Good PR at our expense

Kenneth-And-Lilia0
Level 10
Las Vegas, NV

Good PR at our expense

So I was watching Fox News this evening and was about sick when I heard "AirBnB has launched their free homes project to help people displaced from the hurricane" and then the host saying, "It's great Private Industry is getting involved".  So let me get this straight, we open up OUR house at OUR expense to help people and AirBnB takes the credit?  Uh, no!  My thought, If ABB wants the PR, they should pay us fair market rates for our properties.  THEN, and ONLY THEN, can they say they are helping.  They aren't out one penny for this but expect us to supply a room, supplies, cleanings, laundry...and they are doing something?  BS!

31 Replies 31
Ava30
Level 10
Eureka, CA

 The Open Homes For victims of disasters was enabled in my area as well. That was for the fire victims in the Redding, California area. According to the information on Airbnb they would vet the guests and your Airbnb host guarantee would still be in place, etc. The problem I had with it was there was no indication of how long they expected you to allow these guests to stay on your dime. You still would have all the cleaning expenses, and I am sure they would be using up the amenities as well.  Add to that our costs for utilities, they aren’t paying for it what do they care? When one is depending on this for some extra income there’s no way one can afford to give up their home for free. I agree with everyone else it said if Airbnb wants to do this Free homes thing they need to compensate the hosts for expenses. 

Good comment...  it's constructive and you make good poihts, rather than coming on here and whining like others.

 

I'm reading this forum because I want the same info.  What time commitment?  In winter, my bookings go down and I have several vacant nights.  A few nights here and there would be fine, but it sounds like they would need a solid block of at least a coupke of weeks.

 

I think they should provide more explanation and also reimburse us for 25-50% of our usual rates.

 

Thanks for the discussion.

I think if Airbnb is going to offer the program, they should pay half the owner's normal fees to compensate for cleaning and stocking supplies. Often those families are evacuating with very little and the time frame for the stay is not insignificant so the host is shouldering a lot of burden and giving up revenue at the same time.

I love the idea of the program but would want to know how long, and some identification that proved the person was evacuating from a known area. Otherwise this would be rife with fraudulent claims for shelter.

This is exactly what I was thinking. It's a nice gesture that could've been better executed. It's true that they'll benfit from increased signup, host listings and positive PR. They could've donated $$ to match hosts' generousity (not to the hosts but to victims) at the very least and shut down this convo. For hosts, a shout out for their generousity with a special badge or something of that sort for their listing would've been nice. 

 

Asking host to be 'generous' without their part of generosity doesn't sound right.. 

It seems like if Airbnb wants to offer a program like this, they should make it clear to the guests who have been made homeless because of a disaster that the host is losing out on paid bookings by generously offering them free lodging and that they are expected to pay for their own toilet paper, food, utility costs, take their laundry to the laundromat or pay something to the host for using their washer (electricity and hot water costs), etc.

 

In other words, these guests should be made to agree to not cause the host any expenses beyond losing out on paid bookings, rather than being allowed to take advantage of those who have generously helped them out. And they should have to submit documentation to Airbnb proving they are indeed victims of a disaster before being allowed to sign up for such a program.

My thoughts exactly.  Vetting is so important and how are we to know?  Also there's been little mention on the emotional state these victims will be in.  If I was a victim, I'd be a total confused mess/wreck.  I'm just mentioning this because I believe it would add to the stress of hosting folks for free for unknown amounts of time.  

Tina80
Level 4
Treasure Island, FL

I tried to do this last year , opened my home for Irma evacuees . All and I mean ALL request were  “ we need a holiday , your place looks nice “ . Or  “ I just got my power back and need to relax”  . They weren’t looking for a safe place to stay they were looking for a free vacation . 

@Tina80  Do like I did only open it up to first responders or rescue workers during Harvey last year.

The thing that irritates me is Airbnb didn't even notify hosts of this relief effort.  We were contacted by an allegedly displaced family asking if we were part of the program.  Couldn't they have at least sent us an email or notification that we may get contacted by these families?  And yes,it would also be nice if Airbnb compensated hosts in some way.  Now lots of people are expecting a free place to stay and we feel like we will look selfish for not participating

@Drew-And-Lauren0 I should hope that most people who need a place to stay because of a natural disaster (or even a man-made one, like someone tossing a cigarette out of their car in dry season and causing a massive forest fire) would be appreciative enough of a free place to stay that they'd buy their own toilet paper, food, and offer to chip in for utilities, if not also buy the host a bottle of wine, a six-pack of beer, or offer to take them out for dinner. Most people I know would. Even when people are evacuating, they usually manage to grab their documents, wallet, debit cards, etc.

I'd feel sorry for hosts who had "disaster relief" guests who took advantage of the human kindness, likewise I don't understand those who wouldn't be willing to step up to the plate for those whose shoes they could find themselves in someday.

But if Airbnb is telling people that they can just call up any Airbnb host and ask them if they're part of a program which hosts haven't even been contacted about, that's really poor business practice and very direspectful to hosts.

Carla81
Level 4
Sherwood Park, Canada

#1 - you don’t have to participate in the free program if you don’t want to. 

 

#2 - Airbnb IS losing because they don’t collect service fees on free stays

 

#3 - I was involved in the free program when we had Fort McMurray evacuate 80k people on one highway, overnight. We begged Airbnb to put the free program in place. I was honoured to be able to help any way I could. 

 

#4 -  I sincerely hope that one day you do not have to rely on the kindness of stranger but if you do, I hope that strangers  heart is three times larger than those belonging to some of the people making these comments. 

I just saw this so I'm going to add my two cents to your assumptions about motivation. I used to volunteer for the Red Cross. My mom was a first-responder. I would gladly open up my home to a first responder. But the mix of people I encountered when I tagged along ranged from extremely grateful to entitled. And you never knew which one you were going to get.

Airbnb is losing out on fees? They are losing out on a miniscule amount (6-12%) compared to the amount of expense the host is losing in lost revenues and increased utility bills, wear and tear, etc. Most that I know would gladly open their homes for a worthy purpose. We know people are evacuating with nothing and need help with food, clothing and shelter. That's not the point.

The point we are making here is that Airbnb often leaves hosts exposed to fraud in the normal dealings of the platform (read the posts on charge backs for stolen credit cards after someone has stayed, Airbnb's hesitation to compensate for guests damages, refusal to share vetting and identity verification data with hosts, and so on and so forth.)

My comment here is that Airbnb claims it is a booking service but seems to treat host's homes as if it is their personal property. They set the rules but are often tone deaf to legitimate host complaints.

So - in my own post above - I suggested that I would be happy to open my home if I were not exposed to fraudulent claims. What "proof" does Airbnb propose to use to guarantee this is a legitimate request? How long is the request for?

Btw - a number of my colleagues use their earnings to pay the mortgages on their homes. So they're not being selfish. They're being cautious. And rightfully so.

A few years back a plane was stranded in a snow storm and residents took the passengers into their homes for warmth and for overnight stays. Same thing happened when the cruise ship sank in Europe.

I'd be happy to contribute in that way and I have, in the past, made my apartment available to people who have need (and at no cost).  But in at least half those cases the person was a scam artist. Which is why I'm speaking from experience, not from speculation.

So no - Airbnb shouldn't be in the business of offering homes they don't own up for use UNLESS they put something in place that examines that the person is, in fact, displaced because of a natural disaster AND guarantees to help the host with any damages that might arise.

We're not mean spirited. We're just asking for Airbnb to do more than advertise themselves as saviors while expecting hosts to pick up the lionshare of the costs.

Perhaps it Airbnb should show some of its community spirit by picking up half the costs.

Tueykay0
Level 10
Santa Monica, CA

I'm trying to keep as neutral as possible. So this is what I'm reading from the comments.

Before I add in my views, lets make this clear- I'm a Canadian who has been living in Southern California for over 25 years. And I agree that ABB should compensate the Hosts that take in guests. ABB is NOT losing a penny over using hosts. We have to spend money on strangers and boosts ABB failing reputation. Also, as many hosts have written, they get requests for free stays because they're exhausted-not because they're victims.  

1) Those that are supporting the 'Free Homes' program live in Canada. You make your comments that hosts who are against are not charitable etc. Well, you are thinking as a Canadian living in Canada with a completely financial set up ie in schools, taxes, daily living and social etiquette. In general, Canadians are friendlier and tend to be more honest. And if life fails you, the Canadian government will step in and help. 

It's a different mindset here. If we fail here -it's easy to be homeless in less than 3 months. Go read the stats during the economic crisis from 2007-2010 when so many Americans became jobless and homeless in a matter of months. 

 

2) Hosts that really understand the depth of how easy it is for potential guests to abuse the system live in the US. Therefore, we are skeptical, oppose or prefer payment from ABB to the hosts for hosting the alleged victims of disasters. I did read some of the Free Home program, it doesn't say how long we are obligated to host and at what cost to us. ABB already does a piss poor job of vetting guests who come into our homes . Go read Jessica's post who had a guest make a meth lab in her house or the lady who had a bipolar/ schizophrenic who 'insisted' on coming into her home after the police assisted him out or Greg from France who had someone come to his door with 2 other people without telling the Host and caused a major problem for Greg when he refused him entry. Myself, I had a guest that stayed 2.5 months 'borrow' my stuff on day of check out.

How can we trust ABB to accurately vet a disaster victim?

 

Even if I were to host 1 person, if they are truly a victim, I'd be housing and feeding that person. If that person is removed from his/her home, I'm sure they'll need to eat and be clothed. And if they are in that much urgency, what if one day I come home and all my belongings are gone? That has happened to a Host in San Francisco. 

Electricity, gas, water, internet, toilette paper, soaps, drinking water, new or clean clothes etc is expensive where I live. 

If ABB wants to boosts their failing reputation and prevent lawsuits, they should offer to pay Hosts for their time. 

 

This is not an insult to any country, religion or gender. It's a perspective that needs to be factored in. 

We're more cautious and rightfully so. 

 

 

 

well said! Bravo!

 

Debbie96
Level 8
Oxford, United Kingdom

Well said.   So many corporations do this sort of thing  e.g. putting out collection boxes at their tills and then taking credit  for the outside donations and taking a tax deduction to boot.   or,    putting pressure on their own staff to volunteer or donate a part of their salary. 

In additions to  "expect us to supply a room, supplies, cleanings, laundry".....

you forgot to include ad hoc counseling for those naturally suffering PTSD.