Question

Using your favorite search engine and the resources of your library, identify and evaluate risks to which Airbnb guests are exposed and the protections provided them by Airbnb. Summarize your findings in a report of about 200 words.

Answer 1

Liability Risks.

- When you rent to Airbnb guests, you are essentially allowing strangers to stay on your property. While you might feel that you’ve built up some rapport during your pre-check-in conversations, you simply have no idea how things will really turn out until the guests arrive.Liability as a result of your guest’s actions or incidents, while the guest is on your property, is just one of the major Airbnb risks that the host simply has to find ways to mitigate. A guest may get injured, damage your property or even cause injury to your neighbors. As the owner of the property, you’ll be on the hook for these problems.Instead of hoping that you can weasel your way out of a civil lawsuit, make sure that you have the proper Airbnb liability insurance coverage necessary in place before you ever list your property on Airbnb. Not only will having the right insurance help to minimize your out-of-pocket expenses, but it can also shield you from personal liability.

Every Airbnb Host Risks Renting to Squatters

Renting to squatters is one of the Airbnb risks that all hosts worry, no matter how many properties they have in their portfolios. In certain cities, squatters can exercise their rights to stay on your property as tenants in just a few weeks and they’re often pretty difficult to get rid of.Unsuspecting hosts who end up renting to squatters are then tasked with lengthy eviction processes that could end up costing them thousands in legal fees. In the meantime, the hosts also lose out on opportunities to rent to new Airbnb guests. Squatters also often cause property damage, which also means that the Airbnb host will also be on the hook for those costs as well.In order to avoid renting to squatters, hosts should try to avoid long-term rentals where the line Relationships between short-term rental guest and tenant become murky unless there is a rental agreement in place. Airbnb hosts should also be on the lookout for guests who don’t have a clear departure date or want to renegotiate checkout dates after they’ve already arrived.

Answer 2

1. For hosts, Airbnb provides a platform for them to rent their houses or property. The Airbnb are exposed to many risks associated with the deals. One of them is that the guests who are using the property might damage the property. Airbnb's popualrity has been increasing day by day. The regulations keep on changing . This creates a risk for the hosts if they are not updated about the changes in rules and regulations. Airbnb also provides the option of cancelling the bookings if they are not satisfied with the services.In this case, hosts are obligated to return the amount of their bookings, thereby creating a risk for the hosts. Airbnb sometimes has an adverse effect on the value of the property rented . If a property is being rented on a regular basis, opponents argue that it is not suitable for permanent buy. As a protection for hosts, Airbnb provides a Host guarantee program that gives protection up to $1,000,000 in case guests damage the property. Airbnb also provides a communication tool through which hosts can communicate with the guests about their concerns. Hosts are free to set their rules and expectations for their property. Airbnb provides a host insurance scheme to compensate the losses . These protections make the hosts to be confident enough to go for Airbnb.

2. Apart from hosts, guests are also exposed to some risks while renting any property on Airbnb. The risk involved is that the properties might not be appealing in real as they were on the website. At the time of bookings, Airbnb adds a number of additional fees that can increase the cost of renting for guests. Guests also need to pay the tax included. If in some case, Guests lose their personal items , the cannot get any refund . So they need to take care of their belongings on their own. If the guests opt for a sharing room, the sharing might be with one person or ten. They can't have the exact number. These all are the risks associated with renting any property on Airbnb. To avoid these risks for guests, Airbnb provides protection for their funds. It holds the payment for 24 hours before paying to the hosts. Airbnb also provides the option for cancelling the bookings in case the guests are not satisfied. It also provides insurance for the guests in case of any losses.

3. As we know that Airbnb provides protection to both its hosts and guests, similarly Uber website also provides protection to its riders who use this service. In case a passenger is hurt or meets with an accident, Uber provides the compensation. In case a rider cancels its ride, Uber provides the refund to its consumers. In case a rider is not satisfied with the driver or ride, he/she can file a complaint on the website and the website will take actions or compensate according to the situation. If by chance, any rider forgets any of his personal belongings in the car, he/she can visit the recovery page on the uber website and follow the further steps. Thus Uber provides all the customer assistance online if in case any rider wants any assistance related to his/her concern.