@Sebastian252 @Dave423 @Jackie148 @Michael_Sarah0
Ah, @Jayesh0's post is finally starting to confirm things.. This is a comment I made on another thread on this issue on Jan 1st..
I've been watching this situation unfold since the first reports started surfacing about a month ago, and like @Sarah, I also believe it's more than just a primary host/co-host issue, and definitely more than just a "glitch" In recent weeks, there has also been a sharp increase in posts across various STR groups and forums from scores of individual hosts who run their own listings, whose payments have been similarly delayed (invariably, substantial amounts - in the thousands, and tens of thousands, in some cases)
Haven't quite worked out yet whether the two issues are related, or merely coincidental, but the fact that there are huge sums of money involved in both instances, does strongly suggest that the individual payments, at least, may have been temporarily witheld/delayed in order to pad out the 2018 bottom line, in advance of a possible late 2019 IPO.
As regards the primary host/co-host debacle - that's a little more complex but I'd bet my firstborn that it's closely linked to Airbnb's gradual closing off of the co-hosting marketplace to the majority of small, regular hosts by making it increasingly unworkable for them, and instead, transferring all that lucrative co-hosting business into the hands of its own publicly recommended "Pro Co-host Partners" and the global network of Airbnb-branded "professional" property management companies that they've been very quietly grooming and building behind the scenes since early 2015.
Additionally, Airbnb has been ordered by the EU Commission, under the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive, the Consumer Protection Directive and the Unfair Contracts Directive, to clearly identify whether an offer is made by a private host or by a professional, and to clearly delineate between the two on the platform, as the consumer protection rules differ for each.
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-18-5809_en.htm
2. Identification of traders and commercial content
It is understood, from Airbnb’s Hosting Standards, that certain professional providers are allowed to use Airbnb’s platform to offer their accommodation services. However, when searching for accommodation on Airbnb’s website, the search result shows accommodation provided by both private individuals and professional providers with no distinction between the two.
It should be noted that under Articles 6(1)(f) and 7(1) ,(2), (4)(b) of the UCPD6 a commercial practice is misleading if it is likely to deceive consumers on the nature and identity of the trader or if it omits such type of characterisations. To comply with the UCPD, collaborative economy platforms should therefore prevent third party traders from offering accommodation/properties on the platform without clearly disclosing their professional motives. In particular, with a view to avoid omitting material information, the collaborative economy platform should, as a minimum, enable relevant third party traders to indicate to users that they are traders, and the platform should inform consumers whether and, if so, what criteria it applies to select the suppliers operating through it and whether and, if so, what checks it performs in relation to their reliability"
(Source - Common Position of National Authorities within the CPC Network Concerning the Commercial Practices and the Terms of Service of Airbnb Ireland)
The deadline for compliance was midnight last night (Dec 31, 2018) so they seem to be running a little late with that. The T&C's for both European and Non-European hosts have been amended and updated on the site since December 11 though. Everybody should have a look through them. Clause 7.4 is of particular relevance to co-hosts and the co-hosting marketplace.
@Rp @Debbie @Pete @Mike