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Okay, this didn't happen in NYC, but Air B&B is big issue in NYC, and I thought this was very interesting. A guy was bitten by an owner's dog. Then what?
Questions About Airbnb’s Responsibility After Attack by Dog
By Ron Leiber
Airbnb's initial reply sounds like what you'd say to someone who tripped on a loose step and bruised an elbow. When contacted, Airbnb was foolish not to pay for this man's 2 days of hospital bills, immediately, then offer him a cash settlement. The dog ripped his arm apart. The pain!!!
Then they should have put him up in a nice hotel to recover...no, wait. They wouldn't do that.
If I arrived at an airbnb place to discover a Rottweiler that hadn't been mentioned in the host listing, I'd be on the phone to Airbnb before even setting foot in the place, demanding relocation nearby with a different host. They have an emergency phone 24/7 to address situations such as the non-existent host address, etc. IIRC, it's in fine print on their website somewhere. The guest should have called airbnb and refused to stay where he'd booked, due to a dangerous breed.
OTOH, a dog who seems like he'll be okay can change his mind, for example, waking up startled from a nap. It's just an unpredictable breed, the Rottweiler. Great near the owner, but the owner was away.
AirBNB knows absolutely nothing, nada, zilch about the hosts or the guests.
I will not be surprised if, in the future, a guest brings a pit bull with him, and it mauls the other guests, and the hosts infant child. Or anything else bad happening. It has not happened yet, because it is a relative novelty, but just wait.
At least with a hotel, a hotel needs a license. But it is also possible latin American hotels have lax regulation too since it is that part of the world.
Now if AirBNB types sublets do become strictly regulated, then their prices will go up. Maybe not to the height of current lodging prices, but then hotels will have to lower theirs to be competitive. It must equalize. If that does happen though, I would rather stay in a real hotel, and not someone's room.
I read the article and it is an interesting issue.
But if people want AirBnB to be responsible for what happens in people's residences, then wouldn't craigslist then be responsible for the couple of murders that have happened via craigslist transactions (I can think of at least 3 I've heard of in the past few years) and also all the thousands of scams that are transacted on that site every single day?
I can see it both ways. In some ways AirBnB is playing the part of hotel but not taking any responsibility whatsoever, but at the same time, the users of AirBnB must understand it's a brokerage site (not a hotel) and they are kind of taking their chances for the option of having a cheaper place to stay that's not a hotel.
I read the article and it is an interesting issue.
But if people want AirBnB to be responsible for what happens in people's residences, then wouldn't craigslist then be responsible for the couple of murders that have happened via craigslist transactions (I can think of at least 3 I've heard of in the past few years) and also all the thousands of scams that are transacted on that site every single day?
I can see it both ways. In some ways AirBnB is playing the part of hotel but not taking any responsibility whatsoever, but at the same time, the users of AirBnB must understand it's a brokerage site (not a hotel) and they are kind of taking their chances for the option of having a cheaper place to stay that's not a hotel.
Craigslist charges brokers though. And those brokers are licensed, and whoever uses a broker will have the broker's info, and brokers are regulated.
What other transaction does craigslist charge for? And I dont think they handle payments for anything either. Like if you buy a sports jersey, you arrange payment with the other party yourself.
Craigslist charges brokers though. And those brokers are licensed, and whoever uses a broker will have the broker's info, and brokers are regulated.
What other transaction does craigslist charge for? And I dont think they handle payments for anything either. Like if you buy a sports jersey, you arrange payment with the other party yourself.
Airbnb verifies the identity of both guests and host. They verify the id, the phone number, the e-mail, and the social media accounts. Overall use Airbnb is safer than craigslist as there is much more verification.
Craigslist does not verify those putting up rooms for rent or those claiming to be landlords. They only charge brokers and only in NYC.
For that matter a couple of people have been killed in response to job ads posted on Craigslist. Craigslist is the number one source of classified ads in the United States.
Overall the vast majority of people who use these internet services are okay. You cannot let a couple of bad incidents scare you from doing anything. Otherwise you won't be able to travel, find a job, go shopping, leave the house,etc.
Airbnb verifies the identity of both guests and host. They verify the id, the phone number, the e-mail, and the social media accounts. Overall use Airbnb is safer than craigslist as there is much more verification.
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Yet they dont verify whether or not the Host is acting in accordance with the law.
And if they do as you say, it must be very lax. Bate and switches do occur with AirBnb. Do they even verify location? Do they inspect the premises?
Yet they dont verify whether or not the Host is acting in accordance with the law.
And if they do as you say, it must be very lax. Bate and switches do occur with AirBnb. Do they even verify location? Do they inspect the premises?
They do not inspect the premises. If a guest arrives and the premises are unacceptable they are supposed to call Airbnb and they'll get them emergency housing elsewhere.
If someone really is a shady operator Airbnb would cancel the hosts account. The guest pays Airbnb by credit card and the money is electronically transferred into the host's bank account (either wire or paypal).
So the electronic and id trail is pretty long by using Airbnb.
For a guest it's a lot safer than getting roommates of craigslist (which is how many people get their roommates). When you don't have money this is what you do.
Of course if you have a lot of money just save yourself the bother and get a nice hotel room.
Then again a lot of hotels can be uncomfortable for the services they offer.
Regular hotels do not have refrigerators. Only certain extended stay hotels (geared towards people who have to be someplace on business for weeks at a time) have things like refrigerators in the room. Having access to stuff like this can make staying in someone's room more comfortable than a hotel.
Bright Rabbit, why do you think Air B&B should have paid - rather than the host?
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