Should children under 2 Free? I think Not!

Monica4
Level 10
Ormstown, Canada

Should children under 2 Free? I think Not!

I have hosted families for over three years. Children are the most work because they.....well...they are children. I just recently found out that my listing shows that children under 2 are free. My goodness....the spilled juice on the floors, the fingerprints on my glass doors, extra laundry, diapers in the garbage......all OK "if" I get paid for the extra work but it seems that Airbnb has decided that I should do this work for free? Sadly, the only way that I can stop this free promotion is to change my settings to "unsuitable" for children under 2 and now my listing will not show up when a family is looking to stay somewhere with small children.

 

Oh well, I had better go and check the other two platforms that I use.

171 Replies 171

Thanks, Monica. I just started with VRBO. Got a lot of interest at first bec. it's now spring in Washington. I did book a few people but since then--nothing. I'll go on Trip Advisor as well, but will heed your words here. Thanks for your advice about babies and children and talking first with potential guests. 

Kim13
Level 4
Katoomba, Australia

And therein begins the problem.  I too state in my details that infants are free but not toddlers.  I am not on Instant Book.

BUT, the guest will argue that Airbnb offers free accomm, then we then need to justify why we charge for toddlers.  It creates instant unnecessary conflict to begin with.  Airbnb should TURN OFF the Free age option, and if hosts wish to allow a child free then so be it.  Do not create a problem where it is not necessary.  And does anyone have the email which notified us that this was going to be the case?    

I run a "private room" therefore cannot register with some other platforms.

Guests will move onto another property if they can get free accommodation elsewhere!!!!!!!!!!

 

It should be the same across the board.

 

I'm still cleaning up from the last 2 year old !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Try STAYZ!

Kim13
Level 4
Katoomba, Australia

I am still in the process of boomerang email discussions with Airbnb, who continue to suggest I write a blurb in my description, that children 2 and under are NOT FREE.   No, I want Airbnb to remove this free offer,  OR I suggested a simple solution.   

AIRBNB should cover the cost to the HOST and let the 2 and under remain free but pay the HOST.  Would be very kind of AIRBNB to cover the cost of the 2 yr old, considering they offered it in the first place without our consent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Problems adding "not free" to your description:  

1. Not all guests read the description or rules

2. Creates animosity between host and guest discussing free or not free, when AIRBNB has already offered that is it FREE.

3. Guest goes to another host.   Now Airbnb playing hosts off against one another.

4. How do we know the age of the child.

5.  Do I stop providing linen, towels, spa bath, food ( I often help out with fruit, porridge etc), Not to mention the hours of cleaning my glass doors of dirty hands and snotty nose marks!! TRUE!!

 

ALL hosts need to send AIRBNB a message and put forward there dislike for the FREE 2yr and under -  automatic algorithm should be removed.   Let hosts decide if they wish the under twos to be free or not.  Or let AIRBNB cover the cost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I enjoy hosting families, and do not wish to remove 2 and under from my listing. But it may come to that.

 


 

Kim, your points are all very valid, but unfortunately we are fighting a losing battle I fear. AIRBNB should make it available for the HOST to choose, seriously it wouldn't be that hard for them and theuy wouldn't have so many unhappy HOSTS.

Does anyone have an email address that a message would get through to AIRBNB?

It certainly has no effect talking to any of the call/help centres, especially the useless one in the Phillipines/South East Asia.

AIRBNB now have so many HOSTS, that they really don't have to care about them anymore, hence why we keep getting messages from them suggesting that we lower our nightly charges by 30% to 50%, as if I'm going to do that.

Barry and Viv 

May I cut and paste your comment to the never ending email chat I am having with Airbnb???????

Whilst it is still live, I can still respond to the email, after 24hours I lose contact.   How smart@!a!!!!!! OF THEM.

 

You certainly can Kim.

Ashleigh0
Level 2
Auckland, New Zealand

Hi I had an interesting one

I agreed to try instant book

I had a couple book over night

He did not add in that there was 3 of them and I advised (airbnb that clearly in my house rules)  my guest that it was clear in my house rules that I do not dricrimate age there fore every one from 0 to 100 must pay to stay at my home.I advised my guest to book and pay for 3 people 

I was told I can not do that !

So I am with you lot the only thing to do is to say no to all children even know my place is perfectly suitable this is now excluding people with children who understand they need to pay for their family members 

Ashleigh

Hi Ashleigh

 

This is one of the many reasons I don't use instant book!  I like to have that conversation with my guests before I accept them. I too have decided not to take under two which is sad because I love kids but I am not doing Airbnb for the love of it!!!

Tony134
Level 10
Sarasota, FL

Just wanted to chime in on this conversation and add my post.

 

The age controls on listings pretty much stink.  You should be able to set the age restriction on a dial, just like pricing, and you should be able to charge for any guests you like.  Airbnb is trying to push these changes to market harder to families because they like going on vacation with a kitchen to save money cooking for the kids.  I don't think they realize this stuff just leads to many hosts turning down potential new families one after another and probably many of them being turned off to the experience.

 

I have all the 'No Children' options checked on my listings, and got like five requests with babies and children this weekend, it was ridiculous.  Each of them has clearly contacted many hosts already by the length of the messages they are sending me essentially begging for a room.  Airbnb making itself and everyone look bad being shortsighted on following through on house rules, restrictions, and proper filtering.

Rosemary12
Level 9
Burnaby, Canada

Just had an interesting phone conversation with Airbnb!  I did a mock booking of my home and found that even though I had said "not suitable for children under 2" because of their policy, it allows me to take 2 adults and up to FIVE children under 2. I emailed the help centre and Airbnb Ireland called me back which I appreciated because it is nice to think that there is somebody listening to us. Despite indicating that I only had 2 rooms that would take a maximum of 3 guests total, Airbnb still seem to think that 5 babies can stay in my home!  Their response is that they "hear us and are working on it". I told them what other hosts are saying about this insane policy and we are not a hotel. When your listing clearly states you have 2 rooms with a bed in each, how on earth can Airbnb think you can accommodate up to 5 babies??  It's because it is their policy to allow infants without being counted as guests! Why bother having an option that you don't take under two's if they can still go ahead and book and then you have to refuse the booking?

@Rosemary12

this is very strange.. because I also have no children and people with children can not instant book , they can just request booking . BUT... some of them book just for adults and do not mention children or they count children as adults. But as you said - no sense to do it if they have to cancel afterwards

Tamara53
Level 4
Oldsmar, FL

As a family friendly Host of two Airbnb properties, I am also facing some recent confusion.  My home sleeps 10,  and I do not have any additional charges for guests.  However, I have guests requesting to book with more than 10 guests.  They are not counting infants (2 and under) as guests.  But I do!  Where are these extra toddlers sleeping? And in my opinion, an infant should be a baby who is not walking.  Two year olds are children.  I am facing very large groups where the infants and children outnumber the adults.  I have waterproof mattress covers on every bed, and am prepared for children and toddlers, but I only want 10 humans in the house.  Period. How do I let my guests know this?

Hi Tamara,

Simple. You tell them the max capacity of the house is 10 as that is all your insurance allows. Guests get confused by the ''extra people no charge'' line.

@Tamara53 your listing already shows how many beds you have so contact your guests and point to that. They maybe intend to bring their own cribs and matrasses for kids.

Be sure to put in your house rules that you can not and will not host more than 10 persons of any age.

If you want you can also put in your house rules and in description that despite ABB free-infants policy you charge every person including infants.