Do you own your property?

Dena37
Level 2
San Luis Obispo, CA

Do you own your property?

We're new to AIRBNB; our 1st trip was to Cabo last week, and everything went fine.  But I started to wonder if or how AIRBNB determines if the host has the authority to actually offer the property for rent!  I work for www.afxllc.com, and we verify ownership for all the major homeowner's insurance companies in the US (part of their fraud-prevention process before paying out claims).  I'm just doing research before making a proposal to AIRBNB management, and wondered, as a host, would you be willing to pay $10 - $40 to get a "Verified Owner" label that would let guests know you are the ACTUAL owner and not a fake?  Thanx!  Brad (& Dena) G.

5 Replies 5
Bryan10
Level 10
Feltham, United Kingdom

Welcome to Airbnb.  I don't feel like I'd need a 'verified' owner' certificate because I know I own my property and noone has ever questioned it. If a guest or Airbnb wanted to see my mortgage certificate I guess that would be OK - noone has asked me in 4 years. 

 

I think rules about whether you can rent out your place vary worldwide - in the UK we can rent out a whole house / apartment for up to (I think) 90 days / year, or a room in a shared house for unlimited days / year. Other countries vary. 

Bryan, thanks for your feedback.  I'm sure 99%+ of all listings are legitimate, like your's.  However, I have seen numerous articles & posts where renters were duped by unscupulous fraudsters.  As they say, it just takes 1 rotten apple...  Take care!

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Dena37 

Hello Dena and Brad, and welcome to, not just Airbnb, but the hosting community here on the CC.

 

Brad, Airbnb (the company) would not want to be involved with anything relating to property versus owner verification. Airbnb deals with users, not properties. It is the person who has the profile, not the property.

Many hosts list multiple properties....some list over 1,000!

Many hosts use Co-Hosts who do not have any interest in the property other than a partial caretaking role.

Some hosts list properties in other countries which are subject to differing rules from the US.

 

The outlay and effort for the positive return to sweep up those odd few would be enormous and not something that Airbnb would want to be a part of.

Airbnb state in their agreement that it is up to the host, the profile holder to make sure they have all required approvals before making a listing public. As you say 99% of listings are legitimate and those that are not have their accounts closed immediately. If a host lists without the required approval from landlords or management authorities they will invariably be warned and threatened with action if they continue.....the system works.

 

If owner verification had been a significant problem in the past Airbnb would not have grown as spectacularly as it has.

Brad I think your enterprise and spirit is great but I wouldn't too much effort into this, I think it will fall on deaf ears!

 

Cheers.....Rob

Hollie6
Level 10
Page, AZ

I personally would not pay the extra fee. I don't see the value in it but to each his own. Good luck in your new venture!

Hollie

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Dena37  Yes, I own my home in which my private room listing is. No, I wouldn't pay to have some "Owner verified" badge.

Airbnb has made it quite evident that they couldn't care less if someone is illegally renting out a space they don't own and don't have permission to sublet. There have been numerous posts from home owners here who found that their long-term-lease tenants were Airbnbing the property-either a room in house where the tenant also lives, or renting the entire place out against the no-subletting terms of their leases. 

Those home oweners were given the total shaft when contacting Airbnb, telling them the "host" was listing the property illegally and asking it to be removed. Airbnb leaves those listings up- the homeowner has to go through the long and pain-in-the-butt process of evicting the tenant, which can take months in some places. 

I happen to believe that Airbnb should verify whether the lister is an owner, or, if not, require some form of documentation that the host has official permission from the home owner to list. But all Airbnb cares about is raking in the booking fees.