Tier 2 and tier 3 uk guests and addresses

[Claire970]

Hi all I have had to decline guests who are trying to book from tier 3 and multiple households from tier 2.  I spoke to Airbnb as some guests have location as England, but Airbnb cannot give a postcode and it goes on trust. I have requested info from guests and asked them to confirm they are from tier 2 and one household and there postcode. Some potential guests will not give the information so I have declined them, I am sure our latest booking who has confirmed they are one household is not. Where do hosts stand? It’s very frustrating we cannot get the guests home address so I can check which tier they are in. If you use any other letting agents the agents ensure this does not happen but Airbnb do nothing! What as hosts can we do to ensure we and our community are safe?

[Melodie-And-John0]

@Claire970 , First of all, its good to see that your gov has jumped on the vaccine wagon, your on your way to a safer day sooner than later and you wont have to wonder if guests are carrying an unknown vector!!!!  Hopefully we will get off our hineys and on the same train soon!!!!!   

Details about all guests matter!   Airbnb must understand, we don't want just "any" booking, we need the ones that are appropriate for our spaces not just whatever can slide through minimally.   Its tough that equal treatment to guests and hosts isn't really happening more perfectly right now when we really need it, hosts need accurate info, (hosts on the other hand get profile pic blanks appropriate for hanging a Bucks head on or a picture of a Kitten, puppy or slogan). 

Being an active business involved in the sharing economy requires everyone in the physical world of short term renting to have a somewhat equal footing.  Necessary qualifying info must be disclosed in ways that can be confirmed quickly, we dont have weeks to investigate folks and dont want that added nuisance, that's a big part of why we pay them for their virtual world assistance.    Stay well, JR

[Claire970]

Thanks for your support, I feel AirBnB need to give us guest information and cannot understand why they do not collect this information and forward it to hosts, its so important at the moment.

I have sent numerous feedbacks to Airbnb saying this. I am looking at alternative sites to advertise for the summer!

[Helen3]

Hello @Claire970 

What I have done is 

1. updated my listing to confirm restrictions for Tier 3 and said we can only accept guests coming for work/education etc.

2. Included questions as part of my IB about which location the guest is coming from, how many households are travelling and where from and to confirm I can only accept guests who meet our tier restrictions. 

I wouldn’t take anyone on trust .

sadly some guests and hosts don’t fill out their profiles correctly and don’t include their city. Even if they do that doesn’t mean that’s where they are currently based. 

[Claire970]

Hi Helen

I have updated my listing and updated extra rules to confirm restrictions. AirBnB did say that when they arrived and they had broken the rules then I can report the profile, I feel it is too late then and if Airbnb do not supply information they should be vetting all guests.

I do not allow instant booking as I do want to check guests before I confirm a booking so do not have access to the questions.

Hard situation in these times

[Helen350]

@Claire970 These 'tiers' are SO ridiculous, aren't they? Why can't we just forget the whole thing & go back to normal?

That said, I'm personally still obeying the (UK gov) 'rules', ridiculous as they are.... (still don't own a mask.)

I don't think I'd WANT to host someone who was not prepared to be honest & open about the relationship of their group & where they all come from.... It's against the Airbnb spirit to take that attitude...... 

Can't you tell prospective guests that they may only book if ALL members of the party provide addresses? - And justify this with the UK gov. track & trace requirements? Just as you have to give your name & address in restaurants?

Sounds like you need to know if YOU are also responsible when /if a liar stays at yours against regulations..... Where to find this out..?

[Claire970]

Yes I agreed, but when guests don't supply the information, and you have 24 hours hours to confirm , I just have to decline them.  Unfortunately due to AirBnB algorithm your listing then appears way down the pages as I have declined so may bookings!

I would be responsible being the business owner, when I spoke to Airbnb about this and if they would be liable, they obviously said no and we could report the profile if they had lied but that's too late as they will be already staying!

No win situation at the moment, I am looking at other sites now.

[Gerri61]

Hello, I am worried about hosting guests over the Christmas period due to mixture  of households. The calendar has not blocked guests booked on the 28th December and guests booked for New Year. I will now need to cancel these guests  however there is no updated information regarding cancelations for bookings made in October for guests staying after 2nd December for the five days of Christmas.

Airbnb keep directing you to the Government website. Information is very clear for Tier 3 who cannot travel  or book hotels however no clear information for rentals for holidays over the five days of Christmas in Tier 2 areas.

I recently received a complaint from a guests staying at the property due to a housing emergency. A neighbour called the police to report the mixture of households. The guests pregnant daughter visited who is part of their bubble.   I do not want to receive complaints or the police being call to my property

over the Christmas period and potentially receiving a fine. I have gone through a few family bereavements over the last couple of months and need to be around for family over the Christmas period. 

I received this information based on Fixed penalty fines. Can other hosts Please share any information regarding cancelations with me, thank you.

A fixed penalty notice may only be issued to a person responsible for carrying on a business or providing a service and a person responsible for carrying on a business is defined in the Regulations as including the owner, proprietor or manager of the business. A fixed penalty notice for such an offence could not be issued to an employee of a business who does not have control over decision making in determining whether the business should operate, and how it should carry on.

[Claire970]

Hi

If you are within the cancellation period, I would ask your guests to cancel as this will not affect your listing.  If they are out of cancellation policy  I would  contact AirBnB and ask them to cancel the booking, due to government regulations you cannot host them (I have done this with our original New Year booking).  There is then no financial  or super host penalty.

I believe as hosts we are liable if you are the business owners and would be fined for operating a business not following COVID, also guests would be fined if from tier 3 for staying away from primary address, also tier 2 if household mixing inside.

[Gerri61]

Fixed penalty notices

Regulation 11(1) of the All Tiers Regulations

Detail

An ‘authorised person’ may issue a fixed penalty notice in relation to any person that has committed an offence under the All Tiers Regulations, and (in the case of an individual) is aged 18 or over.

An ‘authorised person’ is a local authority (all local authorities have been designated by the Secretary of State), or an officer designated by a local authority.

A fixed penalty notice may only be issued to a person responsible for carrying on a business or providing a service and a person responsible for carrying on a business is defined in the Regulations as including the owner, proprietor or manager of the business. A fixed penalty notice for such an offence could not be issued to an employee of a business who does not have control over decision making in determining whether the business should operate, and how it should carry on.

[Sarah977]

"A fixed penalty notice for such an offence could not be issued to an employee of a business..."

Hosts aren't Airbnb employees.

@Gerri61

[Claire970]

I own my house and run it as a business, so I am the business owner, therefore the fixed penalty would come to me unfortunately

[Gerri61]

Hi Sarah, If you own your home and use it for a business such as Airbnb you are the responsible person. It does state owner and proprietor of the business and that as employee you will not be fined. We are not the employees we are the owners.  Therefore we are the ones who will be fined.

These fines have only been updated this week for all sectors across hospitality sectors including hotels, b&b, Hoilday rentals..  I thought I would share so hosts can discuss concerns.

The Notices have just been updated for local authorities this week getting ready to now be issued..   

We as hosts need to be updated by Airbnb on the rules in place including hosts that now may need to cancel due to concerns of guests that may break the rules. And if you feel uncomfortable you can cancel without penalty. 

[Sarah977]

Ah, thanks for clarification. I thought you were saying the opposite- that hosts aren't subject to fines because they are considered Airbnb employees (which of course they are not).

@Gerri61