Property type

[The-Lonnen0]

I’ve been asked to update my property type from a bed and breakfast but I can’t understand why - or what to change it to! Can anyone advise? Thanks! 

[Lisa723]

@The-Lonnen0 by whom, with what stated reason?

[Shelia7]

I received the same request for updating property type but there’s no new categories to change it to.  Also the message mentioned that if not updating in time, the listing will be canceled. Please advise. 

[Morag3]

 I received the same email but I can’t see anything to change. My listing is going to be cancelled! Can anyone please help me?

[Jeff158]

@Morag3 I could be wrong but:

You advertise as a private room in a bed and breakfast, a bed and breakfast is a business, you are not registered on airbnb as a business and don't comply with EU regulations.

To comply with EU consumer protection laws, business hosts offering accommodation for rent or other services on Airbnb need to provide information about their business before a guest makes a booking.

Guests will see this information on your listing page(s).

I think you should be listed as a private room in a house or cottage, which is what the original poster had to do.

Or you can add your business details.

[Fiona107]

I had an email this morning allegedly reminding me (not sure where the first notification went as I didn't receive it) saying I needed to update my property type and I have a bed and breakfast.  When I queried this with airbnb in two emails and a chat they started talking about me having a farm.  I don't have a farm they thought I did by looking at one of my photos.  Anyway as it looks like it is all to do with EU consumer protection laws I have gone into my account and updated my business data, by stating my own name as my business name (as it is ) and where  the fields were not applicable I put not applicable  ( legal rep,  VAT,  trade registration number etc) then at the bottom under more info I put sole trader providing one bedroom bed and breakfast accommodation.  

I think if you put business info into your account it should stop them taking down listings and asking you to change your property type from bed and breakfast.  As far as consumer's are concerned (under EU law) you are providing them with correct information, unless you have another business then you will need to check it out.  Anysway that is what I am doing. It is a nonsense and shortly we won't have to do it because we will be leaving the EU. 

[Teresa0]

I received the same notification , I have three rooms in our cottage which I let out  I provide bed & breakfast 
I noticed lately they had hotel written under for my listing but just ignored It as the heading on our listing is cosy comfortable cottage which i thought would be self explanatory  & more so then when you read down through the description 

I am what Airbnb was originally set out to be letting out rooms in my  own house  I’m a Homesharer for Gods sake !! 
So Fiona what can I classify myself as I said I only provide a room in a private house providing a continental breakfast  
I don’t see any where to register as a business in the updating process section 

How will we know if we have been successful & ,who is the point man or woman to ask ?
we better kick up a bit of a rumpus about this 

How many people have received these notices & why were we flagged 

[Fiona107]

Hi Teresa,  

I have raised this again with airbnb yesterday and you might be interested to know that I have accused them of putting conforming with EU commercial law before their considerations for ensuring that all b&bs in the UK conform with UK safety regulations  (this won't/might apply in the Rep of Ireland) it will be interesting to see their reply.  The two UK safety regulations which they are ignoring through their platform are:

1. You need a fire certificate if you have more than 6 bed places in a house (so if you have say 4 double bedrooms) and you are not allowed to let out rooms under the ground floor or higher than the 1st floor unless you are registered as a b&b with the local council.  Fire risk assessments are also necessary for ALL b&b establishments even like mine where I let out one room, you might need to prove you have done that.

2. Secondly in the UK you need a Food Standards Agency certificate if you handle food - even opening a packet of croissants and putting one on a plate.  If you simply buy packaged food and pass packaged food over then you don't need one (stocking a fridge with packaged food would not require a certificate).  So all UK bed and breakfast property types (even one bedroom one's like mine) need a hygiene certificate. 

To add your business details go to your account (click on your photo) from account > professional hosting tools > manage > edit your business details  once entered it doesn't appear straight away on your listing but I found 24 hours later mine was there.  Under additional information I wrote: 

I am a sole trader providing bed and breakfast accommodation for one guest room, not earning more than £7,500 per annum so qualify for the UK government's exclusion of tax under rent a room scheme. Have been forced by airbnb to add information in the business details section to stop them changing my property type of 'bed and breakfast' or removing my listing.

Lastly I believe they have not emailed everyone.  In my area (Leyburn) there are 84 listings with property type 'Bed and breakfast', 10 of them are pubs/inns/hotels and guest houses and are clearly businesses and some of them have been on airbnb a longtime before airbnb introduced 'property type' and business information and not one of them has business information listed (you see hosted by a business when viewing the listing).  PLUS none of the other listings have business information and they have been on airbnb for years so why have I who only put my listing up in July been told I have one week to change my property type or have it changed/removed?