosting guests under 25, and I'm glad that airbnb have a strong anti-discrimination policy. 

I've hosted many guests under 25 years of age and they have been polite, well behaved & don't treat my house like a party house. The guests I've had the most issues with have been in the 45+ age bracket, ignoring house rules, being overly picky & demanding and have less respect for my property. I have pretty tight house rules and I send these to my guests when they book as most don't see them when they book thanks to Airbnb burying them. The younger guests aren't the ones who tend to ignore them, so youth isn't an indicator of how a guest will behave...