Why Should You Know How to Find Perimeter
"As Invisible Tourists, we want to support locals of the places we visit, not make their lives more hard." ~ Alyse.
In recent years, the employ of Airbnb and other home-stay adaptation has exploded internationally. Sitting on the sidelines with one watchful eye monitoring this trend, every bit usual I decided to exist a bit of a skeptic before jumping on the bandwagon and investigate the little-known facts nigh using a service like Airbnb for myself.
Despite its growing popularity at that place are some pretty troubling bug with Airbnb and similar counterparts, leading many to inquire if in that location are whatsoever upstanding alternatives to Airbnb? Here I'll reveal what information technology'south like to elevator the lid on the hidden Pandora's box of this craze – the results may surprise you, as they did me!
Yeah, loads of people employ Airbnb all the time without issues and that's fine. Different people prioritise different things because there are dissimilar types of travellers. Many of my fellow travel bloggers could get you discounts on your first Airbnb booking and that's fine, too.
In saying that, at that place is a time and a place for these services and so I'd rather speak about the unpopular truths that seem to become buried under the disbelieve codes that are worth considering before yous volume a stay with a homestyle adaptation service like Airbnb.
NOTE: I offset published this article in March 2018 and have updated information technology since to reflect more than contempo events. Be sure to read my concluding comments for my overall thoughts on short-term homestay services.
This guide to Airbnb problems will cover:
- viii important reasons to reconsider using services like Airbnb
- What a lack of tourism does to neighbourhoods overrun with Airbnb listings
- Are at that place any sustainable & upstanding alternatives to Airbnb?
- Concluding whether you should use services like Airbnb
This commodity forms part of my height strategies for to how to exist a responsible a tourist, detailing effective tips towards ethical tourism to benefit visitors and locals akin. It too features in my #1 Amazon New Release book, which outlines my pattern for what we can do as tourists to enrich our travel experiences and avert contributing to bug caused by overtourism.
Of import reasons to reconsider using services like Airbnb
I can totally hear you questioning my logic… Yous're thinking, "But, aren't yous all about travelling like a local and helping people learn how to not look like a tourist? Then what's wrong with renting a local's identify on Airbnb? It's harmless and it'southward cheaper than hotels, right?"
Ermm, wrong.
There'due south a saying, "Don't knock information technology 'til you've tried information technology" and then truth be told, I have stayed in an Airbnb before. I was with a grouping for a girls' getaway and my friend had booked the accommodation on our group'due south behalf.
The identify was fine (although I adopt to have my own bed rather than share with a friend!) Despite this and combining it with the facts I hash out below, it just wasn't for me and may not be for you as well.
To clarify, in this stance piece I'm not referring to traditional Bed and Breakfast (B&B) accommodations. These are completely fine equally they are regulated and in areas zoned for tourists. I've stayed in many throughout the Great britain, Europe, New Zealand & Japan and fully support these businesses.
Let's showtime with me asking you a few questions:
- Exercise y'all value your precious travel time, hate inconveniences and adopt to play it safety with accommodation rather than put yourself in a position that could accept been avoided when you travel?
- Practise you also prefer to enjoying everything a city has to offer without feeling like you're getting in the way of locals going about their daily lives?
If yous answered yes to these questions, you're likely to prefer hotels anyway so this mail service will probably confirm why you don't similar Airbnb either. If yous answered no, the below facts may convince you why you should reconsider using a service similar Airbnb for your next trip.
While Airbnb's slogan is "travel like a local", at that place are some nighttime truths that actually make life more difficult for the locals they claim to back up.
Let's get into it!
1. Airbnb could exist illegal in the urban center you're visiting
This is a pretty surprising and very important point. Just because there are listings for your destination doesn't mean the host and Airbnb are abiding by the local laws. For case, here are some facts that might make you think twice about using Airbnb and similar services in the below major cities.
These are just a few examples and definitely not the only places where Airbnb is problematic. I highly advise doing some research into your destination if you are considering using Airbnb for your accommodation:
Airbnb problems in New York City, United states of america
Did you know in 2014 that 72% of reservations made in New York City were illegal?
The New York land attorney full general's part released a report on Airbnb listings that revealed this unfortunate fact. Local laws in New York make it illegal to hire an entire apartment on Airbnb for less than thirty days, every bit this helps to keep the long-term supply of property available to locals. Despite this, New York City is i of Airbnb'due south biggest markets where listings under xxx days are available to tourists.
"Airbnb consistently undermines the Urban center's efforts to preserve affordable housing, and regularly attempts to thwart regulations put in place to protect New York City residents." ~ argument from NYC Council members Helen Rosenthal and Jumaane Williams.
Airbnb problems in Barcelona, Spain
About half of holiday rentals in Kingdom of spain's 2d-largest urban center are unlicensed according to the council, which makes them illegal.
In 2016 Barcelona fined Airbnb €600,000 for refusing to adhere to local laws past standing to advertise unlicensed properties. Equally a outcome, Catalonia's upper-case letter has a squad of inspectors who wander the streets sniffing out illegal rentals using designated apps that cross-reference licences with advertised properties. This helps to identify illegal backdrop and gives authorities the power shut downwardly the premises, boot out occupants and fine the possessor €lx,000.
"Barcelona exists for its people. The priority is it'south a place to alive." ~ Janet Sanz, Barcelona Housing Councillor.
Airbnb problems in Paris, France
In 2015, 44% of advertised properties on Airbnb were permanently available for rental, despite laws in France's capital stating that holiday rentals are capped at but being available for 120 days of the yr.
The survey that revealed this agonizing fact triggered raids across Paris and fines of upwards to €25,000 for hosts. However, the government are at present looking to increment this fine to €100,000 similar Berlin (see below). It is at present necessary for hosts to obtain a registration number from the Town Hall so authorities tin monitor the 120 24-hour interval cap is non exceeded then hosts cannot avoid paying taxes.
Airbnb problems in Nihon
The recent explosion of visitors to Nihon looking to travel on the cheap meant Airbnb'south started popping upwardly in unzoned areas to capitalise on the new demand.
Being an ultra-conservative country, locals filed an overwhelming number of "tourist pollution" complaints: unruly tourists coming and going at all hours, hosting noisy parties in otherwise quiet neighbourhoods and disrespecting local customs.
In June 2018 the Japanese government resorted to tackling illegal Airbnb and similar homestay accommodations across the country (known equally "minpaku") by requiring hosts in legally zoned areas to obtain a minpaku license, placing 180-mean solar day quotas on when properties tin be available to hire and shutting down those who did not comply. This crackdown is said to have toll Airbnb $10 million.
Bug with Airbnb in Berlin, Frg
Germany'south capital got and then tired of Airbnb creating a rental property shortage for locals they created a law entitled "Zweckentfremdungsverbot"…
What a mouthful, right! Roughly translating to "Anti-Airbnb" this law bans curt-term leasing of properties to tourists without a city permit. Hosts in Berlin tin can be fined up to €100,000 for disobeying this law and y'all could exist left without accommodation if your host is busted.
Airbnb issues throughout Europe
In 2019, 10 European cities banded together and sent a articulation alphabetic character to the European Commission highlighting the flaws of services like Airbnb. Cities who suffered from "explosive growth" of curt-term Airbnb listings – Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Bordeaux, Brussels, Cracow, Munich, Paris, Valencia and Vienna – demanded the Commission address this effect during their next agenda.
Many Other Destinations: Illegal Subletting
Another agonizing trend with Airbnb is illegal subletting. Did you know recent statistics in Australia revealed that 35% of Airbnb listings are by people who don't even own the holding, and do and so without the knowledge of their landlord?
"Think of what you'd say to a neighbour if they were to ask who you lot are and why yous're staying there… Awkward." ~ Alyse.
While tenants may not see an issue with secretly renting out their spare room on Airbnb for extra cash, there are risks involved for both the tenant and property owner. What the tenant fails realise is they could really be in breach of their leasing agreement by having additional people reside in the property.
This leads to exceeding the number of people residing on the bounds, handing out security keys without say-so, no applicable insurance for issues related to subleasing, more issues regarding illegal subletting here. A tenant subletting without the permission of the property possessor can result in eviction.
ii. Airbnb can have negative impacts on locals' quality of life
Tourists hiring a place on Airbnb to enjoy a "cheaper" holiday actually pushes rent prices upwardly for locals who demand to live in the city. Tourists are visitors competing with locals for accommodation. The only deviation is locals need it long-term, but hosts can accuse tourists more for brusque-term stays and then this is way more appealing to some.
For instance in 2018 on the Spanish isle of Palma de Mallorca, tourist lets sharply increased past l% due to demand, which in plow lead to residential rents ascent past 40%. This made housing unaffordable for well-nigh local residents and pushed them out. As a result t he island voted to ban Airbnb listings to brand housing affordable for residents who needed to live and work.
Making the conscious decision to save a few bucks for a trip of your option should non come up at the expense of an actual local'due south way of life. As invisible tourists we desire to support locals of the places we visit, not make their lives more difficult!
Residents are also concerned and mutter to Airbnb about the constant stream of different tourists bumping their luggage up and down stairs in flat blocks equally well as coming and going at all hours. For long-term residents it'south easy to empathize that all the thumping and dissonance is bound to get abrasive.
As someone who lives in a city where over 200,000 properties sit vacant due to landlords non renting them to locals (or anyone at all), I've seen showtime-hand how this has negatively impacted the rental market by causing prices to skyrocket as long-term rentals for locals become deficient. It isn't really fair (or upstanding) on the local population trying to get by.
It'south also becoming known that some Airbnb hosts are treating their rentals equally businesses. Padlocks or combination touchpads on doors rather than keys, instructions stuck around the property and "No Smoking" signs are dead giveaways that the Airbnb is being treated equally a permanent holiday rental, which I mentioned previously under point #one is probably an illegal listing. What happened to just renting out a spare room?
three. There's no reception, housekeeping or room service
Before yous dismiss me as a total snob, hear me out! Hotels apply dozens of locals to accept care of things like housekeeping, reception, concierge services, kitchenhands and the like to keep the place running smoothly. To me, providing locals with jobs is quite of import and staying in a hotel supports this crusade.
Additionally, the lack of a reception area with an Airbnb means checking in and out with your host may not be flexible plenty to suit your travel plans, as I'll expand on in point #four below.
Another downside is in that location's no identify to leave your luggage later on checking out, either! The small conveniences that come with hotels are quite convenient, aren't they?
4. Yous're at the complete mercy of your host
Even if a room is showing bachelor, the host has the right to alter their mind and abolish your booking at a moment'southward notice. If you're similar me and prefer to be prepared and organised, existence left in limbo a few days before a trip – and all other accommodation in the area existence sold out – literally sounds like my idea of a nightmare.
In another example, imagine arriving at your Airbnb only to detect two people already there hanging curtains, a Television receiver left face-down on the lounge and a strong domestic dog smell throughout. Animate being fur, hair and dust were all over the house, information technology conspicuously hadn't been cleaned in very long time, mouse droppings were in the kitchen and other accommodation options nearby were all sold out. Here'south how Airbnb treated these guests in this bodily situation.
Airbnb take thousands of complaints well-nigh how they tin't really do anything to assist guests who are left stranded. In contrast, hotels have a lot to lose from this and will observe you lot a room or recoup y'all somehow if they've taken your money.
Let's non forget the potential issue of your host running late to meet you to substitution keys. This unaccounted-for delay could seriously affect your travel plans and may lead to you missing a crucial flight or train to your next destination. With a hotel, checking in and out times are made articulate and during that period at that place is always someone at that place when you need to leave and then it's simple to plan your journeys.
There isn't always time to wait around for someone to race from i side of the city to the other to collect keys!
Personally, I like to sleep in for equally long as possible before having to get upwards and fix whilst I'grand on vacation. With many Airbnbs hosts crave you to practice the washing up, have out the rubbish and may leave you with other obligations you need to fulfil before you leave. I do all that at home and would rather forget about that during a holiday – thankfully a hotel volition have your back hither so yous tin spend more time out exploring.
5. Practise tourists really need an entire kitchen (and firm)?
A lot of the time tourists don't really need an entire house or apartment with a kitchen when they're travelling brusk-term. To me, visiting a new place is all near getting out at that place and part of this is experiencing local, authentic food.
In turn this helps to support local jobs and businesses. Cooking some noodles in an Airbnb in an try to salve money does not. Deplorable, but it's true! Hotels do a skillful enough task of providing the basic civilities needed for a stay.
Additionally, booking an entire apartment or house on Airbnb means tourists could be inadvertently taking away long-term adaptation from a local. If the rental is beingness run as a concern by a company who has multiple property listings, it'south usually wise to steer away from it as it goes against the original thought that Airbnb was founded on – a property owner renting out a spare room.
6. Privacy is never guaranteed
So, your Airbnb host has besides allowed friends to crash at their identify during your stay and failed to mention it at any point. This may put a damper on the romantic weekend away y'all had planned with your partner as the intimate moments you were hoping for may non be so intimate afterwards all!
Recently, some stories have emerged about Airbnb hosts using sneaky hidden cameras in the bedrooms of their rentals. If that oddly-placed object or random smoke warning appears to have a little webcam lens on closer inspection, you lot tin can be sure that thing is hooked up to the internet and the host is watching your every movement.
Alternatively, in a hotel y'all're never going to exist left surprised with an unexpected stranger when you come back to your room subsequently a long day of sight-seeing and the likelihood of being spied on in your room is virtually non-real. A hotel doesn't need to spy on you because they take insurance encompass. It'south never ok to film someone without their consent.
7. Lack of safety and security regulations
Consequent standards and regulations are lacking across Airbnb rentals as they are basically private properties. Due to this hosts don't have to follow the aforementioned strict regulations that hotels do like fire, security and condom. What burn down and other types of hazards are there in your rental? Can y'all tell from the photos?
As mentioned earlier, illegal subletting sees a tenant distribute unauthorised copied keys to brusk-term visitors, resulting in unknown people in a residential cake having admission to building civilities. This tin exist a major security business concern for other residents in the building who are there legally.
People who list on Airbnb also don't have to pay for the same insurances that hotels do, therefore if anything were to happen Airbnb may not cover you at all. This also includes theft of your cash/valuables from the property, whether information technology was from the host, other guests or as a consequence of a intermission-in. Is there even a safe or secure place to store your valuables during your stay?
Additionally, some of the properties may non be very kid friendly which is sometimes only possible to be discovered on inflow.
8. Allurement and switch
If you're not familiar with this sneaky tactic, allurement and switch refers to the generally illegal deed of "baiting" a guest into paying for a rental that is substituted for an inferior one later down the rails. The intent is never to provide y'all the rental in the not bad location with amazing photos you paid for.
If your host is being a fleck shady, they may contact you close to your arrival appointment to inform you of the modify then you're fabricated to recollect you lot're left with no other choice but to accept the sub-standard adaptation they offer instead, sometimes even for more money! Know your rights if this happens to you.
You're non obligated to accept their new offering. If your host is request you to switch without officially irresolute the reservation on Airbnb, you'll need to ask the host to abolish your reservation then yous can become a full refund. If you accept farther bug, you'll need to immediately call Airbnb and then they tin can resolve the problem for you or find some other place to stay, which may bear witness hard if all other accommodation in the area is sold out at the time.
This fraudulent trend is becoming more and more mutual with Airbnb. Sure it'south also possible this tin can happen with smaller hotels as well, but is less likely as hotels have much more to lose by participating in this muddy practice.
Y'all can read some Airbnb allurement and switch stories here and here to requite you an idea of what could happen.
What a lack of tourism does to neighbourhoods overrun with Airbnb listings
As we all know, in 2020 tourism completely ground to a halt due to a global outcome that shall not exist named. This helped to starkly amplify the issues caused past short-term rentals for even the most stubborn of deniers.
Let's examine the knock-on effects acquired by the absence of tourism in destinations that had high percentages of Airbnb listings.
Airbnb issues in Lisbon, Portugal
In the early months of 2020, there were 22,000 Airbnb listings in Lisbon. A sudden lack of tourists meant the majority of these sat empty for months.
Urban geographer Luís Mendes from Living in Lisbon stated, "[2020] has helped betrayal the negative aspects of Portugal's recovery from the financial crisis, which was driven by existent estate and tourism rather than a focus on the bones needs of local people."
This first-class commodity virtually overtourism in Lisbon, Portugal highlights the need and urgency for sustainable cultural tourism if you're interested in learning more than nigh the topic. Unfortunately, this issue is not unique to Lisbon and is further proof of why existence an invisible tourist whilst travelling is win-win for everyone.
Airbnb issues in Barcelona, Espana
Local authorities are seeking to repossess empty short-terms rentals. If vacant properties don't re-enter the long-term rental market for local residents, new legislation allows regime to buy them outright at 50% of the market value.
The plan for seized properties is to be rented past the urban center equally public and subsidised housing, while potentially fining the owners from € 90,000- € 900,000 for backdrop left vacant for 2 years.
Airbnb bug in Athens, Greece
According to local residents in Kaisariani, Athens, their neighbourhood actually became a "tourist hotbed" full of Airbnbs rather than a residential area.
Airbnb issues in Paris, France
As ane of Airbnb'southward top destinations globally, tourism to Paris took a huge hit. According to the Deputy Mayor of Paris, the urban center "needs to use the pandemic to address affordable housing and supply.
In the four central arrondissements of Paris, a quarter of all backdrop are now no longer homes only purely short-term rentals for tourists." As a consequence the city is planning to hold a referendum on the future of Airbnb listings.
Airbnb problems in Dublin, Ireland
Due to increased demand in short-term listings from tourists and limited supply, Dublin saw rents for local residents skyrocket and more than than double from 2011 – 2019. The sudden lack of tourists in 2020 meant 64% of short-term Airbnb listings in Dublin rushed to enter the long-term rental market instead. Peachy news for locals, at least!
Are in that location any sustainable & ethical alternatives to Airbnb?
At present we've examined all the bug with unregulated homestay adaptation services, it begs the question – are at that place any ethical alternatives to Airbnb? The reply is yes! There are sustainable services that tin be used to help avoid contributing to overtourism issues. All it takes is a look dorsum to the time earlier the sharing economy took off!
Read my detailed guide to ethical alternatives to Airbnb for responsible tourists that actually benefit locals, rather than leaving their neighbourhoods empty shells of their onetime selves.
Concluding why you should reconsider services like Airbnb
Sure, there certainly are benefits of using Airbnb if it's done in an ethical and legal manner.
Thousands of travellers employ the platform without always having an consequence. I'thou not going to dispute that and I'm certainly not maxim ALL hosts are bad – it's neither fair nor accurate to paint everyone with the same castor. Too, this opinion piece is not most that. It's about questioning whether a service like this should be allowed to continue unregulated.
In that location is a time and a place for homestay accommodation. For instance, in rural areas where accommodation choices are slim services like Airbnb tin can actually help locals. In major cities where at that place already is plenty of regulated accommodation, whole holding rentals by hosts listing multiple properties should be avoided in order to assist preserve local life and their culture.
If short-term rentals have taught us anything, information technology's at present very clear that they create the likes of a horizontal hotel that spans the breadth of a city, pushing out local residents.
I do think that initially the idea of Airbnb was fantastic a few years ago, where hosts would share a room of their dwelling house with a company who wished to feel the city like a local. Unfortunately, there are always people looking to make a quick buck, exploit the organisation and ruin the feel for everyone.
Equally someone who values time more than anything else when travelling, the explosion of illegal listings, risks and ethical bug associated with Airbnb and the like do not outweigh the benefits of staying in a hotel for me. Considering that a pair of YouTubers also pranked Airbnb by listing a dollhouse and made $3,000 worth of bookings, it really begs the question of how much listings are actually checked.
Past ignoring local laws, causing negative impacts on locals' quality of life and lack of consistent standards, I believe unregulated homestay adaptation is unethical and I'thou deplorable to say for these reasons cannot back up it.
What are your thoughts? Do you feel the same? Permit me know in the comments below! If y'all found this article helpful or you learnt something new, please share it or take a look at my popular travel guides and itineraries and my volume for more ways to help you lot Non look like a tourist on your next trip.
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Until next time,
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Featured paradigm & New York pin image credit: Unsplash
Paris pin prototype credit: Chris Karidis
Airbnb logo used nether Wikimedia Commons
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Source: https://www.theinvisibletourist.com/why-you-shouldnt-use-airbnb-issues-you-didnt-know/
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