Rule of 6 uk

[Margaret958]

 Hi All

I have reservations for 6+ in Wales during October.  What are others doing about this in a similar situation?

I don’t seem to be able to get hold of Airbnb support at all.  It just says unless the booking starts within 72 hours you should try later!

Any suggestions?  

I see quite a few of you have managed to get help from Airbnb.

Many thanks

[Helen3]

Hello @Margaret958 

I am not sure what the regulations are in Wales. In England we can still take 6 guests as long as they are not from more than two households.

What did the guest say when you spoke to them about the situation- can they have fewer guests? 

Personally if you can’t accept the booking, I would just hold on the phone and ask them to do a penalty free cancellation. 

What is the regulation in Wales? 

[Helen350]

@Helen3 

The 9th & 10th paragraphs in this gov.uk piece say the Rule of 6 replaces the previous 2 households rule:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/rule-of-six-comes-into-effect-to-tackle-coronavirus 

[Huma0]

@Helen3 

Do you know what would be the case in my situation with long-term guests? Do my guests and I each count as a different household, or are we one household as we are sharing long-term?

Bear in mind that none of the guests are coming for holidays and are mostly UK residents. They are either coming to stay with me because they are in between homes or relocating to London. They are looking/waiting for a permanent apartment. They do not have other residences, so my house IS their home for the time being.

I know we had this debate months ago, but I didn't really have any guests then so it wasn't a 'real' issue for me.

[Helen3]

@Huma0  I’m really not too sure. The two households rule I thought was for those in a whole listing.

I will have a look and see if I can find anything about shared listings.

I am not sure I agree that a longer stay in a shared Airbnb where guests come and go is the same as a shared house scenario where people are in the same household 

[Helen350]

@Helen3  @Huma0 My understanding post 4 July from the gov.uk site was that b&bs with shared bathrooms could only host ONE household; the guest(s) + owner being two households in total. Same with a householder having friends over - ONE household only at a time! 

- Now that the 6 person rule says the 6 may be from different households - in England - I interpret that as a RELAXATION of the rules... not more than 6, but no longer the 2 household rule, but rather 6 people from 1-6  households!

- So I've started letting out TWO rooms now, instead of just one!

@Huma0  - Sounds like you can fill your place, & still be within the law!

[Huma0]

@Helen350 

That makes sense. In any case, I have 3.5 bathrooms here, so if I host two guests, I can allocate each of us a separate shower, which is already what I did before the calendars were blocked etc.

However, with new restrictions quite likely to come in any day now and the possibility that even two households can't mix, then the real question for me becomes whether my long-term guests and I each count as a separate household or one household together...

[Helen350]

@Huma0 I would assume your long term guests to be part of your household if they stay with you 7 days a week. (As @Mike-And-Jane0  said.) -  If you hosted Mon-Fri lodgers, or shift workers with their own residence elsewhere, then I guess these folks can not be part of TWO households! - And count as part of the household with family back home, even if spending more than half the week in lodgings?  Mind you, I hosted keyworkers with family homes elsewhere during the first lockdown, on the basis that keyworkers were allowed digs whilst working, - & with a clear conscience because no edict had been given re two households back then. The two household rule only appeared post 4 July as lockdown was eased. And now 'Two households' has been scrapped. It's 6 people. 

[Huma0]

@Helen350 

Apart from one guest who is here to do a course and leaving quite soon anyway, my current/future guests do not even have other homes here in the UK. Two of them are looking for places to live and another guy coming in October will be moving into an apartment, but it's not available until January, hence the need for a temporary home. My house is therefore their only home for the time being. I think that qualifies them as part of my household, but I could be wrong.

I understand that it's six people, rather than two households at the moment, but there have been reports in the press that this could change very soon and that even two households may not be able to mix for a period of time, which was why I was concerned about this point. Let's see though what the Government announces.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Huma0 If they are long-term guests then I think its no different to a group of people flat sharing. You would all be one household. The issue of course will come when one leaves and another arrives......

[Huma0]

@Mike-And-Jane0 

@Helen3 

Yes, I'm just not sure on this point. I can't seem to find any information that's directly related to it.

For example, what length of stay would qualify someone as part of your household/ a lodger, as opposed to any guest booking an STR? A long-term stay is 28 days plus on Airbnb, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything in terms of UK regulations on the subject. However, I might just increase my minimum from 21 days to 28 just in case.

I'm certainly not interested in hosting holiday makers/tourists right now and none of the guests recently enquiring seem to have any concern at all about sharing the listing with others, but that doesn't mean that I want to fall foul of the law or do anything potentially irresponsible....

[Helen3]

@Nick @Katie  can you clarify please.

can those in shared homes with multiple rooms  take more than one set of guests ? 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Huma0 One length of stay that could be relevant is 14 days. This is equivalent to a quarantine length of stay after which hosts and their guests could argue they are one household. I don't think the actual stay length exists in either law or advice so I would go for 14 days.

Anyway as long as you live nearer Boris than Pritti Patel its unlikely anyone will snitch on you.

[Huma0]

@Mike-And-Jane0  LOL.

Well, I am more up for increasing my minimum stay right now than decreasing it, but that's an interesting point. Also, I prefer to host guests who aren't required to quarantine if possible.

The problem with the enquiries that I am getting from the USA are that the guests haven't even considered quarantine until I mention it. They are making plans for work, tourism etc. that they couldn't possibly fulfil if they had to isolate for 14 days. I am pretty sure they would cancel if it comes down to that. Anyway, people can't quarantine here. My space is not set up for that. Again, that is not something they have even considered. 

I am continuously surprised by people who seem oblivious to the fact that there is a pandemic still going on...

[Emiel1]

@Huma0 

I received this week several booking requests and inquiries from countries with travel restrictions. I feel like being an educational institute, tell them about restrictions, quarantaine, etc. None of them even considered to prepare their trip in relation to the pandemic.

One of them was an athlete, saying they are tested continiously and are indemnified of the rules (like quarantaine etc.). Not sure if is true, but declined anyway.