New Infant policy. Babies are people too, and lots of extra work - just ask their parents!

[Hilary-And-Ed0]

Airbnb should rethink their new policy on babies.

I would suggest that Airbnb ask the parents of these babies if they are, in fact, people.  My guess is that most of them 😉 would say that yes, they really are people too.  If the parents consider them people, then I  think the company should believe them.  

Also, they might want to ask the parents if these tiny little adorable people are also "work".  Again, my bet is that most parents would agree that there is additional work involved where babies are concerned.  This is not limited to the parents when they are guests at someone else's home. There is additional water (babies take baths! and use sheets!), and loads of laundry involved.  Additional space is needed - babies require beds.  Most people don't have cribs at the ready for any incoming babies, and would need to prepare (and might not even have the space.  They frequently throw up, or the diapers often don't do their job of containment  100%, causing additional attrition of sheets, slipcovers, etc.

There is also additional liability involved where there are decks, pools, hot tubs..

I speak as both a parent, and someone who genuinely likes being around babies, and thinks they are charming.  However, I understand that not everyone thinks so. People should have the right to not have children in their homes if they don't want to. If people don't want to take on the risk, prep work and clean up, that should be entirely up to them.   Some people are renting out small bedrooms for two people in small apartments.  If I were living in one room in a small apartment, renting out the other, I would not appreciate a couple bringing up to five infants into that space.  I also believe it would be very unsafe for the babies, and a huge liability for the host.

Last comment  - Five babies is not five times the work and mess. The differential is not linear. it is exponential.

[Gina32]

@Eleanor28 yes infants are people and yes they can come to stay, if the property is suitable, a bit like people with disabilities,  but they must be paying guests.

As an accommodation provider, you need to know exactly how many people are in your property in case there is an emergency.

I am appauled that this issue has not been resolved after so much time an effort and feedback has been given to ABB from hosts with genuine concerns and regulatory requirements, why infants cannot stay for free, and why including them cannot exceed the maximum guest numbers for a property.

AirBnB you need to change this policy, before one of your hosts has a serious catastrophe. It should not be mandatory policy for infants to be staying free with AirBnB hosts.

[The-Jeffreys0]

I should have searched this topic on this forum months ago instead of ranting about it to uninterested people! To add to the many fine points already made in this discussion: 

1. NO ONE contests that babies are glorious, miraculous blessings. That's a red herring in this discussion.

2. We have 4 glorious, miraculous blessings ourselves, and we loved it when we booked at "Kids Stay Free" hotels/motels when they were small. HOWEVER, hotels/motels have the advantage of economies of scale, and we do not. We rent one cottage; if little ones stay free, we lose profits and possibly lose money (period) on the transaction due to loss or breakage of items, stained linens, higher utility costs, etc. Also, "free" means the cost is made up elsewhere; otherwise, how do businesses pay their housekeeping staff, security, concierges, etc.? We don't have an "elsewhere" to make up the lost income from free guests.

3. Our insurer requires us to carry a separate, expensive policy on our unit because guests pay to stay there. If a guest stayed for "free" and we had to file a claim for any reason, could our insurer deny payment because the person in question wasn't a paying guest?

4. Here's a relevant, true story: Last week we hosted a delightful family, including 2 tiny children. I completed TODAY the 11th load of laundry related to their visit... towels, sheets, handtowels, kitchen towels, washcloths, 2 bedspreads... and I cleaned and rearranged for 8 HOURS after their visit. I found food in places I wouldn't ordinarily expect to find it (except when I had young children). They carved a large pumpkin while here; imagine the associated mess. We asked them to throw all the goo and all foods (except chicken) to our chickens, but most ended up in our garbage can. That, plus a week's worth of disposable diapers, overflowed our one small garbage dumpster we're allowed by our local garbage collection company. Now, we used disposable diapers for years, so I'm not dissing anyone for using them. However, following the posted rules about garbage/recyclables/compostables is something a parent can and should do so that the diapers and other myriad disposables don't turn into a problem for the host. 

But we're not allowed to charge a fee for hosting infants.

5. After the cleaning session today, I sat down and read others' comments here (particularly about unchecking the boxes that say one's space is appropriate for young children--thanks for the comments about that), and I unchecked those boxes. Then I changed our guest limit from 5 to 2. For us, this is a bit of a sad choice because we enjoy hosting groups and families. It's simply not feasible for us to clean for 8 hours and do 11 loads of laundry after a week's booking for which we couldn't charge the full rate. 

Airbnb, please rethink the "young children stay free" policy that you unilaterally imposed on one half of your market--your hosts.

[Ray107]

Totally agree that Airbnb has slipped its gears in allowing infants free. I just recently got a booking with five infants, later he upped it to 7, "got two more coming then". As if I wont' check the ages on arrival. I also stated I charged in house rules as Airbnb stated I should so we are hammering those charges out now. 

[Toni107]

Definitely, charges should be levied for infants and toddlers. There should be a space on the site for the cost and number of 'discounted guests' with multiple choice bixes to tick: seniors, under 12, etc.

[Dana127]

Check to see if there is a baby gear rental company in your area. They may be able to provide what the family needs to care for their infant without adding additional charge to your state. In many cities in the United States Babierge partners are popping up. Check out their website to see what they offer

[Eleanor28]

Do they clean the sticky fingerprints off the wall from the floor to 3' high and do they clean the smooshed up dropped food off the floor?  The expense i in the extra cleaning time for infants, and that is why there is for most f us an objection to free babies.

[Raquel24]

Babies are as messy, if not messier than adults.  It add to my cleaning time.  Please allow hosts to charge for babies.  

[Bryce--RentRadise-0]

@Hilary-And-Ed0

You are right, normally family with babies have special request for their baby, for example high chair, special mattress. And when they request they are assuming everything is free. Past experience, i told them there will be need for extra charge when the mother request for a rice cooker to cook for her baby which we don't provide, she instanly get mad, and saying that my house is not well equip which lead to bad review.

[Ros-and-Chris0]

As a host, I too feel very strongly about this new policy. I have allowed free babies (up to 1 year) in their parents room with their own bedding. Airbnb has decided that's 2 years old, regardless of costs. Babies and most especially mobile babies, i.e from 1 year old in most cases and often younger, incurr expenses on the hosts part, stairgates, socket covers, cots, highchairs, cupboard locks and insurance, as well as any niceties like toys and books, which need cleaning after each visit. Families with small children use a lot more air-con as they spend much more time indoors in high summer. I have had to change bedding in the middle of a short stay, and discard the sheets as stained, this is to be expected for small people sleeping in a strange place, and is an acceptable risk, but only for a charge!

I don't want to be out in the position of having to headline my rules, but infants are people, and expensive people at that!

[Jane542]

This needs to change. I just had a couple book, the booking said 2 adults and 1 infant. But they actually booked with 4 kids and I was not advised. Now I will have to cancel as the gest does not seem to want to, and I'll lose superhost plus the date will be blocked by Air BnB... really?