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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Airbnb owner wants proof of vaccination

233 replies

garlictwist · 10/04/2021 05:46

OH and I are due to go away on Monday as restrictions ease. We booked an air bnb several weeks ago when Boris announced the road map and all was fine.

Yesterday the owner emailed me to ask me to send her proof of our vaccinations.

We haven't had it. I'm 40, OH is 35 and it hasn't been our turn yet.

When I told her she responded saying she was going to cancel the booking.

We will get a refund but AIBU to be really pissed off! There was no mention of any vaccination requirement when we booked, it's not our faut we haven't been vaccinated and now we have to find a new holiday home with two days to spare.

I haven't had a week off work since 2019 and I'm just fed up.

OP posts:
PetraRabbit · 10/04/2021 22:59

On the plus side you won't be giving your money to a crazy Covid obsessive!

Mummyyyyyyyyyy · 11/04/2021 17:51

I can't see why the host would need vaccinated people only to stay there. Unless they were expecting to stay with you.

It could be that the owner may think they'll get more money.

However it is their property & wouldn't want to stay in such an unwelcoming place.

Find another property & have a great break.

mygenericusername · 11/04/2021 18:00

Exactly @PetraRabbit. These lunatics need to be stamped out and made to understand that their obsessive behaviour is unacceptable.

Mummyyyyyyyyyy · 11/04/2021 18:02

@MrsFin
Not everyone gets that. We have a card with the date, vaccine type & batch code - no names.

loulouljh · 11/04/2021 18:06

What a mad person..I suspect they won't have much business if they are going to carry on like that. As a point if principle I wouldnt stay anywhere that insisted on vaccination...even if I had had one.

B1rthis · 11/04/2021 18:07

That's terrible?!
You're not in a position (age) to have a vaccination and it's your choice what you put in your body.
Having to declare what you have/have not done with regards to health to stay in a self contained holiday apartment screams discrimination.
You're not exposing her to anything more than you would have, had you booked her property in the summer last year between lockdowns.
I agree, if she doesn't want unvaccinated people in her property, this should be declared at the start of your booking and publicly.
It's like in America when Christian bakers choose not to sell wedding cakes to same sex couples. Their business and their decision but needs to be made clear at the beginning.

loulouljh · 11/04/2021 18:08

It is probably illegal too on the basis of discrimination..

TomHardyAndMe · 11/04/2021 18:11

@loulouljh

It is probably illegal too on the basis of discrimination..
Not unless they’re anti-vaxx, which is covers belief.

If they just haven’t had it but would if offered it doesn’t fall foul of any laws.

purplebunny2012 · 11/04/2021 18:12

YANBU, I'd be extremely annoyed as I'm in the same boat as you, not eligible yet.
The law states you can stay overnight in self catering, not that you must be vaccinated

Mummyyyyyyyyyy · 11/04/2021 18:17

@Starisnotanumber

E mail her back tell her you respect her conditions and you have found somewhere else. Then tell her that a couple of fully vaccinated friends are looking for a place and you don't want her to loose money so can they take over your booking. See what happens then
Ooh that would be interesting 🤔
Alwayscheerful · 11/04/2021 18:22

If the airbnb host cancels you will be refunded in full.
If you cancel your booking you will be refunded in line with the airbnb cancellation policy you signed up for.
Tell your host you were not aware of the vaccination requirement but you are happy for her to cancel your booking.
Do not threaten her with a bad review as someone suggested that would be considered extortion if you look at the airbnb review policy small print.

msgreen · 11/04/2021 18:26

Personally I think its to soon for holidays, maybe in two months we will
all be safer, theres every possible chance of another wave!
and you have no idea of your hosts situation maybe they have had a
hard time with covid, We have in our friends and family loss 5 people
to covid they youngest was 50 ,
these are difficult times for all ,no one has had a holiday some older single folk have been alone for a year.
its a global pandemic FFS

EasterIssland · 11/04/2021 18:57

@msgreen

Personally I think its to soon for holidays, maybe in two months we will all be safer, theres every possible chance of another wave! and you have no idea of your hosts situation maybe they have had a hard time with covid, We have in our friends and family loss 5 people to covid they youngest was 50 , these are difficult times for all ,no one has had a holiday some older single folk have been alone for a year. its a global pandemic FFS
Not sure what has one thing got to do with another one It’s allowed to spend time with your household now in Airbnb style type accommodation. It’s not ops fault that some older folks have been alone this year. If it’s allowed by the government then the op is entitled to go on holidays
Changechangychange · 11/04/2021 19:05

It’s highly likely she wants to re-list at a higher price. I’d be interesting know what she would do if you sent her a copy of a vaccination card - I bet £5 she’d suddenly need to “do some urgent repairs” Hmm.

FunTimes2020 · 11/04/2021 19:08

@ButtonMoony

Meh. Her house her rules.

Book somewhere else

That's helpful Hmm
HumunaHey · 11/04/2021 19:15

@msgreen

Personally I think its to soon for holidays, maybe in two months we will all be safer, theres every possible chance of another wave! and you have no idea of your hosts situation maybe they have had a hard time with covid, We have in our friends and family loss 5 people to covid they youngest was 50 , these are difficult times for all ,no one has had a holiday some older single folk have been alone for a year. its a global pandemic FFS
Get a grip. There's always going to be another wave and another and another and something else to make it seem we should all stay locked up in our houses forever.
TomHardyAndMe · 11/04/2021 19:16

@purplebunny2012

YANBU, I'd be extremely annoyed as I'm in the same boat as you, not eligible yet. The law states you can stay overnight in self catering, not that you must be vaccinated
But not that every customer must be accommodated.
Frannyhy · 11/04/2021 20:52

As an Airbnb host I got vaccinated as soon as I could, just waiting for the second one now. I just ordered some lateral flow tests.

I give this information on my host profile, so show that I care about my health, guests’ health and the health of my community.

I appreciate younger guests won’t have been vaccinated yet, so I won’t refuse them.

Mamanyt · 11/04/2021 23:43

You are being entirely unreasonable to think that the owner does not have every right to require proof of vaccination, but entirely reasonable to think that this should have been brought up when you made the booking. That's my issue with the situation.

Had they informed you that proof of vaccination was required, you could have made other plans. That was unfair (and not good business practice AT ALL) in the extreme. Thinking about it, if the owner is that slipshod about the basics, you may be better off not doing business with them.

TatianaBis · 12/04/2021 00:08

It’s much more important that hosts have proper Covid cleaning protocols than they themselves or their guests are vaccinated. It’s unknown thus far whether vaccination will prevent transmission.

TatianaBis · 12/04/2021 00:23

Or how well the vaccinations will perform against new variants.

safariboot · 12/04/2021 03:16

It's quite clear that a requirement to be vaccinated is indirect age discrimination. Age is a protected characteristic. According to the below, package holidays have an exception but accommodation only does not. With it being self-contained accommodation the owner will have a hard time justifying the requirement.

www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/technical_guidance_on_age_discrimination_in_services_public_functions_and_associations.pdf

On either that grounds or on grounds of breach of contract, you could pursue the owner for your damages - the difference in price between your original booking and your replacement elsewhere. Probably this would be in small claims court.

I am not a lawyer and you would do well to seek legal advice before spending your money on court fees.

Jengnr · 12/04/2021 04:33

@Roonerspismed

Given vaccines will result in the death of younger people who don’t need them, we are moving into disgusting territory

I will not support any business or organisation in the U.K. that does this

Wait! What?!?!?
Pixxie7 · 12/04/2021 04:35

I would question the legality of this, surely she entered a contract with you and has broken it. If the boot was on the other foot she would be entitled to compensation.

Diggydog · 12/04/2021 08:38

Had to cancel holiday to Italy twice last year. Have used Airbnb several times with no problems prior to the Covid situation. Still think you have had a shitty deal though and the owners should have informed you much sooner.
On the point of owners raising prices, I was talking to someone who had just paid £1800 for a week in a CARAVAN!! at Skegness. This is not an isolated instance as many other owners seem to be taking advantage of the current situation and charging ridiculous prices especially as travel abroad has been restricted. I'm staying home until 2022.

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