How do Guests know if Host lives on property AND/OR have rights to enter Guest Private Area?

How do Guests know if Host lives on property AND/OR have rights to enter Guest Private Area?

I met a Host duirng a conference this summer; she told me she lives on the property she rents (which surprised me) and I could have sworn that I saw a distinct visual on her Property Page showing she lived in property. 

 

Fast-forward to today. While looking for potential places to stay near Disney World, I didn't encounter any type of visual cues showing that hosts live on the properties they rent. Is this new? Is it only up to the Host to acknowledge that they live up/downstairs or share common areas with their renters in the Details/Description?

 

Another concern popped up after reading the thread "Define Private Room and Host accessibility thereto" (https://goo.gl/CQQnZ3). Does AirBnB still have a vague ruling or protocol for Hosts whether they are allowed to enter Renter areas without Renter permission even if the Property is listed as "Private?" 

20 Replies 20
Letti0
Level 10
Atascosa, TX

@TheCommon0   A host must state if they live in a shared environment on their listing. A guest has the expectation of privacy, so no a host may not enter a rented space during the timeframe of a paid rental. I do Inform my guests that I live on property, but it is a completely different building/home. I can see all the coming and going that happens. I have been able to avoid camera's for this reason and thwart the party people because of this, more than a few cancellations happen when some groups find this out. I also not list it on the listing, but mention it if I think there is going to be a problem. It stops the extra guest issue and parties of any kind. 

@Letti0  & others- it is a requirement that a host disclose that they and their family are living in the home, correct? I have a listing and am very very clear about that as I would not want a negative surprise for a guest.  It also changes the dynamics for the guest as the host is the “boss”/ main resident and can do more as they please.

I am currently having a heck of a time with airb&b support as a guest. On July 3 I booked a month stay starting July 4 (non ref) with a new host in a shared home listed as quiet, dedicated workspace, lock on bedroom door, private bathroom, and I confirmed twice before booking that the occupants were only me and one other renter in a single family home. After booking in invited me in his car to a party 2 hours away. I politely declined. Then invited me to another party in town. I politely declined. He sent several texts asking when I wanted  to arrive- he and his girlfriend wanted to meet me first. I thought this odd, intrusive, and inappropriate. I went and stayed elsewhere as I was very uncomfortable but it’s unaffordable to book hotels to work in for a month. I went 2 days later after another text from him saying he was at the home. I walked into a little party and he gave me a tour explaining that he and his all adult family also live there (& ther were 2 afternoon party guests in the home as well). He explained he is there all day every day. I asked his guests to not feed my dog human food and they did and he laughed. Never ever before booking was it disclosed that he would be living in the home with his adult family. His response to me: no refunds and of. Purse I am living there- it is my home. (When booking He had mentioned having another condo being set up as an air b&b and never was his living there disclosed; it’s why I asked twice how many people were staying). Seems like it was a misunderstanding and he didn’t realize people wouldn’t assume he lives there but now air b&b says I didn’t escalate to them within 72 days of listing starting (I didn’t go the first 2 days because of how uncomfortable the party invitations and texts were then tried escalating to him as the app says). So now there are 21 days left on the reservation, I’ve been in the home for 10 minutes and left on day 3, and I have no recourse. Does anyone know if I have any other options?? 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@TheCommon0   What kind of "visual clues" would you expect to indicate that the host lived on the property? Are you one of those people who only wants to look at pictures? Of course you have to read the listing description to find out whether a listing is shared (host lives in the house and rents out  room or two or a private suite), whether the listing is a separate cottage or whatever on the property where the host lives in another building, or whether it is a completely private apartment or house with an off-site host.

No, hosts are not supposed to enter the guest's private space (even if it's a room in the host's home) without the guest's permission or prior arrangement. Some hosts make it a policy to come in to clean the guest quarters once a week and change out bedding and towels, but this should be stated in the listing and the host should make this arrangement clear through messaging with the guest, and set a time for this that's amenable to host and guest.

Occasionally a frustrated host, who has repeatedly asked a guest to turn off heaters, lights, AC, etc, when they go out and been constantly ignored, will step into the space to do this. Leaving a heater on can be a fire hazard, and leaving the AC or any other utilities on can rack up a a huge bill, far above what the host budgets for when pricing their listing.

And of course, in an emergency situation (a fire, water leak, etc.), the host would enter to deal with the issue.

@Sarah977  @Jessica-and-Henry0:

 

 A "visual cue" in the line of your "super host" badge," the icons that appear right below the By-Line of the property, the Amenities & Sleeping Arrangement sections, "On people's minds," "Home Highlights," etc.

 

The use of pictures and visual cues help me (and maybe others) in making a quick preliminary check on whether a place is a Yay or Nay . Going through the Description, Map, Policies, and Comments (asides from cost) help in making the ultimate selection. 

@TheCommon0  Hosts have no ability to create these visual clues you mention (which seem like a good idea)- that is Airbnb generated. Hosts don't even choose those "Home Highlights" you see- that was an Airbnb feature that hosts unanimously opposed, because it didn't highlight the things we would have wanted highlighted about our listings and in some cases those highlights are actually wrong- hosts have said it says they offer self-check-in when they don't, for instance. We are constantly battling a flawed computer algorithm.

So as a guest, I would suggest to submit your ideas to Airbnb directly.

Letti0
Level 10
Atascosa, TX

@TheCommon0  I wrote a long reply, but for some reason AirBnB pulled it. I have asked @Lizzie about it just now. Hopefully it will be posted. This is happening more and more, so I am starting to wonder why I bother to post long detailed help for other hosts at this point as they do not show up. It's a complete waste of my time when a good 1/4 of my replies lately as the posts do not show up except for a minute or two before they are pulled. 

Sandra126
Level 10
Daylesford, Australia

@Letti0, very weird. This happened a while back so frequently I started copying the text before submitting, as it would vanish when I pressed send. Do a broad stroke copy, then you can always paste it back if it disappears.

@Sandra126   I do exactly the same- copy the text, which often disappears after clicking on Reply.

@TheCommon0

I host a private room in my home and I state clearly (several times) that hosts will enter the private guest room (and guest private bath) in their absence to open/close windows, vaccum the floor/under the bed, empty trash bins, change bed sheets, re-fill amenities. In my mind, it is nothing different to very basic hotel housekeeping, although we do not "pick up/clean up after" guests in any way. 

 

I understand some guests may not feel comfortable with this arrangement - then they can book somewhere they do feel comfortable. 

 

I'm not sure what kind of "visual cues" you are looking for but shouldn't you be READING the listing description? What more "visual cues" do you need other than the listing description?

 

Regarding on-site hosts for private home listings, as long as the host clearly states what their rules and expectations are I don't see anything wrong with the host entering the listing for sheet changes, new amenities and a quick look around to make sure the home is okay. Imo, any guest who is wary of an on-site host is probably thinking of breaking house rules or sneaking in more people than booked. 

@Jessica-and-Henry0

 

From the point of view from the renter, it's a matter of privacy and trust. Just as you trust that those who don't mind renting from a shared space and agreeing to the house rules will actually follow the house rules and not sneak people into rent space. 

 

I do appreciate how you tried to help Ken regarding his concern when many other Hosts seemed to attack him for his renting mentality. Thank you for that. And as a Renter to a Host, thank you for putting in the effort of letting any future renter know what to expect from their stay with you. 

@TheCommon0    While I understand what you are saying regarding trust, does it not follow that the guest should have trust in the host not to snoop in their stuff if they come in to clean?

Many hosts, especially those who have long term guests, have found that the guests are actually living like pigs in the room- wet moldering towels, food left around (to attract rodents and cockroaches) and going in once a week to clean gives the host the opportunity to see how the space is being kept, as well as deal with the problems.

While you, personally, may be a very respectful person who would never sneak in extra guests or trash a place out, unfortunately, this is not the case far too often, as you would know by reading through many of the threads on this forum. So that is why hosts have developed ways to mitigate problems with guests, as the blind trust they originally had when they started hosting, they found to be unwarranted.

@TheCommon0

And also, snooping can be both ways. I had a guest who snooped - went thru all the drawers and cabinets and shelves in the shared spaces (living room & kitchen) whenever he thought Henry and I weren't home. Not that we had anything valuable or private~

 

Imo, in most cases hosts have much more to loose than the guest when it comes to damage or theft, and hotels/motels are equally risky for hidden cameras. 

So just to make sure:

  1. Nothing in the AirBnB contract states that hosts shouldn't enter the Rent Space
  2. It's up to the Host to let the Renter know that a Private Room truly isn't private (either by permission granted, house rules, or host provided housekeeping)
  3. AirBnB hasn't used some visual cues or icons in the past showing that the Host lives on property

 

P.S.:

Thank you all who have contributed to the discussion so far. I've been made scout to 'Room & Board' for the aforementioned Disney Trip and wanted to know the Ins-and-Outs of this 'new' form of vacationing.

 

My family has experienced untrustworthy hotel housekeeping before, and encountering articles of AirBnB Hosts using hidden cameras, have peaked my interests in what is expected and agreed upon between AirBnb and Host.

 

Again. Thank you for helping me in getting this information and openning your homes to total strangers.

@TheCommon0   This last post of yours now makes it clear from whence your original question arises- you've had hotel housekeeping staff go through your stuff or steal things in the past. If you had stated that in your original post, rather than ask the question objectively regarding Airbnb rules, we might have been able to answer you more to the point.

When several people (staff) have access to a unit, these things have much more chance of happening, and it can't be proven who was the culprit. A private host, especially one who hosts a space in their home, or a private unit on the property where they themselves also live, should not give you cause for concern. Stay away from those places which are "professionally managed" by a management company, as there may be any number of people who have access to the unit- cleaners, service people, etc. It would be an odd private host (altho I'm sure they do exist, as there are oddballs in all walks of life) who would go through their guest's belongings, as this would lead to bad reviews and a drop in business.