I just received a phone call from a potential guest wanting to break the UK lockdown for a 2 day pleasure trip!

Sam163
Level 7
Herstmonceux, United Kingdom

I just received a phone call from a potential guest wanting to break the UK lockdown for a 2 day pleasure trip!

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.

26 Replies 26
Greg89
Level 2
SF, CA

Hi,

     Do your local laws specify "where" one must shelter in place?
      Perhaps not this particular case... but in a case where 2 people are both working in essential services, having people "separate" is of tremendous value as it halves the exposure of everyone else. If two people are working in different essential stores, they each get exposed to lots of people.

      Here are some things to consider:
1) Airbnb is still open for business, and has enhanced their cleaning guidelines which we are following
2) In addition, waiting 72 hours to enter the house and additionally imposing a 72 hour wait after cleaning makes it fairly safe; this is a recommendation of Airbnb.
3) Airbnb is encouraging us to host emergency medical personnel. I have volunteered my home for this too. In stricken areas, this makes a huge difference. I have also pledged not to evict them if they become infected.

I totally think each host has the right to not host at this time. However, I also think that hosts that are willing to are doing nothing wrong, and may even be providing a tremendous benefit..

Alessandro1070
Level 2
La Spezia, IT

Brava!Sei stata onesta e giusta.Purtroppo ci sono ancora troppe persone che non hanno ancora capito la gravità della situazione

Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

@Sam163   At the time you probably didn't know that you would be channeling the same message as your Queen to this young man.  Well done!!

you did a good job

Sally221
Level 10
Berkeley, CA

I agree with Greg, if one has a place for an essential worker to be isolated, it's far different than hosting an idiot visitor. And, by the way: Yay to Mayors Breed & Schaaf & Governor Newsom for their forward thinking & all of my fellow Californians who are forgoing their own short term benefits to flatten the curve! We are able to send some equipment to New York! GOLDEN STATE!

Julia-and-Ady0
Level 2
Brighton, United Kingdom

Airbnb is right to make it possible to host key workers free of charge.  With all previous tourist guests cancelled anyway its better to keep a nurse in the job than have the space lie empty (in UK too many nurses and junior doctors are currently self-isolating because they've been obliged to self isolate having observed a roommate display symptoms).   I think Airbnb has hosts with entire apartments in-mind.  For any of us who's guests come to our home its only safe if its an en-suite space - preferably a space on its own floor.   Our loft Airbnb rooms at the top of the house mean that the ICU nurse who has moved in is apart from our family.  A very strict hygiene system regime with regard to their route from front door to accommodation (an area constantly being cleaned).   I feel for hosts 100 percent reliant on Airbnb income.  I gather Airbnb will reimburse 25 percent on cancellations?  With Covid-19 emergency leaving airbnb's empty throughout I wish every host in a position to offer accommodation free of charge (with risks efficiently managed) would immediately do so. 

Marg11
Level 10
Warwick, Australia

Well done Sam. We in Western Australia are in a different position as not only is our state locked down but so are districts. We have one remaining guest, a nurse who comes to the city through the lockdown to see her patients. Although we have offered to host health workers there is little local need as our infection rate is low as are hospital admissions with most cases so far from cruise ships. Our government has taken over hotels for those in 14 days isolation and infected cases not needing hospital. Otherwise we are all in home isolation. Unexpectedly a FIFO (Fly in Fly out ) mine worked has booked as he can't fly home to New Zealand as he usually does as on return he would need to self isolate for 14 days. Our mines are keeping our economy going so he is most welcome. We can offer hot wash of all linen, thorough cleaning, correct sanitising, 72 hours between booking, social distancing, bicycle, local tracks for running plus a guide to local sites he can visit to exercise.

Close if you need to or can't risk contamination but consider those still needing accommodation.

Doreen56
Level 2
Port Perry, Canada

Ontario Canada, we are in lockdown opening phase 1 is June 13th I cancelled my May bookings and beginning of June, just found out other hosts are taking booking this holiday weekend and next week before the restrictions are lifted this is wrong. Airbnb need to take action against irresponsible hosts you allow people to travel when numbers are high just to get money this is so wrong.  The app needs to be blocked for lockdown dates wherever their is a lockdown world wide stop people from traveling.

@Doreen56  The Covid restrictions are ever-changing and Airbnb is an international platform. There are literally thousands of restrictions all over the world, some which don't even cover a state or province, but an even smaller area within them. And any of those restrictions could change tomorrow. 

 

I don't know how you could expect Airbnb to be aware of all the restrictions everywhere in the world.

 

But it is indeed dismaying when hosts don't comply with restrictions and put others at risk, I fully agree.

The app can block day prior and day after a booking for covid cleaning I'm sure they can block out dates for countries that are in lockdown. Or at least put out message that any host violating covid lockdown will  be penalized least.

@Doreen56  But as I said, it isn't necessarily entire countries that are on lockdown. The Canadian provinces all have different restrictions and there are different restrictions within those provinces for different areas.

 

By what process would you expect Airbnb to be able to keep abreast of these on an ever-changing daily basis?

 

If you know of hosts who are contravening your local restrictions, report them to your health authority or whatever govt. body is in charge of enforcing compliance.

Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

I agree with @Sarah977 in that Air BNB should not be in the position to police down to the micro level you are concerned about, @Doreen56 .  Knowing how imperfectly the platform manages many issues, I would hate for Air BNB to be blocking hosts because of local ordinances.  In my area, shared homes were block by City regulations from accepting guests for over a year.  However, I did see many hosts continuing to operate outside the restrictions.  I alerted the local agency to this going on as it is part of their mission to manage code compliance.