When I started into the Bed and Breakfast business in 1994, there were very few homes opening doors to travellers. It was fun. Potential guests phones and made reservations direct. We have short conversations about our accommodations and everyone agreed it was a good fit or we referred to one of the other "few" available.
Now with Airbnb, it is out of control. If you have a spare bedroom and a computer, you qualify to be a host. No inspection by community association. No inspection required for home smoke detectors...no fire extinquisher requirements. Who cared about the water in your pool, hot tub or tap water offered to guests. And so now over 27 years later, our community of 10,000 have over 27 homes listing on Airbnb just because of the ease to do so. My once, very busy and very successful business is threatened by the competition. My neighbour has a brother in law who is a builder/developer with a nationally famous politition wife who own a hugh percentage of the "downtown" commercial properties with apartments above the storefronts...and now these units are popping up like ants to potential travellers.
In Toronto, Airbnb is setting new guidelines as there is a huge problem with people renting apartments in prime locations suitable for tourists and subletting them out as guest accommodations. There are other groups of people renovating their Toronto properties into multiple apts and living in their basements and renting the rest of their home out.
There are no clear guidelines for what is offered and no associations set up to control what is happening. Thirty or so years ago there was (and still is) FOBBA who was a very strict association and to become a member there were strick guidelines to follow. Three members would inspect and improve. You had to have certain issues in place and it was more so for the safety of the guests. Anybody can post a listing here and ..... competition is fierce. Who is protecting the guest now from bad irrisponsible hosts (and THEY are out there). Who is protecting the hosts from bad guests...and we hear about them every day.
The latest is a 14 year old renting a home for a rave party for 300 people. Can the parents afford to pick up the tab to fix hundred of thousands of dollars of damages for a destroyed home. Who is held responsible for this kind of destruction. As a host for my own locations (two) Im there to watch over 24/7. BTW, we cannot sit at the door and wait for guests who think it is ok to POP IN whenever it suits them. They will establish a time and then, "Oh we decided we were hungry" and arrive two, three hours later. As a Host, we are blames for not being available to escort them in!...and forget any good ratings. I was rated 3 star because the guests did not approve my choice of flowers in the garden. Excuse me! Another guests gave 4 star for cleanliness...I have bleached my counter tops to death and spent literally thousands of dollars on CLR to make sure there is no soap scum on the grout...not to mention using Mr. Clean to make sure the smell is not offensive because the CLR has a terrible after small...and then let's not forget those who have asked that we do not use harsh chemicals because....it is against their "religion".
And while on this rant...the government is now brought in to make sure income is reported and we are appropriately taxes. What a cash grab. Our businesses only have to submit taxes on any money earned over $30,000. has this turned into such a money making business that we now have to worry that we are waiting for an audit by the government that looms over us. That was not the intention of "opening doors to travellers". Hotels are a business...not residential properties and homes. We are no longer allowing families into our homes, but strangers! This is treading into dangerous territory now and on that note...Im checking out!