I haven’t had the issue but I know some hosts have had significant extra costs due to those infants and/or want to make 100% sure that none are guests due to unsuitability of listing. So I think that policy while nice to guests is not good for hosts in some situations.
I saw a listing where the angry host had in capital letters that anyone arriving after 10 pm would pay a $150 FEE CASH!! LOL. And some other capital letters and exclamation points and rules.
There are a lot of things that “aren’t allowed” but done all the time. It’s just a matter of what Airbnb will back you up on. And given that they don’t even back up hosts on some things that are following the rules it’s no wonder that 1000s of hosts do whatever they want without fear.
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I’ll be demanding to see a birth certificate to verify that 40 pound infant’s age.
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I appreciate you say you work for Airbnb, but some of us are highly experienced hosts and know our way around how Airbnb works quite well.
I’ve looked at the information on its Help Centre which used to clarify that hosts can charge for infants if they say this in their house rules but it isn’t clear.
Can children travel on Airbnb?
Infants (children under 2 years old) aren’t counted as guests when you’re booking a reservation and don’t incur any extra costs. Some hosts count children as guests, which can add an additional guest fee to the reservation.
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Children are over two years old. Infants are under two and can not be charged as an additional guest. I just had a case with a host who tried charging for an infant and lost the case after it went to a supervisor who confirmed ToS and not being able to charge for infant. I’m not saying it doesn’t happen because it does every day. What I’m saying is policy and once a guest complains to a support agent, the host will be informed of policy. IMO I’m not sure why hosts charge for an infant when it isn’t costing them extra (for the most part) but that’s not my business.
Infants and children count towards guest number but only children can be charged for the additional guest fee. Infants may not technically be charged as a guest per policy
Infants have a cost attached to them and create more damage and create more rubbish.
Airbnb may have changed their policy on this, but I know for sure that Airbnb did allow hosts to charge for infants if they stated this in their house rules.
Can you imagine having guests turn up with three or four toddlers.
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I’m not saying it doesn’t happen. Once again, policy is 0-2 are infants and can not be charged. Over two are children and can be charged.
And I am saying it was something that Airbnb said it was legitimate for hosts to do ie charge for infants in your HR, so looks like Airbnb have changed their policy.
You must realise they change their polices on a regular basis and often don’t tell hosts when they have done so.
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Yes very much so. The higher ups change policy without telling agents most of the time too. I know what you mean.
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Just like any guest it might or might not cost extra. Sometimes babies have quite a mess in their diapers and also little boys will pee when the cold air hits Mr. Happy and urine literally flies through the air. Unless a parent has taken great care there are a lot of things that can happen. And at the very least there will me more and stinkier trash. Here at my home a crying/screaming infant will almost certainly cause the dogs to bark. I know this from friends staying with an infant, thankfully no Airbnb guest has. The only inquiries I’ve gotten I explain about the dogs in hearing distance and the small size of the room and the guest has agreed that my place isn’t the best choice.
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Another consideration: your insurance company considers all humans regardless of age to be a guest. If your business licence is for a certain number of people - there isn’t an age listed as an exemption. Both legit reasons to turn down a “free” infant.
Would Airbnb support this?
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Good question but that’s geared towards tax and legal department so I can’t answer it. I would fight that as a loophole if needed
- IS there any way to look up the ToS from a particular time (say, Jan. 1, 2014) ?
- Or to see its accretion of added verbiage over time?
Would love to demonstrate the vortex of change that the ToS are, and how hosts are in the dark as time goes on as to changes.
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I would love to but it’s not possible. Once an update occurs, the old ToS is removed even for internal staff.
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(Eric Cartman voice)
THOSE BASTARDS!
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It’s their cheesy puffs and they don’t share nice with others… It is Airbnb after all lol
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You could use Wayback Machine if you have the URL.
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Stand by for a recording of me SAYING PRETTY much THIS to a judge in court.