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Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

nytimes.com

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Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#131

Post by akiselev »

55555 wrote: post #70
situational87 wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's almost like we are intentionally bending over backwards to avoid hiring some human beings to do some real fucking work. When did this become the mantra of every tech company? Any time a job is created it's viewed as an unfortunate mistake or side effect? Who are we even building all this for?

The founders, and, incidentally, the investors. Employees are a cost and customers are a burden.

> The founders, and, incidentally, the investors.

Isn't it the other way around?

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#132

Post by on_and_off »

umvi wrote: post #14

Would it kill AirBnB to do random (or even algorithmically-determined) audits? Auditor signs up for a night in your house. Let's say your listing has fake pictures or fake amenities. Or you try to bait and switch the auditor by having them stay in some crappy other property because the main listing "is having plumbing problems". Bam, audit failed, your account is frozen, your listings are removed, and you are banned…

Even just having a good customer service seems out of reach of Airbnb.

I recently had some issues with an Airbnb. It was not technically a scam, just an awful host making crazy demands that we cover for their illegal Airbnb.

It was extremely clear that the support wasn't interested at all in helping. I even asked if we could just cancel the reservation (the weirdness started before we arrived), the support agent pressed us to still go there.

In one reservation, Airbnb has moved from a company I liked to one that I will avoid as much as possible and only use if there aren't any hotels available.

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#133

Post by on_and_off »

break_the_bank wrote: post #128

My worst AirBnb experience was a bait and switch. A different unit in the same building. A lot smaller unit mind you. The host wouldn't agree but sharing pictures with Airbnb, they ruled in my favor and refunded half(after AirBnb service charges).

wow... they would not even refund in full. Classy way to handle issues in your platform Airbnb.

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#134

Post by dickeytk »

nerdponx wrote: post #119
dickeytk wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would be very surprised if that was the case. It's certainly not in the US or UK: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/68/part/X in the US it"s that it needs a window + closet I think.

If this were true, it would mean that many, many bedrooms in New York City are legally not bedrooms.

I don't know much about NY but there is clearly loads of regulation and building codes defining these kind of things. I'm sure the definitions vary based on when things were built and to what purpose the definition is being used. New construction is going to be subject to much more scrutiny than anything else.

Here's some information on NY: https://www.hauseit.com/legal-bedroom-requirements-nyc/

> For a bedroom to be considered legal in NYC, it must satisfy the following requirements:

> Be a minimum of 80 square feet

> Have a minimum width of 8 feet in any dimension

> Have a minimum ceiling height of 8 feet

> At least one window measuring no less than twelve square feet

> There cannot be a need to pass through any other bedroom in order to access the bedroom

> Two means of egress, including a window and a door that can be opened from the inside

Though I did read in NY there is no storage requirements.

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#135

Post by on_and_off »

heurist wrote: post #35
lemoncucumber wrote: post #33

I don't see anything about addressing retaliatory negative reviews, which seems like a not insignificant part of the problem as described in the Vice article ( https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/43k7z3/nationwide-fake-ho... )

That part seemed odd to me, neither hosts or guests can see the others' reviews until after both have submitted (or the review period expires).

I had a shitty host retaliate against my deserved bad review by asking imaginary fees.

I had to categorically refuse to pay these, Airbnb support was absolutely not helping.

Actually I would not be totally surprised if Airbnb asked me to pay that the next time I do a reservation with them. It might be in a very long while though, this experience has ended my honeymoon with this service.

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#136

Post by dickeytk »

dragonwriter wrote: post #92
Teever wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How does that definition work on the 30th storey of a condo building?

Fire escapes are a thing, and required in tall buildings, so it works exactly as stated.

Fire escapes are definitely not "required". You rarely ever even see them out of NYC and within NYC they've been banned since 1968.

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#137

Post by greggman2 »

mytailorisrich wrote: post #122
Aengeuad wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It should be noted that this act doesn't define what a bedroom is, it only says that a room is available as sleeping accommodation if it's a type of room that's normally used as a bedroom or a living room. This would likely rule out larger kitchens with a bed in them but I'd be surprised if a living room/kitchen combo are ruled out given that studio flats with a combined bedroom/living room/kitchen are fine.

This act defines what should be counted as 'room' for overcrowding purposes. Now courts are not stupid. In such cases 'bedroom' would take the meaning that is generally understood. A kitchen or living room with beds in them are not understood to be 'bedrooms' if you ask someone at random, and thus advertising "3 bedrooms" when in fact there is only one with beds in the kitchen and living room would most likely be dee…

San Fransisco in general like in Craigslist and not AirBnB has plenty of listings of apartments where a dining room + living room where they added a flimsy partition to separate the two and advertise as a bedroom. I guess no one complains tho since you just choose not to rent since renting long term is usually a look before signing proposition where as AirBnB you pay before you go and it needs to be correct site unseen

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#138

Post by greggman2 »

dickeytk wrote: post #134
nerdponx wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If this were true, it would mean that many, many bedrooms in New York City are legally not bedrooms.

I don't know much about NY but there is clearly loads of regulation and building codes defining these kind of things. I'm sure the definitions vary based on when things were built and to what purpose the definition is being used. New construction is going to be subject to much more scrutiny than anything else. Here's some information on NY: https://www.hauseit.com/legal-bedroom-requirements-nyc/ > For a bedroom to be…

just guessing that the difference is short term vs long term rental. A falsely advertised long term apartment is something that people visit before renting so if it doesn't match the description they just don't rent and don't feel too annoyed. AirBnB tho people show up with suitcases and so it's very annoying but of course fixing it at the moment is a huge inconvenience

Re: Airbnb Plans to Verify Every Listing

#140

Post by rockinghigh »

ars wrote: post #98
libria wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Door + closet + fire-escapable window are a few reqs around here.

The closet part is not actually true, it's a commonly believed myth. There may be a few rare localities that require it, but it's not normally required. Rather the definition requires a certain size of the room.

It’s definitely not a myth. Random examples in California:

> room can be considered a bedroom if it contains a closet, alcove, indentation or wing wall which creates an area greater than 12 inches in depth.

https://www.sanbruno.ca.gov/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?...

> is capable of being used for sleeping quarters that contains a closet, or to which a closet could be added, may also be considered a bedroom.

https://www.belmont.gov/Home/ShowDocument?id=12428

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