Even though I've blocked my diary I just got a call from a potential guest who lives about an hour from me wanting to book a 2 day pleasure trip this week so he could get away from his mum. I had to have a very honest conversation with him about the reality of that - he would be breaking the restrictions on non-essential travel, he would be putting me at risk doing the cleaning and his mum when he returned, and he would be putting the health service at risk. I asked him if he loved his mum and if he wanted her to be there in the future. His mum heard me on speakerphone and was saying "thank you" in the background. I told him I would love to host him in the future but the sooner people stop traveling for non-essential reasons the sooner this will be over. I said I'd just lost all my income and he was offering me money and I was turning it down for good reason and we had a long chat about staying calm and doing nice things for each other and making the most of people while you can. He thanked me in the end and asked me to contact him when I re-open.
The UK government are saying they are expecting to lift the restrictions at some point and then have to re-impose them - logically this means they know more people will be infected when the restrictions are lifted. If we don't take it seriously now this could go on for years, not weeks or months. The sooner we accept that we can't take short term bookings or anyone who isn't local or a key worker, the better. Clear guidelines on this for hosts and travelers would be helpful - please Airbnb, make an announcement.
We all need to adapt to survive on many levels including business levels. The previous structure for bookings and cancellations and penalties etc needs totally rethinking for these new circumstances. I don't want to de-list and I want to be able to take future bookings so I can hit the ground running once this is over, but I've worked so hard for my Superhost status and I don't KNOW when it's going to be safe to operate so I'm wary of taking any more bookings at all, just as guests are worried about booking. If there was the option to postpone but not cancel from both sides, that might make it easier to predict if you can responsibly take a booking.
As for hosting key workers, that's high risk, we've just lost our incomes, it costs me a lot to run a place, why are Airbnb encouraging us to do it for nothing? Why do they think we hosts can live on fresh air? Why are they encouraging us to take risks with our health? The way it's presented it's hard to charge normally without being seen to be profiteering, when actually it's a huge risk and a lot more work. There's lots of advice on all the extra cleaning and washing required and all the sanitization products and loo roll we should provide - where are we going to get them? What about masks and suits for cleaners? Could Airbnb do a deal for these items wholesale and get them to those of us brave enough to run? I'm considering it but I don't know if I am brave enough because I'm a single mum. I really can't guarantee I'm going to have enough sanitizer etc at any point in the future either.
Even hosting local self-isolators is risky. How could I guarantee it was clean and safe? What if they don't respect the rules? How would I enforce social distancing - I'm a middle aged woman on my own, we're very rural, hardly any police for the area. It would be great if Airbnb could draw up some general rules for guests during this crisis and some consequences for not keeping to them. What if someone dies there? Are there policies in place?
I grieved for my business last week as the Airbnb cancellation policy changed and I sat in tears watching the cancellations come in. I'm trying to sort my finances and apply for help but I'm constantly distracted and stressed by issues arising from guests wanting to know where they stand and what to do about their bookings. With the goalposts moving so frequently, it's hard to know what to say. Every time I send an email to a guest, I shoot myself in the foot. A couple of days ago I asked a guest to wait until the last minute to cancel and be refunded so they get their money back and I get a tiny amount rather than nothing, but now it looks like Airbnb are offering credit instead, they're not going to be ok with that after having been assured of the refund and I can't get through for advice.
I need to put my affairs in order and then have a good think about how to adapt to these new circumstances. I don't want to rush into long term hosting without thinking it through. Please, Airbnb, make some sort of temporary block on people booking short term for pleasure and people traveling more than a short distance from home whilst you get advice on new policies for this new reality.
