AirBnB Suspends Host for Claiming COVID-19 Immunity

[RiverRock]

@muddy

What I was wondering is why a home-owner would give over their place to a company that gets bad reviews and disgruntled guests

I live in a resort area and a corporate company that starts with the letter V mails me solicitations at least twice a month. They have a office in town and clearly are getting listings, their reviews are generally terrible. There are quite a few property owners who do not want to actually do any of the work and are willing to fork over 40% to a company to manage their listing. I just cannot imagine why they would use a company with consistently bad reviews. I have real estate clients ask me often if I would manage their listings and I always decline, not enough money in it for me.

RR

[HH_AZ]

@Jefferson

I expect that Air would not like our listing to actually state “Booking guests must be X or older”.

Unless you might be on the opposite side of the spectrum

The age discussion got me thinking about the many Senior Retirement Communities (i.e. ‘Sun City’) in AZ which require at least one of the homeowners be 55+

Age-Appropriate is the term they use:

“ If you live in an age-restricted community we can presume that at least one person in your household meets a certain age requirement. If you plan on renting out your residence on Airbnb, you will likely have to adhere to those same age restrictions for your renters. “

Can I Rent My House in an Active Adult Community on Airbnb?

[Jefferson]

@LoneStar

Protip: The way to not rent to guests under a certain age threshold in compliance with Airbnb terms is to form a business entity and make it a rule in the corporate documents. Alternatively, choose an insurer who has this requirement. They can’t overrule the business charter, your insurance company, HOA, or local rules.

Very interesting. I’m not trying to argue but discuss and understand. I do not see why “it should have to be a corporate rule” or “required by insurance”. Regardless of DBA, LLC, etc - why can’t this simply be “our policy”, provided that it “is not prohibited by law” - and this seems to the the bottom line in the TOS.

So, it seems clear that any of us can “turn away any inquiry or request” without stating why. But it is not clear about what is allowed to be written in the listing and house rules.

I expect that any of us could simply have a House Rule (and perhaps also line at the bottom of the listing that states “booking guest must be at least 25 years of age, per insurance requirements”. It is a nice neat “blame the 3rd party”. Air’s TOS has no language that entitles them to access.

Your thoughts?

[Debthecat]

So that a third party can be blamed for turning down the booking.
It’s not me… it’s them.

[JJD]

@Jefferson

why can’t this simply be “our policy”, provided that it “is not prohibited by law”

The exception to the Fair Housing rules that makes it “not prohibited by law”, also say that you can’t advertise the preference. You can decline applicants based on your preference, you just can’t advertise it. Putting an age preference in your listing is tantamount to advertising it. I remember when Airbnb changed the ‘no kids’ thing to “may not be safe or appropriate for kids” and it was for the same reason - that it was advertising.

[Jefferson]

@JJD

The exception to the Fair Housing rules that makes it “not prohibited by law”, also say that you can’t advertise the preference. You can decline applicants based on your preference, you just can’t advertise it. Putting an age preference in your listing is tantamount to advertising it. I remember when Airbnb changed the ‘no kids’ thing to “may not be safe or appropriate for kids” and it was for the same reason - that it was advertising.

Ah yeah that totally makes sense. So we can’t put it anywhere in listing even with the caveat re Insurance.

BUT - Air is free in Canada (may be different laws) to say “25 or older or you are SOL”.