New Superhost criteria – unfair to long-term hosts

[Katie---Sean0]

This is just a vent -- I don't think there is anything I can do about it 😕

The new Superhost criteria seems unfair to Long-Term hosts.

We will lose our Superhost 1st April due to the following new criteria:

Host 10 stays in the past year (or 100 nights over at least three stays for Hosts with longer-term reservations)

All of our stays have been 1 to 3 months -- but we've had an increasing number of stays for 6 months or more, including one for 11-months.

We have always received 5-star ratings in every category, for every stay.

We've held Superhost status the ENTIRE time we've been hosting Airbnb (apart from the first 3 months of course). 

The problem is the "100 nights over at least 3 stays" criteria. The longer our stays, the less likely we are able to meet this.

So our ratings will very likely continue to be 5-stars across the board -- but we we will lose Superhost status. It doesn't make sense.

It seems odd to penalize Long-Term Hosts in this way. Since the pandemic Long-Term stays have become much more popular.  Airbnb is the top method we use find all our guests, and we use it almost like a property management service.  It's been a great "hybrid" solution for us to offer Long-Term furnished rentals.  

I'd like to hear from any other Long-Term Hosts affected by the new Superhost criteria -- and also any comments about how Airbnb could be making it easier for Long-Term Hosts and Guests to arrange Long-Term stays -- currently it's unreasonably difficult.

Katie

[Katie---Sean0]

@Emilie – your response here is much appreciated, thank you.  

I've thought a lot about exactly the question you ask before I even posted -- how could the SH program be fairer to Long-Term hosts, or a mix of Short/Long?

The only think I can think of is -- if a Hosts' stays are all over a certain number of nights (perhaps 14 or 28 or whatever) -- there could be a slightly different set of SH criteria (or an additional criteria) for these hosts making it more likely they will achieve SH status in the same way as Short Term Hosts. 

While I have your ear, the other thing that would be very useful to Long Term Hosts is the ability to communicate more easily during the planning and negotiating stage, before the reservation is made.   I totally understand why Airbnb restricts the exchange of contact information before a booking is made, it's to stop people going "off platform" and probably other liability reasons too.  But when discussing a 6-month stay, Guests and Hosts need to have a phone call or two, it's a fairly big commitment especially when Guests aren't local and haven't even had a viewing in person. 

I've heard both from Airbnb in marketing emails, and read in news articles -- that the percentage of Hosts offering Long Stays instead of tenancy contracts (or some kind of "hybrid" setup) -- has increased hugely since March 2020.  Personally speaking, we much prefer finding our Long Stay guests through Airbnb, because the guests have almost always been great – really nice, thoughtful, friendly, cool folks.  Plus we can like being able to have "house rules" instead of a tenancy agreement.  

Sometimes we do the first 1-3 months through Airbnb, and the rest of the time on a "fixed term" contract.  Other times we do the whole stay through Airbnb.  It depends on the guest, and this is another reason it's great to be able to have a call. 

I think if Airbnb was set up better for Long Stay Hosts, we would prefer to always do the whole stay through Airbnb where possible, it's just so much easier than writing up contracts.  So if Long Term Hosts could 1) be better included in SH Criteria, 2) be able to have phone calls before booking, and 3) there was some kind of fee discount for doing the entire stay through Airbnb -- now that would be perfect 🙂 

Thanks again,

Katie

[Emilie]

@Katie---Sean0 thanks for this additional feedback! You're correct that long-term stays have become more and more frequent so this is all really useful for the team. I'll pass on all your comments and suggestions to them. 🙂

[Rebecca1710]

It's absurd that long-term stays make you lose superhost status.  How does having a long stay make you have fewer nights?  (It's called bad math since you aren't counting any nights from the current stay that isn't completed.)

I was only reported as having 86 nights on March 31st.

Then had 186 by April 2nd.  Basically I lost superhost status because my guest checked out a few days after the end of the quarter.  

If you aren't going to count any nights of the current stay:  Count all the nights of 12 months before it.

[Katie---Sean0]

@Rebecca1710 it’s good to hear from other long-term SuperHosts losing their status due to the qualification criteria, but I’m sorry this happened to you. It must be frustrating to work so hard and have that happen. Also the regular Support is nowhere near as good as the new SuperHost support.

Somehow I didn’t lose my SuperHost status during the last April assessment as support suggested I would. I don’t know what happened there. But I’m almost sure I’ll lose it at the next one, due to how my current long-stays are booked.

I like your suggestion, I wonder if it could help: 

If you aren't going to count any nights of the current stay:  Count all the nights of 12 months before it

[Emilie]

@Rebecca1710 @Lorna23 Appreciate all your honest comments on this, thank you for sharing your perspective with us! I'll highlight your feedback on the Superhost criteria to the team as well 🙏

[Lorna23]

Thank you again for your quick response,  Emillie, I understand the rules, but they sure need to be updated. Thank you for forwarding my concerns.  Its the most frustrating part of contacting super host support, all they do is repeat the rules and say sorry. Forwarding the problems to someone who made the unfair rule is certainly being much more helpful.  regards lorna

[Katie---Sean0]

@Emilie -- thanks for your responses here, it’s much appreciated that somebody from Airbnb might be taking notice. May I ask if the team is considering any changes to accommodate the issues highlighted here?

[Emilie]

@Katie---Sean0 I'm afraid I don't have more details to share, though I did pass on everything you've raised and suggested in this thread. If there are any changes, we'll keep you in the loop as much as possible here on the CC!

[Max2111]

Super host status is almost unobtainable for me since I'm legally allowed to host long-term stays only. I just had guests stay 90+ nights and went above and beyond for them. As a result, I received 5-star rating across the board and an amazing review. I take my hosting responsibilities very seriously. When can we expect the criteria for the long-term super host to be modified?