Insurance for tenant hosts in the UK

[John232]

I live in a rented house and have enjoyed being an airbnb host for many years. Recently my letting agency has demanded that I withdraw from Airbnb because they say the landlord is liable for any claim by any guest. His insurance does not allow tenanct to 'sub let'.  Have any other hosts had this problem? Can anyone suggest an insurance company that supports Airbnb Hosts in the UK?

[Gordon0]

You will not supercede your landlord's insurance by taking out your own, and if the guest had an accident in the common areas, they (the landlord) would be responsible.

If your landlord says no, that normally means you need to shut up shop. 

[John232]

I remember a feature on a program like BBC 'you and yours' where it was revealed that if there are two insurance policies that cover the same incident then neither will respond to a claim.  This can happen if both a tenant and a landlord take out insurances.   I also heard a program years ago where a landlord demanded that a tenant must stop taking in holiday guests, and the tenant won because these guests all had their own homes.  Their stay was temporary for a holiday or for work.  There was no lease that gave the tenants rights to the property and they lived out of their luggage bags.  This is the way I work with my airbnb guests.

I am also very aware how both hotels and letting agencies all hate Airbnb because it has caused the biggest shake up to the hospitality industry.  In my view this is giving the public greater choice and is a thoroughly good thing.  I hate any form of control or monopoly.  

[Gulay1]

Hello John. I live in the US, but here the landlord explicitly needs to write in the lease agreement that subletting is not permitted. Otherwise you can sublet, your sublet can sublet, and your sublet's sublet can sublet, but the landlord cannot do anything about it, other than asking you not to. In the US the tenant is bound only by the lease agreement and the law, and not by the landlord's insurance agreement.

[Gordon0]

I'm afraid you cannot compare US laws/regulations and landlord powers with those in the UK, @Gulay1 . They're very different and only those with (somewhat unusual in these times) Protected Tenancies offer higher levels of rights for the tenant. 

Ask in your Citizens' Advice Bureau, @John232.