What are my rights as a superhost for services animals in shared space, and what's airbnb's definition of shared space?
These are the available selection for me to list my space appropriately, so what if it's an entire place with a shared patio?
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/317/what-do-the-different-home-types-mean
- Entire place: Guests have the whole place to themselves. This usually includes a bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen.
- Private room: Guests have their own private room for sleeping. Other areas could be shared.
- Shared room: Guests sleep in a bedroom or a common area that could be shared with others.
I just had pickle of a situation. I had a potential guest reaching out knowing that I have a no pet policy as I already have a dog and cat on the premises. So the layout is, there are two apartments on one lot, we live in one and airbnb the other. We state in the description their apartment is the entire apartment and we live in the other apartment, but we have a shared patio area, which our cat and dog nap in. For the safety of my cat and dog, I declined the reservation because of the shared patio. I then was contacted by Airbnb saying I'm receiving a warning...
"According to our Nondiscrimination Policy, a host may not decline a reservation on the basis of a guest’s medical requirements. This includes the use of an assistance animal, unless the listing is a shared space subject to an applicable exemption (e.g., severe allergies). "
So I was taken back about this as there is a shared patio, and per Airbnb's service animal policy if there is a shared space and I'm concerned with safety issues, I would not be required to host guests with assistance animals.
"However, if your listing includes a SHARED SPACE and an assistance animal would create a health or safety hazard to you or others (e.g. allergies and pets who are unable to share space with other animals due to a safety concern), we will not require you to host the guests with the assistance animal." https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1869/what-is-an-assistance-animal
In response, the represenative sent me this response, "The shared space is referring to shared or private rooms; because your listing is an entire home we are unable to grant an exception."
So I'm a little confused as Airbnb policy states, “includes a shared space”. The words “includes a” indicates that the whole property may not be shared, but a certain section. I’m not sure if policy has to be updated to a more acurate definition or if it’s correct and there is a miss interpretation? Eitherway I'm trying to do the just thing. As I find it difficult to believe that for all the Airbnb’s, there are many with entire home's with a shared outdoor space (patio, backyard, etc) that the hosts safety concerns or for that matter general saftey concerns are not put first?
This represenative refused a phone conversation nor when asked for a manager contact. Instead replied, "I am sorry, but there are no managers for me to put you in contact with."
