CORONOVIRUS AND THE AIRBNB RESPONSE VIS A VIS HOSTS..............

[Carol302]

....................and yes, you knew it was going to be disappointing!!!!

I have just asked Airbnb Help about temperature testing guests on the doorstep. A really wishy washy response -pretty hopeless really. What do we do if they DO have a raised temperature bearing in mind that people are infectious BEFORE they show symptoms? And what about the punitive [to hosts] cancellation policy if we are worried???? Hopeless. Totally lame and hopeless. I'm NOT panicking but this is going to get worse before it gets better.

Here are my questions for Airbnb Help which I am sure all hosts will understand, followed by the Airbnb Help person's reply:

MY QUESTION TO AIRBNB -

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.
i would like you to refer these questions to your management. I do not expect you personally to have any answers BUT this is a very important issue, which I would have hoped Airbnb would have already addressed.
In the absence of this I would like to know:
1. The Airbnb policy for HOSTS in dealing with the current worldwide situation regarding Coronavirus.
2. Can we temperature test visitors before they enter our homes?
3. Will you relax your punitive cancellation policy VIS A VIS HOSTS (not guests) in view of the current and fast-changing situation?
4. How can you help us HOSTS?
At the moment we are expected to welcome into our homes, share common spaces eg bathrooms with random people from literally all over the world about whom we know ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL. How can you help us HOSTS with this? The passage of a constant stream of guests through the same sleeping/bathing/cooking spaces presents an ideal breeding ground for the virus and ideal conditions for transference.
I would like prompt, comprehensive and meaningful answers to these questions. I feel you do owe this to us the  HOSTS.

AIRBNB REPLY -

I would like to inform you that we currently do not have such update with providing equipment in this situation.

However, if you've the equipment, you can definitely test (temperature) any visitors before they enter your homes. To make it more easy for your guests, you can simply mention it to your listing's description.

In the meantime, I've just shared your feedback about this equipement to our support team to check the details and let us know.

[Cathy545]

Give me a break!  I get some garbage email stating they are hosts also and basically understand our pain!?  YOU HAVE A PAY CHECK COMING IN.  I just turned off auto booking.  Sick of getting the short end of the stick w/Airbnb.  Some websites offer vacation protect/cancelation INSURANCE and Airbnb likes to get in to everyone's pocket book anyways (charge third party Insurance Company percentage for advertising on their website)  have Airbnb add it automatically and they cover this type of garbage themselves or give the hosts the option TO REQUIRE THE PROTECTION ON EVERY BOOKING!! Thank goodness for other websites helping their HOSTS!  I'VE TURNED OFF INSTANT BOOK with AIRBNB.  Id prefer business from other websites.

Regards,

David and Cathrine

PS:  I agree with taking their **bleep** temperatures when they arrive so we don't get ourselves or other guests sick.  Some guests have gotten their own Insurance.  

[Sarah977]

@Carol302 You want to take your guests' temperature on the doorstep, after they have been travelling and are standing there with their luggage? And if they have an above-normal temperature, then what, you say sorry, and send them packing? Even if they tested normal, that would sour their stay and make them feel wholly unwelcome. If I were a guest,. I would certainly not want to stay after that kind of reception.

As others have said, people can have an elevated temperature for scores of reasons. 

I'd suggest you just snooze your listing if you are that freaked out.

[Helen3]

Have you read this @Carol302 

https://news.airbnb.com/update-on-extenuating-circumstances-policy-for-coronavirus/

[Robin4]

Ah, the wonderful thing about a group of people is........ you will always learn something!

@Carol302  I am very concerned that hosts running around with 'Left field' ideas about how they are going to deal with guest arrivals just keeps on making Airbnb's stance about the way they treat their hosts harder and harder. To Airbnb it appears that no matter what suggestions they offer for harmonious guest/host relationships....someone will always find their way around them!

I too am critical that Airbnb appear to be withholding information from hosts about the locality current Chinese guests are from. They appear to be taking the decision out of our hands and are saying...'If the guest is from Hubie province or Wuhan we will cancel for you or allow you to cancel, but they seem to have removed Chinese guests residential locality from hosts. For that they need to be condemned!

But to Airbnb's credit they now appear to be taking the W.H.O. and  Government warnings seriously and we are reaching the situation where we will be allowed to cancel under extenuating circumstances.

Here is the current status of the Coronavirus as of January 31st.

@Carol302 Your risk of striking a victim with all the current safeguards is ridiculously small. You come from GB, you have, what did that list say....2 confirmed cases and no confirmed deaths!

Carole keep abreast of local information but, please....... don't say to Airbnb that you, as untrained civilian, are going to thrust a thermometer in every guests face before you will allow them to enter your property.

It's 'knee jerk' reactions like that, that makes all of us look a bit silly!

Cheers......Rob

[Carol302]

Rob. Airbnb suggested that I take guests' temperatures and that if they are raised they would find alternative accommodation for them. Of course I don't want to do that. 

[Robin4]

@Carol302 

Carol, this is your interpretation of the conversation with CX ....there is no way support would tell you to take the temperature of every guest who enters your property!  At best they are humouring you because they don't immediately have a response to your suggestions!

As another contributor alluded to earlier in this thread, if you stuck a thermometer in her face she would immediately turn around and leave.....so would I, and any other level headed thinking human!!

It is not an appropriate thing to do! You shut your listing down before you start resorting to those sort of tactics!

Carol, you will notice a bit of reticence on the part of other host contributors to side with you on this thread of yours. We are not trying to be mean, it is just that what you propose is not an acceptable response. 

And the issue I have is that, you make us all look like we are loopy individuals clutching at straws to combat something that is not going to affect us. 

*

I have just spent a lovely night with guests from China, we have had a bottle or two of nice red, I thoroughly enjoyed their company and I think they have enjoyed mine....if you don't believe me here is their booking.....

When they booked their location was shown as Shanghai China....now it is just shown as....China!

The last thing I would ever have thought of doing was shoving a thermometer in their faces.....and I am 100% sure Airbnb would not have instructed me to do so!

Sorry Carol, I feel your reaction is irresponsible and inflammatory and I don't support it!

Cheers....Rob

[Katrina79]

@Carol302 I hope you are not trying to suggest to Airbnb, that all hosts need to take guests’ temperatures before entry?! You have left yourself two options here, accept reservations and get out the rubber gloves and bleach or don’t accept reservations. Try not to feed into the hysteria, just be responsible and cautious.

[Carol302]

Rob. Airbnb suggested that I take guests' temperatures and that if they are raised they would find alternative accommodation for them. Of course I don't want to do that. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

Another thought..... 

If you are too worried to accept people into your house presumably you will stop going to the shops, work and school in case someone there is infected.

Total lockdown might be the answer - I just hope you have enough food in the house

[Gordon0]

I could see the flavour of this post with the amount of shouty capitalisation.

It's your decision, @Carol302; shut down your listing until this virus goes away (and cover yourself in cotton wool in the meantime), or take a rational approach to the situation.

I can't imagine people with the virus will fancy a quiet weekend in the Cotswolds anyway, despite it's international appeal. 

[Carol302]

It's not at all shouty. Rob. Airbnb suggested that I take guests' temperatures and that if they are raised they would find alternative accommodation for them. Of course I don't want to do that. 

[Carol302]

What a ridiculous reply!

You think you're SO funny!!!!!!!!

[Helen3]

Hi @Carol302 

Do send your guests my way 🙂 , I would be happy to host guests wherever they come from and am on the down the road in Bristol 🙂

On a serious note, I am happy to follow NHS guidelines. Just stock lots of tissues and an anti-septic gel guests can use when entering or leaving the house.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

[Kirsteen1]

Really interesting thread. 

[Kenneth12]

Ayeeii,   I'll be taking blood samples on arrival,    after reading this thread.  The isolation tent's to the left,   just past the armed guards,  we'll let you out when the results are back.