Several Airbnb hosts and guests have argued that short-term rentals can support local communities and offer a more personal kind of travel, in letters responding to Arwa Mahdawi’s article about hosts opposing new guidelines, published on 28 October.
Alasdair Wright, who rents out two self-catering cottages on his family croft in Wester Ross, said the income allows him to live in the area, raise his children and spend money in local shops. He also said it enables him to volunteer as a community councillor, a role he has held for 25 years. While acknowledging that Airbnb has harmed some urban communities, he objected to hosts being treated as a single group and described the new guidance on washing up as impractical.
Wright said that if guests are not expected to wash dishes, hosts may have to supply enough crockery and cutlery for each day of a stay. He also challenged the idea that hosts who clean after guests are charging hotel-like prices without offering hotel services. A group of five had booked his property for the following February, he wrote, with each guest paying £25 per night.
Wright added that his community is applying to the Scottish Land Fund to build affordable homes for local people. Housing associations had given the group an average annual rent for a two-bedroom home that was 20% of what the same property could earn as a short-term let, he said.
Other correspondents highlighted the value of hosting visitors in their own homes. Mary Blair, from Belfast, said welcoming guests had brought her and her husband friendships and additional income, which they use for occasional holidays and treats. Jill Cadorath, a traveller from Exeter, said conversations with hosts, shared meals and local recommendations can make trips more enjoyable.
Paula Chatlani Davidson, who offers rural accommodation in France, said she meets guests, cleans after them and expects them to use common sense. She questioned rules that prevent guests from taking rubbish off-site and objected to treating washing up as an unreasonable task, arguing that her accommodation is a self-catering home rather than a hotel.
Bruce Hartican, a host and guest in Bega, Australia, said Airbnb had dealt promptly with occasional disputes over property descriptions or how guests left accommodation. He also pointed to the appeal of having private living space, preparing local food and staying at a lower price than a hotel.
Sources: The Guardian Business.