Up to 5 dogs for 1 single pet-fee per booking? No way!

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

Up to 5 dogs for 1 single pet-fee per booking? No way!

So, Airbnb introduced a long-expected Pet fee...

BUT... I just realized there is a catch...

hosts can only set a pet fee per booking..... not per day .... and not per pet! 

 

Pet fee is NOT multiplied by the number of pets! Guests can book for up to 5 pets.... and pay only one pet fee

 

SORRY AIRBNB BUT THIS IS NOT GONNA WORK... we will stop accepting pets until Airbnb change this nonsense

 

@Quincy 

 

 

71 Replies 71
Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hiya all,

 

Can I remind you to not make sweeping generalisation of people of a particular age? It is discriminatory and not accepted in this community. I don't need to remind you of the Community Guidelines, but, for your review: Community Guidelines. 

 

Thanks

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Please follow the Community Guidelines 

Generalizations are usually derived from past personal experiences and their application to one's every day life is what makes them so useful since it would be absurd to start each day with a totally empty mind just because of course there are always exceptions.

 

Unfortunately, nowadays it appears that it takes a Wallenda high-wire act to get through all the new social requirements, prohibitions and lunacy, after a while it becomes way too much work and too exhausting, even for the most loyal. 

 

\Salute to all and safe journeys in future endeavors

Generalizations are usually derived from past personal experiences and their application to one's every day life is what makes them so useful since it would be absurd to start each day with a totally empty mind just because of course there are always exceptions.

 

Of course @Fred13 . Even the law is based on generalization, not to mention the school system, or medicine.

Mary996
Level 10
Swansea, United Kingdom

You're not leaving us @Fred13??? 

Stephanie
Community Manager
Community Manager
London, United Kingdom

Hi @Branka-and-Silvia0 and everyone else,

 

Thank you so much for sharing your feedback on this. I've shared this thread (and a few other I've seen pop up on this) with the appropriate team.

 

This is a new product so we really appreciate Hosts thoughts on what will work for them (and what won't). Please do feel free to continue to discuss here and I will update this one (and the others) when I have some more information from the team.

 

Thanks again,

 

Stephanie

 

Some extra tags @Colleen446 @Sarah977 @Fred13 @Colleen253 

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Please follow the Community Guidelines 

Hi Stephanie, 

 

So glad your eyes are on this. A few quick summary points on quick fixes:

 - allow hosts to set:

      - a max # of pets 

      - whether fee is per night vs. total length of stay 

 - line item the charge (similar to the cleaning fee the cleaning fee) for transparency. This will eliminate guest/host dispute/confusion.

 

I'm sure there are other configurations that could be identified as fast followers such as size or breed (community or property restrictions), but those are more wish list than the priority items that seem to have most of us brainstorming how to modify our listing practices.

 

Thanks again!

Happy to consult if your product owners or developers need help from a UX perspective.

Steve

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good points @Steve3166 

It would be also great if instant booking wouldn't be possible with pets.

A  "pet" can mean anything from dogs to birds, adults or puppies, chihuahua or malamute... it should be discussed prior to booking.

The host or a cleaner may be allergic to feathers or cats... but not to dogs.

 

And if the pet fee is charged per stay then it should be separated from the nightly price, like the cleaning fee is, and not be refunded if the guest shortens his stay.

 

 

 

 

Hi Stephanie,

 

First of all, it would have been smart to ask questions and brainstorm with  the hosts about  "this new product" before the Airbnb implemented it . It is causing a lot of stress and anxiety.  

 

Second, I understand that assistance animals are not pets, but we still have to clean after them. To suggest that we have to host assistance animals without charging a cleaning fee is ludicrous. 

It also goes against other Airbnb idea/rule of paying fair living wages to all cleaning personnel. It takes hours to clean after pets/animals. Do you expect people to clean for free?

 

I am not even going to comment on forcing hosts to allow up to 5 pets per booking... laughable.

 

 

 

 

@Stephanie currently we charge $20/pet/night. A guest staying for two nights with one dog will pay $40. A guest staying for 10 nights with 3 dogs will pay $600. So, I imagine like many other hosts, when our options recently became either "pets stay for free" or a one-size-fits-none fee, we switched our listings to "no pets." It's really astonishing that after so many years of hosts clamoring for a pet fee Airbnb actually managed to make the situation worse. Or, at least, it should be astonishing, but I guess it really isnt. The pet fee should be handled just like the extra guest fee, or at least that should be an option. 

The silver lining is we have never allowed pets, so this is amusing and sad.  It is basic and obvious that hosts would want to choose "per stay" or "per night" for pet fees

Ironically, some hosts will stop hosting pets as a result of this insipid so-called feature. 

If Air actually had a host advisory board, this would not happen.  (Hint?  Hint?)  Rant over. 

Hi @Stephanie , I see that it has been about 6 weeks since you said you were sharing the feedback with the team and yet nothing has changed.  What is the anticipated time for a response/change in this policy.  It seems like everyone is asking for the same thing - a per per/per night fee with a maximum number of dogs being specified and the ability to pre-approve pets if wanted.  While I guess some people may think the only charge needed for pets is additional cleaning at the end of the stay there is so much more than that.  Besides the extra wear and tear on things there are other things to consider, i am sure I am not the only one who has additional yard clean up, and plant replacement due to owners allowing their pets to use my planters as toilets, and we live near the beach so the the dogs are taking showers, using additional towels etc.  Can we please get a resolution to this soon?  

Hi stephanie, could Airbnb please provide some sort of response to the strange way of charging for pets?  I have traveled extensively with my dogs and have operated guest house on Airbnb for over 6 years now. No matter how I think about the approach to pet fees, it simply makes no sense. I am now seeing on this thread that many other hosts are saying the same thing. We like dogs, but having them stay comes work LOTS of secondary issues and we should be provided an option for a per pet per night option. If not…. Could Airbnb please explain why not?  Would really appreciate some sort of response or status on this issue. Thank you. 

Vianey15
Level 2
Rosarito, Mexico

We need a per pet per night charge. To cover the daily clean up of dog poop & urine stains on the lawn. And the cleaning of dog hair upon check out. Some guests have allergies to pet dander.  We often need to do a deep cleaning to rid the home of dog hairs.  

Keryna0
Level 2
Columbus, OH

Agree that we should be able to add a per night pet fee with a max number of pets (this is what pet-friendly hotels do) and while I understand that we cannot deny assistance animals because that would be discriminatory, I do believe it would be fair to still be able to charge a cleaning fee. I was imagining the pet fee would be more comparable to an "extra guest" fee. 

Based on the way the new changes have been implemented I will continue to request my pet fee after the fact through the Resolution Center.

 

The positive on this change - hopefully I won't have to ask in advance if they're bringing pets any longer, it will just be a part of their booking details. 

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

And there is one more catch about the pet fee, it's getting better and better 😄

 

My nightly price is 35 € and I set 10€ per dog fee.

Then I tried to book 8 nights.

Looked at the price breakdown and it was 36€ x 8 nights. Clicked on it and it says "The nightly price is rounded". So, Airbnb "rounded" 10€ pet fee to 8€ !

 

Of course, ABB also deducted 5% host fee from it so in the end, I would get 7,5€ ... for up to 5 dogs 😄

 

There is absolutely no sense to mix the nightly, accommodation price with a one-time charge like a pet fee. It should be a separate fee, the same as the cleaning fee. And not refunded if the guest cancels in the middle of the stay.