Relevant to UK only: I was singled out for 'property type' change - were you?

[Fiona107]

Yesterday I got an email from airbnb stating that if I didn't change my airbnb property type they would change it.  This was all to do with property type 'bed and breakfast' and the EU law about showing business details if you are indeed a business.  I sent the following two emails to airbnb this morning as 1.  I feel they don't understand UK legislation and 2. I feel that I was singled out in my area for their email - see below  my research makes it clear. 

First email:

Fiona05:47

Yesterday you sent me an email regarding my property type because I am listed as a bed and breakfast, which is what I do. You first stipulated that I had to be living on the premises, which I do and then you stated I had to offer breakfasts, which I do (10 different options infact all served in the private lounge where I wait upon my guests) then I was accused of being a 'Farm' because the person said my photo said it looked like a farm, presumambly they have never visited the Yorkshire Dales National Park in the Uk or even visited the UK? I am not a farm.

Anyway what was not made clear in your communciations is that what Airbnb is most concerned about is EU legislation and the fact that if you are a business you must declare this so that potential guests can see your business information. If you had made that clear in your emails we could all have saved time.

I have three things I want to make clear:
1. In the UK you can let out up to 3 rooms as b&b in your home (and provided you live on the premises) without registering with the local authority.
2. You can earn £7,500 tax-free each year from letting a spare room or your whole home (if it's your main residence), under the Government's Rent a Room scheme. The scheme applies when short-term guests stay in a furnished room or rent your whole property – as long as it is your main home. Therefore you don't need a business to earn income from ligitimate bed and breakfast business in the UK unless it exceeds £7,500.
3. The UK is LEAVING the EU this month and therefore EU legislation will not apply after the 31st October 2020 so is airbnb not wasting everyone's time?

Please could a well informed person on UK legislation reply to this email.
thanks

󹀁

Thanks for your message — Airbnb Support will reply as soon as a specialist becomes available.

05:47

Fiona05:49

sorry correction EU legislation will not apply after the 31st Oct 2019

 

2nd email:

 

Fiona06:33

Why do I feel that I was singled out in my area for your concern about my property type not being correct? The reason is as follows:

airbnb listings retrieved when doing a search with location LEYBURN and filter type BED AND BREAKFAST. (these are only on the first 3 pages there are 84 listings and I am the only one who has listed my business details).

These are all businesses as they are either pubs/hotels/guest houses and one farm - NONE of them are showing their business details

Fairview Guest House - Gordon
Peace and quiet with 5 star comfort - Vanessa
The George Inn - Charles 2 listings
BnB at the Nags Head Pickhill - Alice
Traditional pub, start of the 3 peaks walk - Sandra 2 listings
remote, stunning scenery, excellent food - Michelle
Braithwaite Hall 5 star Bed and Breakfast - Vicky

This is a farm:
Westwood Farm b&b - Sara 2 listings

These are all doing what I am doing running bed and breakfasts in their own home but not stating their business details as I have now done:

Crackpot cottage Bed and Breakfast Double Ensuite - Emanuela
The grange Bed and breakfast East Witton - Georgina
Temple Farmhouse B&B - Chris - 2 listings
Amazing Fells In twin room - Angela - 3 listings
Twin or double at riverside Lodge Andrew
North Barn b&b Hebden - Colin and Janet
Stable Cottage bnb - Melanie
57 Bainbridge road - Jen
Linton Falls - Gillian 2 listings
Twin room Wharfe Veiw - Richard
Manor House - George and Sue
BnB at 43 The Coast Room - Jenny 2 listings
Orchard House B&B - Mary
Grassington spacious b&b - Sian
Raikes Acre b&b - Jack
Private space in country house - Lydia
Broad Croft House - Marco 3 listings
Brookside Cottage b&b - Philippa
Garden room suite, private space beautiful setting - Caroline
Moor view luxury b&b in the Yorkshire dales - Linda 3 listings
An Arty retreat in a pretty yorkshire village - Georgie
charming country B&B in the Yorkshire dales - Scott
Bridge Cottage B&B Clapham - Isobel
Fabulous Barn Conversion in Upper Wharfedale - Lesley
Lovely Old Cottage Yorkshire Dales - Bernadette
Low Foulgate b&b - Lindsey

Why was I singled out?

[Fiona107]

I have further information to add, in the UK Many thousands of small B&Bs and Guest Houses in England and Wales have NOT since 1971 (when the Fire Precautions Act came in) been required to have a Fire Certificate, having under 6 bed spaces and no rooms above the first floor or below the ground floor. We would estimate that a very significant proportion - possibly the majority - of the 30,000 or so UK B&Bs must come into this category.

The new fire regulations (the RRFSO, or "Regulatory Reform Fire Safety Order") came into force on 1 October 2006.

This new regime effectively brings ALL B&Bs into the ambit of the new fire regulations, with the onus on every owner to assess his/her own risk and responsibility, by carrying out a Fire Risk Assessment(FRA).

This means that bed and breakfast type properties on Airbnb should be conforming to this legislation - no rooms above the 1st floor (not in roof spaces) or below ground level (no basement rooms) that a property even if it only lets out one room in total does not contain more than 6 bed places in the total property. 

They should show how guests can escape fire and what alarms are in place and if there is a fire extinguisher. 

If you provide food that is unwrapped (after being purchased) you also should hold a food hygiene certificate.  So anyone is offering breakfasts needs this certificate in the UK, just contact local council and they will come and inspect and give you one should you pass - easy peasy. 

What I don't understand is that airbnb is more concerned with EU legislation (that I supposed affects airbnb) than guests safety in the UK.