Adult with minor girlfriend

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Adult with minor girlfriend

Has anyone else had an instant book by an adult stating their significant other is under age (17 in this case)?

 

I looked through Airbnb online help to see what the rules were against minors staying without parent/guardian and I didn't see anything. I also called Airbnb this morning and they stated that since the guest that booked was over 18, this is acceptable.

 

I still did not feel comfortable so I asked to cancel, sounds like I'm being penialized for this. I doubt this is worst case scenario (runaway, kidnapping, etc) or the guest wouldn't have been forthright with the info, HOWEVER, this still doesn't seem right and I would think this puts more liability on the host. I also don't think it's fair that I get dinged by cancelling in this situation.

 

Anyone else have this experience?

1 Best Answer
Helga0
Level 10
Quimper, France

you can’t accept such a stay without parental consent in writing, with a passport copy’of the parents maybe. If airbnb does not want to cancel, I would ask them to confirm, that’host guaranty covers potential liabilities, like the parents demanding child suport if the girl gets pregnant during the stay. Not to mention potential criminal pursuit for prostition of a minor, as the host facilitates the proceedings. In France, they could pursue you for that. 

I’m glad they came to their senses on second thought and cancelled the stay. 

 

After a single minor guest on a relative’s passport, I raised the question with a friend who works as a policeman in minor protection. He told me to never accept such a booking, as it can land you in horrible problems. Imagine the minor guest falls ill or has an accident. You have to call an ambulance and then explain, how a hurt minor ended up in your house, no one knows any contact info or real name, nobody can decide on surgery or treatment. 

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27 Replies 27
Lawrene0
Level 10
Florence, Canada

I have had young people stay, @Angela-And-Brandon0. The minute one of the couple turns 18, they set up an account and book. The other one is still 17. It has happened maybe three or four times. I see it more often maybe because I have a backpacker place? In all cases they have been wonderful guests, on their very best behaviour. 

 

Thanks @Lawrene0! Do you know or feel you have more liability in these situations?

To tell you the truth, @Angela-And-Brandon0, I don't feel particularly well protected from liability with any booking. Not a pessimist at all. It's just that anything could happen at any time, I suppose. So no more liability in this case than in any other.

What are you thinking will happen?

 

 

I’m mostly uncomfortable with the fact that she is 17 and not traveling with a parent/guardian. I wouldn’t allow my 17 yr old to travel over night with her boyfriend. Maybe I’m old school 😉 also, I can go to worst case scenarios - runaway’s kidnappings. 

What is the "age of consent" in your state? 

 

Also, have you had some back-and-forth with the booker, to get a sense of their relationship and why they're traveling together?  Our listing asks people to tell us a little bit about themselfves, and what brings them to Seattle. If they don't put that in the initial contact, I will ask them.   I'm just thinking of when my husband took our daughter to "away" swim meets and dance competitions that I couldn't attend..  It was an adult with a 15, 16,or  17-year old, but absolutely above board.

 

 

 

 

But then the “child” is with their parent. Totally different than being with a non-custodial adult. 

I have seen listings that say that any minors must be accompanied by their parent. 

Id be concerned too. Sorry abb doesn’t seem concerned or interested in helping you 

Exactly. Airbnb did wind up helping in the end. I guess I never thought this would come up! And I’m surprised airbnb doesnt have anything in their terms and conditions. 

18. A child with a parent is an entirely acceptable situation. An 18 year male with his 17 year old girlfriend is not. Do her parents know where she is going? Do they agree? I’m not sure asking these questions to someone who is booking is going to get a legit answer. That said Airbnb did help in the end and it’s been cancelled and taken care of. 

Rene-and-Zac0
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

Plaintiffs attorney: ‘ And you knew there were going to be minors in your home?’

 

You: ‘Yes, but um Airbnb says it’s ok’

 

Plaintiffs Attorney: ‘So you knew my client was there to meet a child for an overnight stay?’

‘When did you find out a child was going to engage in an adult relationship in your rental and did it concern you?’

You: Yes 

 

Plaintiffs attorney: ‘clearly you showed a depraved indifference to the safety of a child’. 

 

Girls mother on the witness stand : ‘My daughter was an angel and these people allowed a monster to hold our child without our permission ‘

You see how this could go very very wrong @Angela-And-Brandon0 ? 

@Rene-and-Zac0, wow, when you put it THAT way....! Yikes!

@Rene-and-Zac0 yes! And that's exactly why I cancelled their reservation! 

A 17 year old isn't really a child...a 18 and 17 year old can legally be together, have sex, be in a relationship and whatever. Legal consenting age is at least 16 and there's such thing as the "romeo and juliet" law which states that all relationships in contex of minors are legal as long as one person is not over 4 years older than the other...so hence a 16 year old can legally date an 17-20 year old but a 16 year old cannot date a 21 year old. Also 17 is way too close to 18 so a court will definitely not be calling them a child and will 9 times out of 10 have the case dismissed because teens will be teens those are just the things they do and 17 year olds can easily be considered an adult in court. (My aunt is a judge and my step mother is a lawyer btw)

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

I guess that rules out self check ins.

David

Had the guest who booked not mentioned his 17 year old girlfriend accompnaying him, I wouldn't have been of the wiser. In that case, I'm not sure there is much we can do as hosts. If a guest mentions their under age significant other, I think it's within our moral compass as hosts to say no. At least to me it is.  (some back history on this...the guest is 18, he wasn't sure how to list his girlfriend since she is 17, doesn't have an account and isn't an "adult". So he opened the can of worms by asking thsoe questions.) Had he just listed two adults, not mentioned anything about an underage girlfriend, I wouldn't haven't known. But in that case, he would have been representing the situation differently and there would be no way for me TO know.) I think since I knew, that's where a bigger liability comes in. At least in my mind! Therefore his reservation was cancelled as I'm not taking that on as a host.