House Rules Don't Get Translated by Airbnb

[Alexandra316]

I'm looking for a place to stay in Cologne at the end of January, and unsurprisingly, a lot of the listings are written in German. You can translate the written description to English using the Translate button, no problem, but I just discovered something delightful: when you go to book and you are told you have to review the hosts rules, not only are they hidden so you have to click Read more to see the rules the host has written:

But they're not translated, and there's no way to translate them except copying and pasting the text into Google Translate. Brilliant, right? Because that's definitely what we need: guests having more excuses for not following host rules.

I think Douglas Adams' quote could be re-purposed here:

Airbnb: “But the [rules] were on display…”
Host: “On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”
A: “That’s the display department.”
H: “With a flashlight.”
A: “Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”
H: “So had the stairs.”
A: “But look, you found them didn’t you?”
H: “Yes,” said [the host], “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”

[Sarah977]

@Alexandra316  Oh, charming. So I guess none of our foreign guests can read the house rules. 

[Ann489]

@Alexandra316    I'm not too surprised.  Just another little "oversight" by Airbnb.    *major eye roll*  

Since English is pretty widely spoken, I wouldn't be too concerned with, let's say, a German not being able to read the house rules(we learn English in Kindergarten)---the other way around though might be a problem.  😉

PS:  the hosts is just asking guests to leave shoes in the hallway,  and not to spill anything on the floors.  😉     But I'm sure, Google Translate already told you that.    Have fun in Cologne...it's a cool city!

[Alexandra316]

@Ann489Yeah, I've never met a German who didn't speak pretty much perfect English. 

Really looking forward to Cologne! I'm also going to Amsterdam: I've never been before. I'm excited!

[Stephanie]

Hiya @Alexandra316 et al,

Thanks for highlighting this issue. It is actually something we have on the product development roadmap for the platform, for the near future. Sorry it doesn't help now but we hope to get this rolled out soon!

Thanks

[Alexandra316]

@StephanieWhat does "the near future" mean? It kind of seems like something pretty basic. How can guests agree to abide by the rules when they can't even understand them?

Are they also going to be unhiding the rules so guests are properly presented with them?

[John1080]

@Alexandra316, thank you for pointing this out, as this is something I had no clue about! I am glad I also list my rules in detail in my pre-approval message as well as my pre-arrival message, which I presume will be translated along with the rest of the content in the message. 

It would be helpful, if it was translated within the rules section, however, which sounds like is a change coming eventually. 

Thanks again! 

[Kelly149]

@Alexandra316 yep, abb is absolutely not at all interested in displaying Host rules. I"m not surprised

[Lizzie]

Hey @Kelly149,

I understand you feeling this way, based on some of the conversations seen here in the CC, but this isn't the case. Currently the House Rules are shown to guests on the listing page (admittedly pretty low down), during the booking stage and are also shown in several emails sent to guests once they have a confirmed booking. 

I recently sent lots of feedback shared in the CC regarding the testing designs of the listing page (of which several comments included making the House Rules more prominent on the initial listing page) over to the team working on this and they loved receiving the constructive feedback from the community. 

I agree there is more work to be done, but I don't want us to lose sight that they are currently shown in multiple different places and they have to be shown in a way that get the message across, but doesn't stop great guests booking, so it's a balance. Of course, if you have more suggestions or ideas for getting the House Rules across in a way that guests may absorb them better ie. we change the font to snazzy pink! then do let me know. It would be great to discuss this more. 🙂

Thanks so much, 

Lizzie

[Kelly149]

@Lizzie  Thanks for the response and yes this is certainly an area where ABB could improve. Yes, a few of the house rules are visible (the standard ABB rules) but the ones that hosts have carefully written out that are specific to their listing are hidden behind a read more tab. 
If reading a host’s house rules list would have caused “a great guest” not to book then how is that a good reservation for the host? Bc yes the guest will be sent the rules later, in the abb email or direct from the host, but this is all news to them. So maybe they can comply with those things or maybe they can’t and the host has to deal with the fallout. 

[Sarah977]

@Lizzie  The House Rules used to be right under our listing description, then they got moved down way below everything so a guest now has to scroll all the way down past the reviews and the map, which many, many guests would never think to do. Then the House Rules got a heading above them "Things to keep in mind", as if they really aren't that important, and if it slips your mind, no biggie.

So it's really hard to believe that this hasn't been a concerted effort to relegate the house rules to somewhere most guests would miss when reading the listing description and making it appear that they aren't really something to pay much attention to.

Yes, of course we can send them to guests, but it's important for guests to be aware before they book, because many guests would just assume they could bring their pets, children, have a party, invite other people over, etc. Then we end up with either the host or the guest having to cancel, or showing up expecting something else, or being turned away at the door when they arrive with 3 dogs to no pets listing, which of course is a drag for both hosts and guests. Everyone is happier if things are clear from the get-go.

So it's good to hear that maybe the teams are listening and will make the rules prominent again.  Snazzy pink would be a great idea, but not if they are still way down at the bottom of the info. 

[Inna22]

@Lizzie another issue with that page I have noticed. When I put in a search box that I am looking for x amount of adults and x amount of kids, I still get all the listings that are not suitable for children but I do not know that yet. I go through all the back and forth deciding on one, which sometimes takes me a few hours or days of thinking, showing to the rest of the family etc just to find out when I go to book that it is not suitable for children after all. Not only this is very disappointing as a guest, but also probably leads to many unwanted reservations- as we know most do not read.