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I’ve just gone through this option after seeing the new tag, with ABB saying both listings are eligible but we’re not when it comes to check in. If I go for a smart lock or other system, I will invalidate my house insurance. The only option I could tick is having someone on the premises for 24 hrs per day! Yay, of course I’m prepared to get out of bed to greet someone at 4 am. What are hotels for? Not our market anyway, although people do stay for work purposes. Plus I prefer to meet and greet within our check-in window (or later by agreement) to ensure I feel comfortable leaving people alone in the house. We go out a lot but twice we’ve stayed home because someone sent the antennae quivering. We’ve left a guest after the grand tour, only to come home to find him entertaining a young lady in our private sitting room. Then there was the drunk who locked other guests out… in the afternoon.
Rant over. I’ve emailed Air but doubt I’ll hear back.
Just because you aren’t in the “for work” category doesn’t mean you won’t get people who are business travelers. I think this is a category, just like all of Airbnb, it’s their platform. You can conform or you can quit using it. I think those are our options. I’ve been waiting for private entrance filter and a pet fee line item. Those seem easy. They seem to be ways to match guests with what they want, i.e., turn lookers into bookers. I’m still waiting.
I don’t like the work ready criteria either. We fit everything except we live on premises. It’s usually just me here most of the time. Personally, I think it would be nice as a business traveler having a caretaker behind the scenes keeping things running smoothly.
It looks like they’ve changed that requirement. Last time I looked it was there. Thanks for pointing that out. It now says “We’ve limited the work collection to types of listings we think business travelers will love. Your listing must be classified as: an entire home, a private room with a private bath, or a private room with an ensuite bath.”
I used to be whole place and as sirvin pointed out the other day, you couldn’t have pets. Those things kept me from being “business ready” before. But I think my place is an excellent choice for the single business traveler who has no need to cook or entertain or meet with clients in the room.
I’ve had business travelers for years and savvy Airbnb users who like pets and miss theirs while they are on the road or want a caretaker behind the scenes will ignore categories to get what they want. Airbnb is trying to find ways to facilitate the match of room offering with guest. One of the main problems platforms like this have is searching through listings can take forever. And then if you have to wait for someone to approve you, it’s a killer. If I want to go online and select and book my Airbnb for a work trip the category could be helpful. In my town the number of listings goes from over 300 to 30 when you click “for work.” And I’m perfectly happy to be bypassed by all the “family trip” people.
This is causing family ructions! His Lordship has found a locked keybox/pad thing, the only one approved by the police. So that should be alright then? Yes, you don’t actually have to use it; it just ticks the box, then you can arrange with guests separately if they want to use it.
But I don’t want anyone having access without my letting them in. or anyone traipsing through at 4 am or arriving when they feel like it and we’re out. He really doesn’t get it.
We do already have the odd business traveller, mainly involved with the new port being built in Dover docks or inspecting the local military school.
It probably only takes one complaint to get you removed from the category or having to refund a night. So if someone book in the for work category assured they can do self check in and then then can’t…see what I mean. Your Lordship needs to be reminded that he should try to under promise and over deliver, not the other way 'round.
Re the business ready requiring a carbon monoxide alarm. I am in Australia, the home is all electric - I bought one, but it sits in its box because it has nothing to measure!
The business-ready badge is pretty silly. We have it but have never had a business guest that has used the system. We’ve had plenty of guests who have been on business though. Our area has lots of conferences and business meetings. I contacted the conference centre to let them know about the rental. When I see that there’s a large conference coming here, I contact the company organising it. Easy.
I think “business ready” is gone or going away. I also thought business ready had to be flexible cancellation. A move to “moderate or flexible” is an improvement? The new “for work” criteria are better and help me.
Point to ponder: homes with an attached garage or vehicle parking close to/under a window may benefit from a carbon monoxide detector. I recently read an article that with the push ignition start cars it an increased number of distracted people would park in their garage and forget to turn off the car.
My garage is so full that parking my car in it isn’t an option!!!
We started with strict, then went to the middle one (I forget what it’s called … moderate?) and then went to fully flexible. I thought initially that strict was the way to go but no matter what policy we’ve had, it hasn’t made any difference at all.
Yes here in WA all rental properties have to have carbon monoxide detectors, it’s state law, regardless of the heating source. I think the scenario you describe is one if the reasons.
I’m also considering Moderate cancellation policy so I can get my work badge back (I’ve always been Strict). But worried will start getting too many cancellations…
