Airbnb Select Program

Answered!
Susan-and-Eric0
Level 3
Cape Town, South Africa

Airbnb Select Program

Hi all,

 

So I have been chosen to participate in the Airbnb Select Programme.  I have addressed and complied with ALL requirements apart from one item:  Carbon Monoxide Detector.

 

However, I do not have any gas appliance, gas mains, gas pipes, no free standing gas bottles on my property.  The villa is 100% powered by electricity.  But no matter how many times I tell airbnb this, they continue to insist I purchase a Carbon monoxide detector.  Furthermore, they do not answer my question why I need one.  Airbnb's inflexibility over this matter is most frustrating as it is preventing me from being accepted into the programme.  

 

Anyone else in Cape Town or indeed anywhere else having the same issue?  I would love to hear from you and learn how you may have resolved this issue with Airbnb without a needless expense of purchasing a detector

 

Thank you.

Eric

1 Best Answer
John1902
Level 8
Aldeburgh, United Kingdom

Cigarette smoke has all sort of noxious gases within it and it stinks. That’s why we don’t let people smoke inside. The point here is not about preventing someone smoking it’s about  not poisoning your guests.  I don’t believe anyone is at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning from cigarette smoking even if you chain smoked a full packet and kept all the doors and windows shut.  A carbon monoxide detector is there to detect when appliances that burn carbon based fuels are faulty as incomplete burning results in CO production.   The advice is to fit one to each room in which a carbon fuel burning appliance is located.   

 

What the OP is rightly saying is that without carbon fuel burning appliances they has reduced the risk down to nil of poisoning their guests with CO.  She is doing her bit for safety for her guests by not having any items that produce CO.   So why would anyone insist on a CO detector for places such as this.   It’s impossoble to comply with the rules for fitting them as if you don’t put them in rooms that dont have carbon fuel burning appliances.  

 

Not only does this affect the ability to get a status that allows you to be business ready or part of plus programme but it places a black mark on your listing that no doubt puts off some people.  Without the ability to explain visibly why there is not one fitted, the application of a blanket 

policy only goes to penalise those that have actually gone the extra mile for their guests.  It’s total nonsense and exhibits no common sense whatsoever. 

 

Oh and smoke alarms don’t detect CO.  Only joint smoke alarm and co detectors do that. 

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27 Replies 27
Oomesh-Kumarsingh0
Level 10
Pamplemousses, Mauritius

@Susan-and-Eric0 I believe Airbnb isnt wrong at all, if they have asked you to buy a CO dectector better do it. You may not be aware of this but CO gas can be also produced by a burning cigarette or furniture in other words any burning flame in a lack of oxygen will produce CO. You mentioned that you dont use LPG bottles and gas pipes which is completely irrelevant here as Carbon monoxide (CO) isnt present inside natural gas or LPG bottles but it can be produce if you burn cooking gas in a lack of oxygen. Good luck and buy the detector 🙂

Hi Oomesh,

Thanks for your reply, but I'm not sure I fully understand.  I have a working smoke detector and fire extinguisher in the property.  I also have a separate fire escape.  I'm not sure what you mean by "in a lack of oxygen" or how that scenario can come about.  There is no possibility that gas can be burned inside the property as there are ZERO gas appliances for cooking or for any other use.  May be I am not informed enough over this issue, but the most frustrating thing is that Airbnb are simply not clarifiying this situation.

Thanks

Eric

@Susan-and-Eric0 What i wanted to explain to you by a lack of oxygen is that if you close all windows and doors of your house or apartment on a rainy day that may reduce the oxygen level inside your place and lets say in that same period something in your property catches fire due to a short circuit CO gas will be produced due to that lack of oxygen. But as you have now mention that you do have a smoke detector i think you dont need a CO detector because most smoke detectors can detect CO. I would now advice you to do a small test by simply burning a cigarette or piece of paper inside your property and see how fast your smoke detector works. If the alarm will start in less than 10s then you have a good product if no then buy a CO detector. Take all precautions before starting the test!!!. Happy hosting.

Thank you Oomesh.  I have found a CO detector.

Hoping that all is in order now with my entry into the programme.

Much appreciate all your advises.

Cheers

Eric

@Susan-and-Eric0 Glad to hear that you found a CO detector and i am sure you will have your entry for that program. Good luck!!!

You can get CM from exhaust fumes - I have a combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarm in each bedroom AND outside in each hallway.   I don't have gas activated in my apartment. 

Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

@Susan-and-Eric0  Carbon monoxide detector is a requirement in houses in California, USA if you sell your house.  Don't know if required in all states.  I live in an all electric house as well.  No big deal.  Costs less than $40.

Hi Linda,

Thanks for your message.  From what I can research on the web, I do not believe we have such a requirement here in Cape Town, South Africa.  However, may be another Cape Town host may want to clarify?  The cheapest I can see on line here is ZAR1,900 which is about $150.  But it's not about the expense, it's about Airbnb providing clarity and why they need us to have a CO detector.  To date, I get stoney silence from them!

Cheers

Eric

 

@Susan-and-Eric0, my day job is property management.  Where we live in the US, CO detectors are required in any buildings with a gas-burning appliance or fireplace (and possibly attached garages, not sure as there are very few in this area).  However, these buildings are individually inspected. 

 

My guess, AirBnB has a blanket requirement for a CO detector since in the absence of individual inspections they can't tell whether you "need" one or not. 

 

In my experience, if I ask a large company "why", the answer is often a flat "because it is policy".  You could probably write a science fiction novel about a planet where everything that was or happened required a valid reason 😉

Thank you Linda.  Much appreciate your note.

Kind regards,

Eric

Pam102
Level 2
Cape Town, South Africa

Hi Eric

I am also in Cape Town and have the same problem.  I am happy to buy a carbon monoxode detector,  but can't find one anywhere.  I have tried all the usual retail and electrical outlets without success. 

Pam

Hi Pam,

I found one today at Builders Warehouse in Kenilworth.  R350.

Good luck!

Eric

Amazon sells them. 

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

Seem to be remeber ABB handing them out free. They do not cost much, Home Depot equivalent or Amazon.

David