What do you do when you see a competitor listing that is clearly illegal?

[Carol0]

As a host I often look at other listings in my city and see blatantly illegal ones. Several even state in the listing something like, "Don't tell my landlord or any of my neighbors that you are renting from AirBnB! Just say you are a friend!"  I see students renting out dorm rooms at the university. I see apartments and condos where I'll bet the landlord doesn't know.  Can these be reported, and if so, does anyone know if AirBnB really shuts down those listings?

[Jessa0]

Yes you can flag inappropriate listings but also do ask yourself this, when the airbnb founders got an airbed in their living room to help them cover rent cost (= the birth of airbnb) just how legal was their enterprise, just how in on it was the landlord really? Just how legal is airbnb in many of it's operating cities and countries? Airbnb is still very much illegal in many places, or under strict regulations that the vast majority of hosts in those areas disobey. Are you looking to shut down competitors because you want to improve your booking rate or are you looking to shut down listings that could be a security hazard to potential guests? If it's the first, leave those college kids alone in their dorm, they're not even competition, they're attracting other college kids looking for a cheap matrass or couch to rest on in between binge drinking. I would let these listings be unless they are a danger or fraude or rip off, you're not the police or the city council. Do flag listings that appear fake or dangerous or where hosts embed a gazzillion hidden costs in their description. If this is about improving your bookings, focus on your listing and you will be just fine I'm sure. And get a profile pic, guests are not booking with a lake but with a person, that makes a huge difference

[Carol0]

Hi Jessa,

I work as a landlord for property my parents used to manage, a small triplex. There is a legal rental agreement and tenants can sublet with landlord approval of tenants. We pay for all the utilities of the tenants. We pay for insurance. If a tenant illegally sublets on AirBNB, the landlord is paying for the utilities.  The landlord is paying for all the repairs.  If you own your own home, you'll understand that you are responsibile for repair and maintenance.  What's worse is  what happens is there is an accident. What is neighbors start complaining.   Many people think they are covered by their homeowner's insurance - but if they are running a paying business, they are not. Oh yeah, AirBnB will step in.  I told my homeowner's insurance company I had an AirBnB and they immediately cancelled my policy. I now own CBIZ vacation insurance for twice the premium.  This millenial generation seems to be re-inventing the wheel in many ways.  Ignoring old laws for selfish benefit.  

[Carol0]

Hi Jessa,

So are you implying AirBnB is a knowingly and blatantly illegal operation? Because I thought it's legal, or I would not be doing it myself.

[Carol0]

I did not ask for your criticism of my ad.  And I do have a profile pic...you just have to click the photos.. Or did you not know that! Because  like many AirBnB hosts and guests you don't seem to really understand yet how it works. You're just in it for your own convenience and self-interest.

[Jessa0]

that's inappropriate. I've been doing this for well over two years with hundreds of bookings and I know every corner of this website except perhaps for this new community forum thing, I'm hosting because I love it and it's my way of covering the cost of 6 years of bachelor and master studies and 4 years of nearly unpaid PhD studies. In this new "community" center the community spirit seems a little bit low... in the host forums we'd comment on stuff like that, because it affects our booking rates, I see a lake or a flower pot, I don't book, and many people share that sentiment, so it's a quick fix and free advice from one host to another. I'm far from perfect at this and constantly looking for insights and help from other hosts, in the groups this worked pretty well, looks like the mentality is "attack" over here though 😞

[Carol0]

Anyway, I'm sorry if I offended you. I wish I could stay in your $274 night villa or yacht. All I could offer you in return is my $39/night basement room near Seattle.

[Drew0]

This thread perfectly illustrates why this "community" needs a 'block user' feature.  as it is, this board remains rife with rubbish to mine through.  sigh.

[Jessa0]

euhm no Carol, you asked a question I gave my take on it, that's not an attack, given the latest airbnb announcement on pictures having to be of faces I figured I could throw that in as well since the reasoning behind that is to improve trust when we see faces, that increases booking rates. Mentioning that is clearly something we only do in the group forums and not part of community culture... learnt something new today. As for the yacht and the villa, what are you on about? I rent out rooms for under 50usd/night in a college town, in a house older than your country, I do it by myself, it's hard work and it pays off. I'm grateful airbnb has given me this opportunity. Yacht and villa belong to family members and even if they were mine - what is your point? Spoilt trustfund kid or something? That's not me. Now I believe the concept of the community center was, like groups, for us to support each other, give advice, feedback, input, it's a learing curve and this is a brave new economy. I try to manouver it gracefully. Good Night.

[Carol0]

You seem to have difficulty understanding the relationship between fake, dangerous and illegal.  They are often times THE SAME THING. I hope you have a chance in your numerous studies to also study law.

[Carol0]

You seem to have difficulty understanding the relationship between fake, dangerous and illegal.  They are often times THE SAME THING. The use of the word "competitor" in my question seems to make you sneer at my "lack of community spirit" - topped off with my "photo of a lake" for a profile.  Well as someone who is actually trying to run a REAL, SAFE ( as opposed to FAKE, DANGEROUS) LISTING, you seem to take issue with my wondering if AirBnB MINDS that people are ILLEGALLY RENTING out places that technically WILL become FAKE and DANGEROUS  because they are doing it illegally.  Things BECOME  illegal for a REASON.  It's usually because it leads to fraud and danger.  Anyway, dont bother replying since I'm ignoring this thread as there seems to be no one remotely worth consulting on this thread, anyway.

[Carol0]

Do flag listings that appear fake or dangerous... but not illegal. Ok, so that's the gist of your conversation.

[Peter0]

I would like to use the biblical invitation to those who are without sin to cast the first stone.

I don't like the guys down the corridor from me who are illegally letting their whole place but I'm not going to spend my energies "shopping" them to the authorities.  I am concerned at the possibility that bad behavior of guests might damage the tolerance for home sharing generally in my community.  But right now that isn't the issue.

What many of us are doing in my area is technically illegal.  We are allowed to do 90 days of short term letting a year in London under some recent deregulation.  In practice those with spare rooms on Airbnb like me are looking for up to 366 days a year.  And the authorities can't of course identify the actual number of days we have had guests.  

My own preference here is to live and let live.  

[Carol0]

Hi Peter,

That's exactly what I've been doing, but wanted to know how others felt.

[Carol0]

 And also to wonder exactly what people use that "flag poster" and "flag listing" for.