Hosts can't control if children and infants stay at your listing

[Susie0]

This 10 year host and shareholder has had it...potentially I could never get sleep having to listen to infants every night if I were to follow the Airbnb policy. Per their customer service:

While I understand that your house rules state that the place is "Not suitable for children and infants", this does not mean that you are exempted from hosting reservations with children and infants.

In fact, refusing a reservation purely because of the presence of children and infants is against Airbnb's Nondiscrimination Policy. Hosts may not impose any different terms or conditions or decline a reservation based on the guest’s age or familial status, where prohibited by law. Hosts can disclose, as a heads-up, that their listing is "Not suitable for children and infants", but it is up to the parents to bring their children or infants with them.

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My listing is now snoozed for 6 months on the road to being deactivated. 

[Brian2036]

@Susie0 

That must have come from someone who is extraordinarily ignorant.

The key phrase is, “where prohibited by law.”

It is NOT prohibited by law to refuse admittance to people who you do not want in your house. 

I make it very clear that if anyone tries to introduce children into my rental property they will be denied admittance. Period. No exceptions.

If they want to try to sue me for discrimination they’re welcome to waste thousands of dollars and several years doing it.

[Brian2036]

@Susie0 

Speak of the Devil, now I’m dealing with a situation where someone is determined to bring at least  3 children, and I suspect more, as well as at least two adults. 

Naturally they only intend to pay for two people.

So I had to review the famous non-discrimination policy and the phrase “Hosts may not impose any different terms or conditions or decline a reservation based on the guest’s age or familial status…” is definitely not in there.

Obviously you CAN discriminate against people based on age because you are allowed to, and indeed encouraged to, refuse bookings from anyone under 25.

Now she has my calendar blocked with her totally inappropriate request and she refuses to withdraw it or respond to messages.

 I guess I’m going to have to decline, which will get me a rude message from Airbnb, which doesn’t care one whit about the damages I would sustain if I were foolish enough to allow this gang into my house.

So be it. Obviously they have mistaken me for someone who gives a fiddler’s….

[Anthony223]

@Brian2036   Well said Brian. I am 100% with you on this.

[Brian2036]

@Mabelle1 

The point here is that SOME families do NOT bother searching for “places that can accommodate them all.”

They merely decide that I have an obligation to accommodate them all whether I like it or not.

And I don’t. I don’t like it at all.

PS: Quit it with the irrelevant advertising. It’s annoying.

[Kelly65]

These types... and it is a large majority, are why I NEVER have and NEVER will use INSTANT BOOK. I decide who is welcome in my home... not Airbnb. I live here with a young family and I will not expose my children to unsuitable guests or tolerate the disturbance and damage most of these types and their unsupervised brats will cause.

[Laura2592]

I cannot for the life of me understand why parents of children who may be unsafe in our space insist on trying to book our space. It boggles my mind. Do you prefer a spot that has dangers to your toddler? 

I have actually has people respond to my polite message about why our place isn't safe for kids under 2 with "that's ok. We don't mind that." As though I'm just warning them and they can choose to ignore what I'm saying.  And I feel like saying  "oh OK. You generally don't care about your kids well being. I get it." But I don't. 

We hosted infants until we had parents who parked themselves at our space for a wine weekend and left a mess. When I messaged about the copious amount of extra cleaning needed I got a response that they were "on vacation" so didn't need to tidy at all and a veiled threat that my stairs were "unsafe for a crawling baby." Sure...if you aren't watching them I can totally see that. So now we do not allow kids under 2 period. We have had a few snuck in and left appropriate reviews.  There's nothing  noble about hosting kids in a house that's not set up for them.

[Brian2036]

@Laura2592 

I’m sure these same people would be quick to file a lawsuit if their precious darlings fell off the roof or hanged themselves with the curtain cords.

Claiming that I warned them would make their attorney wet himself with joy.

”Aha! So you were well aware of the dangers, but you lured these innocent lambs to the slaughter anyway? Shocking!”

 I’m thinking of adding this to my listing description: “Not responsible for children who are left unattended in the forest and eaten by wolves, bears or witches.”

[Sean1234]

@Brian2036 @How did this all work out for you?   I just hosted a young couple and baby.  Destroyed my place.  Used 11 bath towels and 9 hand towels in 4 days.   food everywhere.  I want to say never again.   This all wouldnt be an issue if parents just...parented.  But i need to know my options.  they somehow destroyed a top corner of my bathroom vanity under the quartz.  Hoping they compensate me but i doubt it. 

[Kelly65]

You've only got to observe a majority of parents in public and their unsupervised, disrespectful, disruptive brats to know that hosting them is a mistake and a costly one at that. I don't accommodate anyone under 18 and I won't be dictated to by Airbnb or anyone else. This is our family home and how I run it and who I accept, is solely at my discretion. I do not offer instant book. My household rules state we accommodate adults 18yrs and over only. When people send a booking request, they are expected to advise the purpose of their trip and confirm no guest is under 18. Short of this, booking.com is a better option, as they respect hosts policies in this regard and I also set up my own website and take bookings direct. Not accepting children is NOT discrimination in anyway... it's protecting ones property and stress levels. Set a security deposit in your financials section and make sure you take photos of damage and submit a request to Airbnb to claim on that deposit for your loss. Don't leave yourself open. Hosts need to take a stand here and seek to reduce their reliance on platforms like Airbnb that are exploiting and disrespecting them. With instant book turned off... if you have your own website for bookings direct... tell the potential guest to book direct. Though Airbnb doesn't allow the sharing of websites etc... simply tell them the property name to search on Google for and let them know you offer a lower rate and something like a free bottle of wine and/ breakfast. Get creative and step away from platforms that exploit. That's my advice and I've been doing this since 2016. 

[Suzi-And-Colin0]

Hi Kelly,

my luxury ABNB in WA is just not suitable for children, we have extensive outdoor balconies that are potentially dangerous for children, and steep and very loud stairwell to get up to our 2 rooms in our home. No yard for children either.

We have grand kids, we love kids, but this house is just not suitable for kids.

A recent serious accident where a children’s over the balcony has scared the daylight out of my husband and I.

ABNB suspends us (did suspend us) if we refuse bookings with children? 
Said it’s discrimination which is rubbish, my home is just suitable for kids. I do the same, advise them of all the dangers and yet they say “that’s ok”? 

I’m curious to know how you are able to get around ABNB not suspending? 

[Suzi-And-Colin0]

That should be “NOT” suitable

[Helen3]

I would suggest you start your  own thread rather than posting in the middle of someone else's @Suzi-And-Colin0 @it's more likely to be seen and get you a response 

[Linda--and-Rick-0]

Hahaha! Love your 'wolves, bears, or witches' comment.

[Marg11]

Wow, we do not host children under 2 because we have a frog pond accessible from the bedroom sliding door, a garden full of plants not suitable for children to eat and do not supply a cot, high chair child's toilet seat on purpose. We would definitely refuse a booking with under twos and Airbnb can block us if they like.