How do you see the future of hosting in private homes?

[Quincy]

Hello everyone, 

With short-term rentals momentarily on hold in several places due to the situation surrounding COVID, we've seen hosts across the globe offering more long term rentals.  

I've heard of some hosts trying to plan ahead for the future of hosting in their homes which can be quite uncertain at these times. However, let's keep our heads up and look forward to the future where we can (hopefully) continue hosting guests from all around the world again. 

How do you see the future of hosting in private homes? Is there anything that you have been specifically preparing for once things start to open up again? 

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this. 

Quincy 

[Helen3]

I think Airbnb haven't been supportive of hosts who home share during Covid .

As you know home share hosts in the UK haven't been able to operate in many cases  since last autumn and in some cases last summer. 

 We  can't do STR for key workers etc because we don't have self contained accommodation and none of the government grants and council tax reductions  or grants to boost tourism are available to us. 

I wouldn't do long term bookings through Airbnb and think Airbnb will lose home share hosts in areas that have seen the highest restrictions. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen3 Have you checked local government grants recently? Not sure if homesharing is claimable but they are allowing non business rated properties to apply for grants since November. 

[Helen3]

No you can't claim grants if you homeshare 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Helen3 I think this is the one that might apply to you

Discretionary support: LRSG (Open) and ARG

The Local Restrictions Support Grant (Open) and Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) are open to applications from all businesses who have been severely financially impacted by COVID-19 restrictions across Tier 2, Tier 3 and national lockdowns across all sectors including:

• self-employed and sole traders
• small or micro businesses

Applications received will be assessed against the eligibility criteria and grants will be awarded dependent on the size of the business or the rateable value of the business premises. 

To apply, businesses must have identification and documentation as evidence of trading such as:

• sales invoices
• an active lease agreement
• a business bank account statement

This latest round covers the period from 2 December 2020 to 15 February 2021.

Businesses that received payment from the Local Authority Discretionary Grant Fund (LADGF) also known as the Small Business Discretionary Fund from May to August 2020 will need to apply again. 

Businesses who received a payment under the ARG scheme since November 2020 will automatically receive a top up, and do not need to apply again, though we may contact some for further information. 

Businesses registered for business rates that have been paid a grant for any period since 5 November 2020 when they were closed cannot receive a discretionary grant for the same period.

We are working hard to make sure all our businesses get the financial support they are entitled to during this difficult time. However, funding from the government is limited. We estimate that the volume of eligible businesses within the region could result in the grant scheme being oversubscribed. 

Apply as quickly as you can to avoid disappointment. The application window will be closed as soon as the funding has all been allocated.  

[Helen3]

Thanks @Mike-And-Jane0  sadly it doesn't as I do this through the gov's rent a room scheme.

[Paul1255]

I wonder how Airbnb sees the future of hosting in private homes? That might be an interesting question...

[Anonymous]

@Quincy  As long as the current restrictions are necessary (limited access to shared space, masks, social distancing), a Private Room is not what I would call a "homestay." In order to get back to that, we first have to reach the point where close interaction with new people is universally regarded as something to cherish rather than something best avoided. 

There will  plenty of hosts that have the space to offer comfortable self-contained units within shared homes, so I think we'll see a lot of hosts investing in ways to reduce guests' need for the common areas - private kitchenettes, for example. But this does not appeal to me as a guest nor as a host. The future of the homestay as a social experience will only begin when the social-distancing guidelines are removed  - both from health advisories and from Airbnb policy.  It's really premature at this point to even guess when that will be.

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Anonymous , Agreed, doesn't matter if its hosts or guests being paranoid about shared spaces, its just the way it is and even once the masks come off, what was before the Pandemic won't be again at least during my lifetime (I'm old!) .   Thats sad but unavoidable, the world has changed over the last year and we must be ready to roll with it or parish. 

Another sad thing is its likely to end bucket listers that travel the world seeing things they only read about their whole lives, too much risk in world travel, not all of it Covid but Covid probably is a tipping point. 

Lastly, the environment may very well benefit from this new Zoom empowered planet, hypocrites like John Kerry (our old Sec of state and new climate Zar) wont need to get on his private jet to pick up their green awards across the globe.   I suspect that will also trickle down on the business traveler and hosts that once profited from them, folks that have been productive over the last year utilizing remote collaboration technology will be encouraged to continue in that manner, those who havent will probably be out of a job.   Many Airbnb hosts may actually be in a better position to roll with these changes than hotels, motels and hostels, Im just not sure shares will be a big part of that for a very long time.  Stay well, JR.      

[Anonymous]

@Melodie-And-John0 I know who John Kerry is; he needs no introduction 🙂

These are interesting points, and I think you may be right that the way people interact with each other and approach traveling will not go back to the way it was before 2020. It won't always be about the virus, but even something like the concept of committing to big long - range plans already feels like a thing of the past. 

Another thing that might (and should) stay in the dustbin of history is business travel. Airlines and chain hotels are panicking at the prospect of how to recalibrate their business models without a steady diet of corporate expense accounts. That will have far-reaching consequences for the whole travel industry. But in light of the environmental crisis, a huge readjustment was urgently necessary, and you won't hear any complaint from me if that begins with corporations no longer moving people in suits around the planet for meetings. 

[Quincy]

Very interesting insights @Anonymous. If I may ask, what is the current situation in Berlin? Has there been a timeline set out by the government there as to when they predict for restrictions to be eased? 

I apologize for my late reply here as I have been quite sick for the past few days. 

[Anonymous]

@Quincy  The nationwide lockdown in Germany, which has been in place since November, has been extended to 7 March. At this point, if infection rates have dropped to a stable target value (35 infections per 100,000 over a 7-day period) individual states may begin to gradually relax some restrictions - for example, re-opening schools. There is no set timeline for opening up public life, so we can expect the social-distancing and mask requirements to remain in place for awhile longer. To date only 4% of the population has been vaccinated, but it's projected to become universally available here in mid-September. 

As it happens, we also have the national elections coming up in September, so the current government is even more cautious against risky policy moves than usual.

[Mark116]

@Anonymous  It may take years for it to come back.  I know many people who are fully vaccinated and they still wear masks while outside, by themselves in non crowded areas.  I know even more people, myself included, who are/may continue to wear masks in stores, subways, and other crowded interior spaces.  

We're going to start offering a personal check-in and an orientation drive around the neighborhood again starting in July.  We'll see how it goes.  The plan for the drive around is to keep the windows open and only take one person, and possibly wear masks, although we'll be fully vaccinated by that time.  

[John5097]

@Quincy 

How am I preparing for the post apoplectic Covid future? 

Two year supply of toilet paper! 

[John5097]

Ok maybe got a little carried away with the disinfectants, wipes, and hand sanitizers as well. 😂 Looks like I'll keep on with the cleaning protocol.. and seriously, guest are very savvy and ABB has been a much better alternative than hotels.. People should be able to stay where ever they want.