Is there an ethical form of Air BnB?

[NotCamping]

Not camping or hostels. I’d rather go without a holiday than camp but I’d love to holiday in the UK and partly self cater because I love to frequent local butchers, bakeries, grocers etc and buy and cook local produce. However I usually stay in Bnbs and hotels where I can’t do this.

I don’t want to use Air BnB because it can be bad for the local community but it’d be nice for us(2-4 people) to occasionally get to cook and enjoy local produce.

Is there a more ethical version of Air BnB? Perhaps a site where people genuinely let out their home while they’re not using it?

I’d appreciate any suggestions.

TIA

I don’t really think it matters who owns them. I just don’t really like the prices of these homes being pushed up and ultimately not being available to other local people. Then again I am not in favour of private landlords generally. If others don’t agree that’s fine.

I have said this before @nootropiccoffee bur I obviously need to repeat it. When they started they were different to how they are now. People renting out their spare room or own home while they stay elsewhere is one thing. Entire seaside towns and city centre flats being bought in order to rent out to on a short-term basis is something quite different.

We often rent National Trust holiday cottages. The profit supports conservation. Landmark Trust is similar.

However you're making assumptions about Airbnb owners. We let our former family home via Airbnb. It didn't meet our needs as a family and we really struggled to find somewhere to buy that did so, when we were offered a house to rent by a family friend in another village, we took it and now let out the house we own as a holiday cottage. We haven't sold it because we hope to move back there one day and letting it as a residential let wouldn't cover our costs. I'm very community minded and have contributed hundreds of volunteer hours to the place I love, it just doesn't work for us at the moment but hopefully it will again in the future.

Having seen a few posts in FB groups today, immediately removed, I think the short term licence scotland laws have stopped the pop up type Airbnb in its tracks.

Absolutely no advertising without a licence. A licence a total nightmare to get, very harsh. So gone to far I would say, time will tell.

I've seen a few for Taylor swift in Edinburgh this weekend, I will go out, please have my house. All removed in minutes.

In Wales, Ireland and a few other places Under the Thatch is pretty ethical. Most of their properties are too quirky to be family homes, or have been restored from being derelict (they don't like turning a family home into a holiday let) and they lower prices in low season so they are as full as possible. I don't like Airbnb either. Using local agencies keeps money in the local agencies but there are fewer and fewer little agencies around. Most UK agencies are owned by big conglomerates...