for-profit abuse

[Robyn73]

Hi

Don't really know the appropriate place to discuss this, but as an Airbnb host myself, I find it annoying when I see for-profit real estate companies using Airbnb to list properties for rent. This seems to me to fly in the face of the SPIRIT of Airbnb, where the personal touch is what makes using Airbnb -as host or traveler - such a special experience.

For example: I have just come across a listing in Whitianga in New Zealand for a 3 bedroom house (6 guests) listed by "NZ Holiday Homes" and charging $1,210./night. In it's description, there is constant use of "my place" this and "my place" that, in a transparently deceptive attempt to make it sound personal. 

Other comparable sized homes in the area average between $200. and $400. a night(!!).

The exception is one beautiful place right on the beach - 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 8 guests - at a deserved $610./night. HALF the "NZ HH" lisitng. 

Unsurprisingly, this one is personally listed and has great reviews. Also unsurprisingly, the NZHH lisitng has no reviews at all.

Any comments?

Also...if anyone knows a way to actually contact a real person in Airbnb management in order to question such practices, I'd love knowing about it!

Many thanks,

Kim    

[Helen3]

@Robyn73 / kim

It's airbnb that accepts commercial hostels, B&Bs, hotels, hotel/apartments etc to list here. They do so because they are happy to take their money and this is what has helped it grow into the multi million company it is today.

Like many start ups it has grown far away from its roots and it's advertising is quite misleading selling the concept of home sharing when the reality is many hosts don't live anywhere near their properties, are landlords with many properties, professional property managers or fully fledged businesses.

That said as hosts who homeshare we benefit from the multi million pounds of ads and PR they invest in and their global brand.

So if we don't like it we should chose smaller platforms.

If you want to contact them. Use the search function here - the most popularly asked question so you will see hundreds of replies with contact details. Contact details also highlighted at the top of the Community Help forum and as always a quick search on Google will bring up the customer service numbers.

But they will probably provide you with a much more corporate speak response than the one I provided you with 🙂

[David126]

We all do this for profit. AirBnB would not have their current valuation just renting out spare bedrooms.

[Jennifer178]

While I do enjoy hostng for the most part: sometimes laughing and sometimes yelling at the postings, I have had some great interactions with people I will never see again and made real friends whom I will certainlhy see again and again; I am doing it for the money.  I work a full time job and all the work it takes to be a superhost.  If this was not paying my real estate taxes, medical bills and and little luxuries, I would not be doing this.  Being an on-sight host means sacrificing many personal things like privacy and blasting my stereo anytine I want. But the enjoyment and most definitely the money are why I do it.

I do not care what anyone charges. It is nobodies business but the person charging the fee.  You would not want anyone telling you what your place, time, aggrevation and effort are worth. I charge more for a room in my house than some whole house offering in my area.  I still get plenty of views, inquiries and bookings.  People pick where they want to stay for whatever reason.  If someone wants to pay too much for a so-so place, so what?  If you want to spend $1000 a night on someplace dumpy or palacial then that is your right. Options. Plenty of them. It is what makes the world go round. You will find that Airbnb echoes my sentiments because we are both running a for profit business.