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
Hilary-And-Ed0
Level 10
Brookline, MA

I agree!  It is hard to imagine a parent who doesn't consider their baby a person.  Not sure why we should..

We need a lawyer to weigh in!  With Airbnb being so keen on enforcing a non-discrimination policy, isn't not counting a baby as a person discrimination itself????

Jiw0
Level 10
Chiang Mai, Thailand

It's been a while in this long simmering topic that I commented, but I think it should be stated that being able to offer an entire place including kitchen and living room is a major competitive advantage that AirBnB listings have over most hotels.  This family 'home' environment is often a reason why guests with children seek out AirBnB regardless of price, which may well be higher than getting two hotel rooms in a nice hotel.

 

So I'm quite happy to offer our place to families with children, possibly around 25% of our guests have children of any age.  And we have a baby travel cot that we install for families with infants, as well as other basic safety thigns like covers for the electrical outlets, a barrier near the stairs, etc.

My listing says only 2 children under 2 yrs will be foc. My place can take up to 8 guests.  One time a family with a 3 ur old stayed. There was no damage but it was dirty. Biscuit crumbs all over sofa. Food bits underneath table. Sticky liquid on the marble floor. Glitter bits under cushion. 

Fiona186
Level 2
Taupo, New Zealand

Im pretty new to air bnb and have great experiences until yesterday. I just had a couple, who had booked only as two adults, show up with a child as well. When I asked about it they said the child is less than two and is sleeping in a porta cot that they are providing so they didn't think they needed to mention it! I have a 2 and a 3 year old myself and a background in child development- their child is at least 3 probably 4. I suspect they are sleeping in the single bed which isn't even made up with sheets! I am so uncomfortable having people stay in my house who are dishonest like this and wonder what else they are not being honest about. Airbnb has put me in a position where I do not get fairly recompensed in this situation as its not worth challenging them on it as I am fearful of my place getting trashed or them taking it out on me in the review, and these guests know it and are ballsy enough to take advantage of it all for a measly $15 bucks a night! I feel like there needs to be more support from air bnb for hosts where guests are taking advantage of the huge amounts of goodwill it takes to let strangers come and stay in your property. A good start would be to stop dictating that under 2's are free as obviously unscrupulous guests have cottoned on to how to abuse this! 

Fiona you are so right, welcome to AIRBNB who care more about the guest than the hosts who make them the $$$$.

Whose home is it, surely the owner has the ultimate right to charge who they want to?

Just recently we had a couple stay with their 5 year old son and when we told them they had to pay for him they left us the most scathing aweful review, our first one in 5 years and we have been Superhosts, for whatever that is worth, for 95% of that time!

How is that fair?

We now are using other avenues that are much more caring for the Hosts with great results, and we can choose who pays.

Hi Barry and Viv,

The kid was 7yrs old, For goodness sake, of course he has to pay.  Airbnb says infants 0-2yrs.  What were they thinking?  Sorry you got cheap, nasty guests.  And for rightly requesting the child pay, they repaid you by attempting to annihilate you via the review.  Well, if I ain't seen that before!!  Airbnb goes out of it's way to protect the guest, they are now requesting we give guests a 48 hr cancellation opportunity as well!!    Airbnb is slowly destroying our trust in them.  Why, is my question.....

Hi Barry & Viv

 

Airbnb's non discrimination policy states:

 

Airbnb hosts may:

  • Provide factually accurate information about their listing’s features (or lack of them) that could make the listing unsafe or unsuitable for guests of a certain age or families with children or infants.

When your guests booked, did they indicate 3 people? I check this when I get a request and ask for the name of each guest before I accept the booking. I refuse to use Instant Book because of the issues around children being free. If they said 3 people then they should have paid Airbnb for all 3. This would save you having to ask for additional funds for the 5-year old. If they turn up with an additional person, you have every right to refuse entry.

 

Much as I love kids, I have decided to just enjoy my own grandkids and indicate that my home is not suitable for children. No issues since I have done this.

@Barry-and-Viv0, in response to "We now are using other avenues that are much more caring for the Hosts with great results, and we can choose who pays." What are the other avenues? Thanks.

Victoria567
Level 10
Scotland, United Kingdom

Well@Monika

If it eats, sleeps or farts , It IS a fully paid up guest irrespective  of age.

I don't allow children or infants in my home..,,,period!

Couldn't agree more! As a Host I am so over AIRBNB not to mention their USELESS Asian call centre where you can't understand them! I lost my SUPERHOST status due to wrong information they gave me!  I'm not sure that it's worth a pinch of #@%& so not phased about losing it, certainly hasn't made any difference to bookings!!

absolutely agree

 

Janet427
Level 2
Tanilba Bay, Australia

I totally agree that infants should be charged.   When a child under two is booked I'm I have to get out and set up a cot,  a high chair, and boxes of toys.  Usually the unit is left with spilt cereal and drinks,  sometimes broken toys and ornaments,  and certainly all the glass doors,  windows and tables have many finger and face prints.   Some parents don't even place the used nappies in the bin.   Why did Airbnb decide that hosts have to wear this all for free.   I am a Superhost and I work hard to make my guests comfortable,  but feel sometimes used.  

Also Airbnb are always giving advice to hosts on how they can be better hosts,  but I don't believe they provide the same to guests.   Some,  many guests treat my place like a cheap hotel. 

We need Airbnb to support us,  the hosts. 

Susan329
Level 2
Queensland, Australia

After reading these as I also agree Airbnb should stay out of it it is up to the owner, so from this we normaly do not charge for a porta cot on Stay Now owned by Homeaway regetably so Stayz no more, is to charge for a infant porta cot when a request is made for an infant. We do not charge for this on other sites so will now for Airbnb. That is the answer.

Gillian120
Level 4
Peachland, Canada

I have just had 4 guests arrive with two children when they specified one child.  Five guests, children or not, is our limit since we are not comfortable with anymore and would not have accepted this booking if they had told us they had an extra child.  This is because our garbage bins get overfilled with nappies and as we let our guests use our laundry facility as a courtesy, find guests with children often exploit this and save all their laundry till they stay with us, even though they are only staying one night and reorganize the rooms to suit their needs, giving us extra work to put everything back when they leave. The said guests asked to use our laundry as soon as they arrived.  

 

Airbnb really need to change their policy so that guests must specify if they have children under 2 even though Airbnb regulation say they should not be charged, so we can have the option to refuse.  Under Airbnb, I understand that guests could bring baby twins or triplets who cry all night, constantly use the laundry and overfill the garbage and all for free!!!

 

Being a grandmother myself there is no way I would book a place and not mention  I was also bringing my baby grandson.

 

We are totally family-friendly and provide toys, highchairs, and cots, which we are happy to do so as long as guests are honest with us and let us know exactly who and what to expect so that we can have the option to refuse.  

 

If anyone from Airbnb is reading this be interested in your comments.