Can hosts enter units during a guest's private stay?

[Tara14]

I wanted to ask the hosting hcommunity since you must know about this:

Do you ever enter your property during a guest's stay? Are you allowed? Does anyone know Airbnb's official policy on this?

I'm staying a few months with my family/baby/dog in a unit we have all to ourselves and have just received a message from the host informing us they'll be showing the unit to a prospective client tomorrow. This is set up as a corporate apartment; no one lives here when there aren't subleasers staying for long term stays. We don't want anyone in our short-term private residence. 

Any advice on how to handle this? Thanks in advance!

[Dave-and-Deb0]

Hi @Tara14,

Since you are renting long term, you should seek out the Landlord and Tenancy section for the area you are in.  Some places consider stays of more than 28-31 days a tenancy and there are rules that need to be followed.  In the area I live, we are required to provide 48 hours notice to show the unit but there are strict guidelines we must follow.  I would not consider "a few months" as a "short-term private residence".  Since he let you know today that he will be showing it tomorrow, I think he may not have provided you with enough notice but again, check with the laws in your area.

If you are staying in the San Francisco area, here is what it says about a landlord showing the property.

http://sfrb.org/topic-no-252-landlord-access-unit

It looks like they only need to give you 24 hour notice. "Normally, for the purpose of showing a unit, a 24-hour oral notice, either in person or by telephone, is presumed to be reasonable notice. At the time of entry, the landlord or agent must leave written evidence of entry."

It also looks like you would be a tenant if you have lived there for 30 days or more:

http://www.hrcsf.org/subletting_basic.html

[Tara14]

Hi @Dave-and-Deb0 thanks for your quick help on this!

[Dave-and-Deb0]

No problem @Tara14.  What was the end result.  I am sure others would like to know who might visit this post in the future.

[Gabriel295]

Hi! I have been hosting for a couple of months and I have entered my house once while rented to repair a water pipe leak, previous communication with the renter, who actually called me for help. So following that experience, I would say if there is good communication between both parties, it should be fine. As a host, I strongly believe in the privacy of the renter who is paying for that space.

[Peter1113]

My host has been in my unit twice, with no prior notice whatsover.  I don't want to make a bigger deal of it than it is but there should definately be an Airbnb standard on this matter.

[Alexandra316]

@Peter1113I'm in two minds about it. I would never enter a property I was hosting without communicating with the guest first unless there was a true emergency that needed to be dealt with immediately. However, if you're staying in a hotel, hotel staff can enter your room at any time. They just knock, and if there's no answer or they're given permission, they enter and do what they need to do. It's definitely a different level of privacy than if you're renting a property long-term, where the landlord has to give you advance notice. 

[Peter1113]

Yes, a hotel is a totally different situation. You have the Expectation that housekeeping will be there to do their job. Any time maintenance comes in a room they give notice before if it an issue that has been scheduled or given notice afterward if it was an emergency.  My unit was entered twice, without notice, either before or after. That makes me very uncomfortable no matter how sweet the lady seems. She is a Super Host and has great reviews and the place is really nice. Just don't like someone coming in without telling me.

[Lisa5755]

the host's husband came into my room without my permission today and it makes me very upset. one i feel like my privacy is violated, and it wasn't an emergency, he put a plastic bag in my room, when he could have just left it on the door knob. he clearly went in just to snoop, because he lacks any kind of respect. and two because he's very nasty towards me in general. he's very crass and doesn't care about my boundaries. he doesn't treat my roommate this way

[Sarah977]

@Lisa5755  If you get along okay with the host, tell her that it's a violation of your privacy for her husband to enter your room and that you trust he won't do it again. Also that he is making you feel quite unwelcome. Put the ball in her court to deal with it.

If he is making your stay unpleasant in general, I suggest you look for another place to move to and let Airbnb know why you have to do this and and request them to give you a full refund for cancelled days.

[Lisa5755]

@Sarah977  already complained to airbnb to tell her husband to leave me alone. most days i don't see him and it's fine, whenever i make a mistake he gets on my case, almost like he'd plan everything he wanted to say to me weeks in advance. meanwhile my roommate is sloppy and leaves hair in tub and dirty dishes for days and never treats her like this, instead she's treated like a messy teenager and they never bother her. they even tried to blame me for her mess one time. this is the cheapest place in my area and i leave in august and money is tight. i pay my rent on time, and clean up after myself, i just want him to leave me the heck alone. if i had anywhere else to go i would have been left this place