Airbnb :: The culling of hosts begins

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Looks like those hosts who failed to sign up to the Enhanced Cleaning Protocol are now having their calendars blocked, but existing reservations being allowed to stand.

While I understand the rationale, as I’ve said before, this is a crude “one size fits all” protocol, when in reality “one size doesn’t fit all”.

I’ve just done a quick check here in Spain, and the blocking hasn’t reached here yet. I found around half a dozen listings locally that are still active, but not signed up to the enhanced clean.

So why aren’t folks doing it; is it principle, or is it because they can’t?

Thoughts?

JF

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I imagine there are hosts who just kind of ignore the notices they get from Airbnb, unless they have to do directly with reservations. We see on this forum over and over that many people don’t see Airbnb announcements that (presumably) went to every host. It’s easy to overlook things.

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I imagine there is quite a bit of this, like the host who “could not” mask up because they share hvac with guests. I suggested they mask up when in contact with guest and they never responded. IMO we are better off without hosts who either do not read, do not care or think that their leaving Air will make a difference.

Buh bye I say

RR

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It probably is principle…but it’s easy enough to sign-up and then go on cleaning the way you always have. Some people do not respond well to the ‘big brother’ approach, be it the Govt or an over-reaching corporate deity such as Air. But always easy enough to do a work-around with either. Common sense always works best…

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Hmmmm…

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Assuming of course that you are doing a thorough cleaning anyway, which I would assume most hosts are…
We have not changed any of our products or methods and still comply with their protocol…

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I’ll bet you don’t :wink: however the small tweaks needed to comply, are simply that.

A commodity in short supply it appears, not just from Airbnb itself, but also from hosts.

JF

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@JohnF Big discussion on this over on the Airbnb CC.

For most of the hosts there who have refused to sign up, it’s a combination of principle and practicality.

Principle: That Airbnb should not dictate these sorts of things to hosts.
That most of the hosts on that thread already do over and above cleaning and sterlizing and their reviews reflect that.

That there are parts of the world where COVID isn’t any big threat, like New Zealand, and no one is wearing masks there. It’s not a one size fits all and as long as hosts are following the mandates of their own areas, it’s none of Airbnb’s affair.

That Airbnb has not indicated that they will lift this protocol when COVID is no longer a pandemic situation. They could keep it in place forever.

Practicality: Some of the protocol is pointless, absurd, and not based on the current science. One host, who has been one of the most vocal supporters of taking COVID seriously, masking up, and following the science, has been blocking 4 days between bookings since the start of the pandemic with its attendent loss of income, because she understands that the airborne transmission is the most common danger and doesn’t expect her cleaners, herself, or guests to risk that. She makes sure things are properly sterlized, etc, but is simply not going to ridiculously rewash every item in her kitchens between every booking, because half the stuff hasn’t been used by the guests and no one is going to be infected by a cooking pot that’s clean and has been sitting in a house no one has been in for the past 48 hours. Nor put on gloves to carry clean laundry when her hands are freshly washed.

That’s just Airbnb hygiene theatre with no basis in science. And she won’t lie about doing it, that’s unethical to her.

And then there is the issue of what could happen if a scamming guest complains to Airbnb that the host hasn’t followed the protocol that is on their listing, or claims they contracted COVID there.

So those are the reasons I’m reading as to why hosts refuse to sign up.

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@muddy you’re preaching to the converted, I don’t agree with how this policy is being implemented either.

You’re also preaching to the seriously Oloroso challenged, it’s half eight in the evening here and I’m knackered from having to decipher Spanish at three speeds past my comprehension level for the past couple of hours :rofl:

JF

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@JohnF Maybe it’s the Oloroso that gave you the wrong impression of why I posted that, but it wasn’t intended to be preaching- it was in answer to your question up-thread:

You asked, I answered, based on the posts I’ve read elsewhere as to hosts’ reasons for declining to sign up.

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Sorry, the Oloroso was mentioned in humour.

Sadly, my ability to read long posts on a phone isn’t, I apologise, I missed the gist of your response.

JF

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I’ve signed up, but the kiwi on another thread seems to think that he’s going to be scammed and end up in court.

Frankly, I hadn’t thought of that as an issue - someone traveling comes here and contracts Covid within the 2 week window and decides that they got it in my shared listing?

Who needs that headache? I did the enhanced cleaning protocol, but now I worry some idiot is going to “contact trace” and get me in trouble.

ugh. people stink

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I don’t know if it would happen or not, I just presented it as one reason I’ve seen other hosts give for not wanting to sign up.

Certainly it would be Airbnb’s m.o. to take the guest’s word for it and decide to suspend or delist the host.

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If Airbnb, or any company within the hospitality sector, took action against a host, or hotel, based on the claim that a guest believed they’d caught Covid during their stay, it would set a very dangerous precedent.

The Track & Trace systems currently used by most health authorities are nowhere near being able to isolate one particular premises as being the source of an outbreak, unless they have a substantial amount of data, i.e. numerous infections. Even then, there is no certainty in their findings, hence the scattergun approach to advising individuals to self isolate.

In some respects, it’s a little bit like someone claiming they caught Influenza from a certain individual, or while within a specific location. Try and get that one to a court…

Sadly, that is the joker in the pack; no one knows how Airbnb will behave in the event a guest complains and over the past year or so, anecdotal evidence suggests that when a guest complains about anything, Airbnb are tending to side with them.

Another reason why, if practically possible, hosts should utilise all platforms available.

JF

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It doesn’t have to get to court, although in this country it most likely would as it’s not criminal, it’s a civil matter looking for damages.

Just the threat of a lawsuit in Florida would have insurance companies dropping clients like crazy.

And that’s all it would take to bring down a host.

My comments weren’t about the platform, but about personal liability and the threat of a suit.

I believe there are enough guest idiots out there who have already thought “Hey, I got Covid while traveling so I’m going to sue every person and/or hotel where I stayed because I don’t believe they cleaned properly.”

It’s a 'throw it on the wall and see if it sticks." there are disreputable attorneys who will take the case just so try to walk it up to Air.

people can really be awful

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I’ve got to say it, some aspects of your country are seriously fcuked up…

It’s also a reason why we carry a €2m public liability policy, as in the old normal we used to have a good number of US guests. The norm in Spain is around €250k.

JF

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You won’t get an argument from me. The litigious society started with that freaking woman who had her McDonald’s coffee in her lap and it spilled. Leading to a lawsuit that should never have been allowed near a courtroom, leading to lowered temperatures on brewed coffee, leading to (and I wince as I type this) warning labels that coffee/tea/hot beverages are… hot… and don’t put them in your lap while driving.

That spawned the stupidity we see where common sense and personal responsibility have bitten the dust.

I weep. And then I realize my tears only dilute my cocktail, so I stop. :wink:

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Yes, this and direct booking websites.

RR