Posts for Tag: airbnb

Airbnb steps up but I still won't rent out my home

We want to make it right. On August 15th, we will be implementing a $50,000 Airbnb Guarantee...

I said just last night that Airbnb should not be held liable for damages to a host's home should a renter damage it. I guess the bad PR was enough for them to create a policy that I think will invite more fraud and abuse than it is meant to prevent. I haven't read the details of the policy but I hope they put a ton of strings/steps required to cash in on that policy.

Still, $50K is nowhere near enough to get me to rent out my home. The potential property and emotional damage caused to EJ during her home ransacking is something that I just can't put myself through no matter what the compensation. Your home is your home. Making a few hundred bucks here and there is just not worth it.

Airbnb is not liable but will take the heat

The PR debacle surrounding Airbnb is in full swing. Stories are coming out of the woodwork re: people who have put up their places for rent only to have them trashed and violated. Hopefully the team at Airbnb can power through this, improve, and more importantly, continue operating this game changing service. Online fraud and abuse have been around virtually as long as the Internet has been commercially available. I remember being scammed on an e-commerce site back in 1996 (was buying a 28.8 modem for 50% off retail... should have known it was too good to be true). Unfortunately any service that starts getting popular will attract people who will attempt to exploit it.

In my opinion, Airbnb is NOT liable for the damages caused to these homeowners. They are just a marketplace where two parties meet to conduct business. Much the same way I don't hold eBay liable should someone scam me on an auction. The marketplace should provide tools and tips to assist me in vetting the people I choose to do business with but other than that, there's nothing else they are required to do. I'm a consenting adult entering into an arrangement with another consenting adult. Still, Airbnb will take the heat for this because they are caught up in a perfect storm of sympathy for the wronged, some PR gaffs on their part, and the hype that was created by their recent funding and billion dollar valuation. I hope some good will come out of this in the form of increased vigilance on the part of Airbnb customers and maybe some new tools that will help people vet and certify good renters.

On a side note, it's pretty amazing the level of trust this new generation of "social networkers" have shown in all facets of their lives. Not just the willingness to share many details of their lives with complete strangers but also feeling as if renting out their primary residence to complete strangers is a normal thing. Personally, I would NEVER rent out my home to anyone. Call me old-fashioned but there are still somethings that should be off-limits.