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Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

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Re: Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

#111

Post by cowpig »

mschuster91 wrote: post #73
iLoveOncall wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I went to an Airbnb where the host had a ledger of all the previous guests that had stayed, with their personal information and their passport number. And it was left in the apartment for you to sign, so I had access to the passport number of literally hundreds of people from all over the world. And it wasn't a mistake as the host asked you to sign the ledger when you arrived.

In some countries, maintaining such a ledger is actually required by law.

I think the parent poster is more concerned with the fact that the ledger was available for guests to read.

Re: Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

#112

Post by wdb »

mholt wrote: post #22

I'm worried this ban will only affect honest hosts. Anyway, what Airbnb should really ban is hosts charging a mandatory cleaning fee when also requiring their guests to do the cleaning. We just stayed at one this weekend, and like almost all our previous bookings, the host asked us to: - Take off all bedding and towels and start a load of laundry - Do all the dishes and start the dishwasher (but required to hand-wash…

Yeah these days it is cheaper to rent a spot at apartment hotel.

Might pay $75/night for it but to need to do any cleaning

Re: Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

#113

Post by deadbabe »

nradov wrote: post #106
mholt wrote: post #22

I'm worried this ban will only affect honest hosts. Anyway, what Airbnb should really ban is hosts charging a mandatory cleaning fee when also requiring their guests to do the cleaning. We just stayed at one this weekend, and like almost all our previous bookings, the host asked us to: - Take off all bedding and towels and start a load of laundry - Do all the dishes and start the dishwasher (but required to hand-wash…

Why would customers even put up with this type of abuse? I don't get it. Just stay somewhere else. If I'm staying with a friend or relative for free then I'm happy to pitch in with household chores, but if I'm paying then screw that. I honestly can't understand why anyone would use AirBnB when there are so many better options available.

AirBnB is the only decent affordable option for a large group of people who want to stay together. Other than that, I see no point.

Re: Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

#114

Post by namdnay »

idiotsecant wrote: post #81
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cleaning fees aren't a "scam" - most property owners really do need to pay someone to clean the property at the end of a stay. But, as another commenter said, they can be used as a way to encourage longer stays, as with most places you only pay a single cleaning fee regardless of the length of your stay. But, again, it's just a fact that these rentals are usually just cleaned between guests (as opposed to a hotel whe…

No, scam is the right word. It could pretty easily be rolled into the advertised nightly rate.

Isn’t it? When I search on airbnb the rates shown on the map include everything. It’s only once you open the page for a specific listing that the price gets broken down

Re: Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

#115

Post by jamiek88 »

standardUser wrote: post #53
mholt wrote: post #22

I'm worried this ban will only affect honest hosts. Anyway, what Airbnb should really ban is hosts charging a mandatory cleaning fee when also requiring their guests to do the cleaning. We just stayed at one this weekend, and like almost all our previous bookings, the host asked us to: - Take off all bedding and towels and start a load of laundry - Do all the dishes and start the dishwasher (but required to hand-wash…

I've stayed at dozens of AirBnBs and I've never had an onerous list of chores or a noticeably high cleaning fee, so these complaints always baffle me a little. Are people reading the listing thoroughly? Are they choosing a place with lots of ratings and reading all of the reviews? I've definitely had some bad AirBnbs over the years despite my careful selection process, but my complains are usually about noise or a la…

I literally lived in airbnbs for three years traveling across the whole of the contiguous United States and never once had this either. I did have them ask to put the trash can outside at some of them and most want you to remove your food from the fridge / freezer but that is about it.

Just checked my account, we stayed at 167 places in the last 5 years.

Re: Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

#116

Post by groggo »

sneak wrote: post #30
mholt wrote: post #22

I'm worried this ban will only affect honest hosts. Anyway, what Airbnb should really ban is hosts charging a mandatory cleaning fee when also requiring their guests to do the cleaning. We just stayed at one this weekend, and like almost all our previous bookings, the host asked us to: - Take off all bedding and towels and start a load of laundry - Do all the dishes and start the dishwasher (but required to hand-wash…

If you’re paying the cleaning fee anyway, why would you do any of that stuff?

Most of those things are pretty common courtesy...

The cleaning fee is for deeper stuff like vacuuming, scrubbing the sink, toilets, etc... And yeah I think it also captures the one-time effort of the "turnover", where the host has to do the laundry, remake the beds, and a bunch of small things you might not notice.

I also hated it when the cleaning fee wasn't added until the end, which was very bait-and-switch-y. But as long as it's upfront it's ok.

It would be nice if more hosts just offered rooms though. If you don't think of it as a hotel, then it doesn't need that deep clean and doesn't need the cleaning fee. I just want a quick place to crash for a night sometimes...

Re: Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

#117

Post by [deleted] »

lukan wrote: post #107
renewiltord wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah I've often forgotten and left my ipad on cellular or my phone non-aircraft-moded. No one has ever said anything so it's unlikely they have automatic detection.

It also never happened to me, but I heard of stories, where the stewardess walked around with one. But they might have gotten less paranoid about it(since nothing ever happened?). Chances of bad interference are probably very low.

[deleted]

Re: Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

#118

Post by nick12r55t1 »

mistrial9 wrote: post #84
nick12r55t1 wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My wife and I have an airbnb and this is exactly how we structure our check-out. It still costs $250 per turnover for a reliable cleaning crew to come and clean the 3br, 3ba two level house.

that number is almost useless without context .. a dozen things factor into that, and the incentives, local labor market etc

Sure, and so is the $200 number in the first-level parent comment.

Re: Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

#119

Post by hn_throwaway_99 »

idiotsecant wrote: post #81
hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cleaning fees aren't a "scam" - most property owners really do need to pay someone to clean the property at the end of a stay. But, as another commenter said, they can be used as a way to encourage longer stays, as with most places you only pay a single cleaning fee regardless of the length of your stay. But, again, it's just a fact that these rentals are usually just cleaned between guests (as opposed to a hotel whe…

No, scam is the right word. It could pretty easily be rolled into the advertised nightly rate.

No, because math. As others have stated it can't be rolled into the nightly rate because it is only charged once per reservation.

At least last time I booked on AirBnB it was clearly displayed as part of the total reservation price if you entered dates.

Re: Airbnb is banning indoor security cameras

#120

Post by kube-system »

mcculley wrote: post #100

I feel like a grumpy old guy every time I read about AirbedAndBreakfast, because that is how it was initially pitched on this site. If people would just keep thinking of it as a way to get an airbed and sleep on someone’s floor, they would have appropriate expectations. I’ve never used the service, because I prefer real beds cleaned as required by the local health department.

Buried in the sea of vacation-style rentals filled with thrift-store decor, there are still a few gems on the site that follow the spirit of that initial pitch. While they don't usually have actual airbeds, they're often cleaner than even a nice hotel, because nobody cares about a property more than an owner-occupant.
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