Who is responsible to pay COVID fines?

Kandell0
Level 2
Edmonton, Canada

Who is responsible to pay COVID fines?

Alberta has just implemented Covid restrictions to include “no social gatherings” for the next 3 weeks.

I have renters booked to come in 8 days. If they were to receive a fine for a “social gathering” at my place, am I responsible to pay that fine or is it their responsibility?

 

Thanks!

16 Replies 16
Colleen253
Level 10
Alberta, Canada

@Kandell0  The people who gather are the ones who would receive the fine and be responsible to pay it. 

Kandell0
Level 2
Edmonton, Canada

@Colleen253 Thanks! That’s what I thought. The renters were trying to tell me that it was me and they’d “split” the fines with me. Haha

@Kandell0  OMG.  The nerve. They sound like the type who intend to arrive in defiance of the restrictions. These would NOT be good guests, even in non pandemic times. You need to dodge that bullet! 

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

Why are you allowing these guests to keep the booking? Why would you facilitate this behavior? 

It isn't a given that you wouldn't be taken to task by the govt. for providing a venue for a gathering like this to take place. 

All you're concerned about is the fine? No concern for doing your part to contain the pandemic?

@Kandell0

 Ummm.... I didn’t “allow” them to keep booking. They were booked a long time ago. Good to know you have “assumed” what I had decided to do and to place judgement on me without even getting any information first... I simply asked I question (my first one ever on Airbnb and I thought this was the forum to do that and I was a bit nervous to do so because people can be so quick to attack). It was just a simple question to inform myself to make some decisions. Thank you @Colleen253  you made me feel welcome to ask questions.  @Sarah977 .... not so much! 

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Hi @Kandell0  welcome to the community. 


Sorry it’s not clear from your post @Kandell0  it sounds from your post that guests stayed were fined and wanted to split the costs with you. 

 

perhaps that’s why @Sarah977  made the assumption.

 

can you clarify - when are the guests booked for? I presume if it’s a future booking and you aren’t allowed to have people at your Airbnb for social gatherings you would need to ask Airbnb to cancel.

 

that’s what we have had to do in England as we are currently in lockdown. Here both the guests and the owners who let them stay are fined. 

"Ummm.... I didn’t “allow” them to keep booking. They were booked a long time ago. "

 

But in places where govt. restrictions on the number of people and whether they are all from the same household have been instituted, hosts have either gotten Airbnb to cancel the booking penalty free or gotten the guest to cancel. It has nothing to do with how long ago they booked. Those restrictions have been put in place for a reason and we should respect them.

@Kandell0

@Sarah977 my pint is that you placed judgement with being informed. You do not know our restrictions (we can gather with same household people,regardless of how many there are living in the household). I’m done engaging in this conversation. I would suggest that you inform yourself with MUCH MORE information to get a complete picture of the s situation before you throw out random comments. You are the perfect example of why I have never asked a question on this forum before. 🤦‍♀️Lesson learned. 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

hello @Kandell0 and welcome to ABB CC from across the yonder in Auckland, New Zealand.

 

That's a good question as there's lots of Grey areas in Laws, more holes than a sieve has.

 

One would have to factor into account various timelines of the Chains of events and what Public Health Act is in place - they are fairly much the same across the world -amongst other basic Human Rights to live life in Peaceful / Quiet Enjoyment.

 

Knowing what we do now about the whole situation and the Power & Control trips by those calling the shots I'd be inclined to take it as it comes. No point stressing what may or may not happen, until it does, if it does.

 

A good term to remember in legal matters is 'At the time".

 

We in New Zealand were informed as a result of the Andrew Borrowdale Judicial Review that the Director General of Health, Ashley Bloomfield, and Prime Minister Ardern claimed what they were giving us Daily Sermon's about was simply "Guidance". Hmmmmm.

 

Andrew in his wisdom has subsequently appealed the rest of the decision as it's such an important matter of Public Interest.

 

Use related names and keywords to locate the information we've put here in ABB if you are interested in reading the background to it.

 

As an aside, it's discrimination to use a set figure of say 6 or 8 or 10 or whatever number of people can gather in a home etc as family sizes vary as do the number of people living together what set up they may have e.g family, blended family, shared flatting/ renting.

 

I recall hearing about discussions a when larger families wanted to go to the cinema or other events, shows with a 'Family' price ticket some were discriminated as a whole family to attend because they exceeded the assumed demographics what number a family consisted of.

 

It left those families out of activities they were lawfully entitled to attend simply because they were naturally larger sized families.

 

It just goes to show "Statistics" and the manner they are collected are flawed and open to scrutiny as to there accuracy. As is the Mathematics and Modelling used that come to those figures - usually an 'average" or 'median' range.

 

All the best for your upcoming reservation and I hope you all have a wonderful time.

 

Please let us know how it pans out.

 

Central To All Home & Location, Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

I'm shocked,  @Helen427, that you are encouraging a fellow host to break the law in her country.

 

We can debate the risks & benefits of hosting in a pandemic & all come to differing conclusions, re the wisdom of hosting, but to host in defiance of the law?

Katrina79
Level 10
Saskatchewan, Canada

@Kandell0 Currently holding down in Saskatchewan at a 5 person max gathering size. I’ve reached out to any reservations that were over that amount and basically told the guest they would have to change the number of guests to five or cancel. I’ve changed all my listings as well. 
I received an email from Airbnb stating it is our hosting responsibility to follow the governed laws regarding Covid. I presume you should only host the number of guests stated in your provincial mandate. In the same email from Airbnb it has information on how hosts can cancel penalty free if the upcoming reservation doesn’t  meet government parameters. Don’t assume you would be off the hook for a fine. 

Helen350
Level 10
Whitehaven, United Kingdom

@Kandell0 I agree with @Sarah977 & @Helen3 . Even though your social gathering booking was booked a long time ago, if their gathering in 8 days contravenes Covid regulations then it is not right for them to come. When I had a booking in a similar circumstance (not a gathering, but an individual from a banned country), I got him to cancel, so I was not penalised. I asked a further guest to cancel when ALL leisure travel was banned, and I turned down enquiries. It's not right that we hosts continue to host, if by doing so, we are allowing guests to break the law.

Kandell0
Level 2
Edmonton, Canada

Thanks for all the advice... I have all the information I need regarding what the “appropriate” action I should take .... No further replies are required. 😉

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

So what have you decided to do @Kandell0 ? 

 

Can you share as will be Useful for hosts in similar situations.