Guest who doesn’t want to leave ?

[Rob8430]

Hello Airbnb community 

we are considering doing some longer term let through the airbnb platform but with this comes a worry of guests who may not want to leave comes the end !( we do have a lovely space)

what are the safeguards that the Airbnb platform offers ? 
thanks !

[Emiel1]

@Rob8430 

Airbnb will not really offer any protection for this, although they promise to help you (see link below) if a guest does not want to leave . That is why they strongly advice to create a separate renting contract.

But probably the UK will also have laws, which gives people tennant rights when staying a while in some place ?  Be sure to know them !

What-are-some-things-i-should-consider-before-hosting-longterm-guests

[Brian2036]

@Rob8430 

I wouldn’t do it without a written lease specific to your area and collecting first month, last month and a security deposit in advance in cash.

For your first venture of this nature I think the services of a local attorney would be a good investment.

[Sarah977]

@Rob8430  What are the safeguards Airbnb offers for long term bookings? None. If you are going to rent long term, protect yourself by doing it the way it has always been done by landlords.

Privately, with a lease, references, a real security deposit, etc. 

Once a guest stays past 30 days they become tenants in the eyes of the law almost everywhere, and Airbnb is not going to come to your rescue if you end up with a squatter.

[Mark116]

@Rob8430  Airbnb safeguards:  none, zip, zero, nada.

I understand that rules in the UK are slightly different than in the US where in most states  you are considered a legal tenant after appx. 30 days, so it might be a better situation legally than in the US, but you should check your local laws carefully and make the decision with the assumption that if you get a squatter you're on your own in getting them removed.

[Ann783]

As others have noted… there are no safeguards if someone decides not to leave. I don’t do lon term stays because of this and recently decided to limit  stays to one week.

I have one or two guests who seemed emotional about leaving. I had to gently and firmly inform them that the stay could not be extended. One case occurred during the height of the pandemic and I think the person was anxious about returning to the city. 

[Fred13]

The most Airbnb can do from afar is terminate a lunatic guest's reservation and thus declare them a 'trespasser' and is the local police who then takes over.

Airbnb doesn't have their own SWAT team to enforce anything away from their buildings in San Francisco or Dublin, Ireland or wherever they are. 🙂

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rob8430 I have spent a lot of time trying to find out when a guest gets tenants rights in the UK. The best I have come up with is they may do after 6 months or so but this is only based on an insurance company definition. More important seems to be that things like including heating, lighting, TV licence etc must be included in the nightly rent. If the guest is responsible for (any of?) these then they may be considered a tenant.

Finally are you operating as a Furnished Holiday Let? If so any stays over 30 (31?) do not count towards the 105 day requirement.

If there is a UK lawyer out there that can point me to the legislation I would love to hear from them.

And now I see your place is in France - So the above is irrelevant!