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So this begs the question...why would any sane human being decide to risk staying at a home with no safety record or proof of fire/mold/bed bug inspection to sp

So this begs the question...why would any sane human being decide to risk staying at a home with no safety record or proof of fire/mold/bed bug inspection to speak of? I think potential guests need to be more aware that renting an Airbnb is nothing like booking a hotel subject to rigorous safety standard governed by law. Part of the purpose of this story is to point that out.

jzwinck 11y ago
Lots of people travel to places outside the US where none of these things can be taken for granted. I think most of them are sane humans. In 2013 two people died in a Best Western hotel (in the US) due to an improperly and illegally installed water heater. Seven weeks after that, one more person was killed in the exact same way, in the very same room. [1] Are you sure conventional hotels "ensure" safety? [1] http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/special-reports/nc-medical-examiners/article9093794.html http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/special-reports/nc-med...
- jimjimjam 11y ago
  If you really believe the average Airbnb listing is safer than the average hotel room...then you are certainly not a sane human being. But I too would love to see some objective stats from Airbnb on the number and nature of inbound tickets related to serious safety issues from guests. I doubt we will ever see anything like it.
  - arg-summarizer 11y ago
    1. I disagree with you, but will provide no argument. 2. I believe that staying in a suite posted on Airbnb is riskier than staying in a hotel room, but again will provide no argument.
BurningFrog 11y ago
I have never heard or expected that hotels are especially safe.
- empressplay 11y ago
  If the argument is that _everything_ is inherently caveat emptor and that in many jurisdictions there are no / inefficient regulations and yet people seem to get along "fine" then why regulate anything at all? Open slather! Everything's "at your own risk". If so, we should all get used to conducting our own safety tests on everything we buy and everywhere we stay? Although, that would be pretty damn inconvenient, wouldn't it? Day-in, day-out, inspecting everywhere we stay, every vehicle we ride in, all the food we eat... and the restaurants we eat them in... Maybe there's a solution. Perhaps we could hire people to do those inspections for us, and since those inspections would inform everyone, we can communally pay for it with taxes? These people would certify whether something was safe, and ensure everything that was for sale / rent was certified to meet some minimum standard (because of course, otherwise some unscrupulous people might be inclined to lie about being certified.) Problem solved! I'm a genius. Oh, wait a minute...
  - voltagex_ 11y ago
    I can't work out if the libertarians here are against regulations entirely or just against the ones that affect profits.
asuffield 11y ago
I think the primary answer to your question is "because that's exactly the same as the situation in their own home where they live for most of the year". Is your home inspected and polished to the level of a hotel? If not, why is your concern the one week you spend in a flat that airbnb is connected with?
- gozo 11y ago
  Because you are at an information disadvantage. I know if my floor is slippery, the smoke detector has a battery in it, if there has been a burning smell from the fridge or the fuses have been tripping.

jzwinck 11y ago

Lots of people travel to places outside the US where none of these things can be taken for granted. I think most of them are sane humans. In 2013 two people died in a Best Western hotel (in the US) due to an improperly and illegally installed water heater. Seven weeks after that, one more person was killed in the exact same way, in the very same room. [1] Are you sure conventional hotels "ensure" safety? [1] http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/special-reports/nc-medical-examiners/article9093794.html http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/special-reports/nc-med...

jimjimjam 11y ago
If you really believe the average Airbnb listing is safer than the average hotel room...then you are certainly not a sane human being. But I too would love to see some objective stats from Airbnb on the number and nature of inbound tickets related to serious safety issues from guests. I doubt we will ever see anything like it.
- arg-summarizer 11y ago
  1. I disagree with you, but will provide no argument. 2. I believe that staying in a suite posted on Airbnb is riskier than staying in a hotel room, but again will provide no argument.

BurningFrog 11y ago

I have never heard or expected that hotels are especially safe.

empressplay 11y ago
If the argument is that _everything_ is inherently caveat emptor and that in many jurisdictions there are no / inefficient regulations and yet people seem to get along "fine" then why regulate anything at all? Open slather! Everything's "at your own risk". If so, we should all get used to conducting our own safety tests on everything we buy and everywhere we stay? Although, that would be pretty damn inconvenient, wouldn't it? Day-in, day-out, inspecting everywhere we stay, every vehicle we ride in, all the food we eat... and the restaurants we eat them in... Maybe there's a solution. Perhaps we could hire people to do those inspections for us, and since those inspections would inform everyone, we can communally pay for it with taxes? These people would certify whether something was safe, and ensure everything that was for sale / rent was certified to meet some minimum standard (because of course, otherwise some unscrupulous people might be inclined to lie about being certified.) Problem solved! I'm a genius. Oh, wait a minute...
- voltagex_ 11y ago
  I can't work out if the libertarians here are against regulations entirely or just against the ones that affect profits.

asuffield 11y ago

I think the primary answer to your question is "because that's exactly the same as the situation in their own home where they live for most of the year". Is your home inspected and polished to the level of a hotel? If not, why is your concern the one week you spend in a flat that airbnb is connected with?

gozo 11y ago
Because you are at an information disadvantage. I know if my floor is slippery, the smoke detector has a battery in it, if there has been a burning smell from the fridge or the fuses have been tripping.