Neighbours have people staying in their Airbnb, is this allowed?

[Ladyflip]

I don't want to kick off a row with the neighbours so thought I would canvas opinions here first. We live rurally and well over 30 minutes drive and 20 miles from the nearest big hospital. Our neighbours have a self contained annex which they let out on Airbnb. This week, a family has come to stay in the Annex. In passing in the lane, neighbour told DH that Airbnb had contacted them and asked them to make it available to key workers, who are now staying there.
I am aware that Airbnb can do that for medical staff but given our location, think it is pretty unlikely. I don't particularly trust our neighbour to follow the rules.
For full disclosure and not to drip feed, I was pissed off to find one of the occupants of the Airbnb rambling round our field with her toddler, way off from the footpath and hanging over the gate looking at the cows, not just because of NIMBYism, but because DH is shielding but being a farmer still has to work.
So is it possible my neighbours are being kind and I'm unfairly maligning them, or have they done a deal on the sly? And if you are a medical professional, why can't you understand footpath signs?

There’s no way of knowing why that family is there but I really wouldn’t give it a second thought. It will kick off a row if you say anything because you’d also be accusing your neighbour of lying.

However by all means explain about shielding and ask them not to use your field.

Most key workers are not medical professionals. Why would you think that? Are they on holiday? Or are they there staying there for a while? They might be working from home, so being rural wouldn’t matter.

You should ask them not to use the field.

I wouldn’t say anything else however. It’s not worth the stress. They’ll probably have some excuse and you’ll never get to the bottom of it.

Playing devils advocate we live in a similar place - 25 miles from nearest hospital and very rural etc and lots of the people from the hospital do choose to live here as they like the peace and just commute the 40 mins or so each way to get to work!

Friends of ours had a disaster at home during the first week of lockdown where their roof partially collapsed. They were told to get an air bnb for 3 weeks while it was sorted.

You never know peoples circumstances.

Can’t see the issue here if they need to stay they need to stay. And I’m not getting the field issue either, they weren’t near your husband right?

The reason they are staying is none of your business. None.

Just ask your neighbour to tell them not to walk through your field.

@daisypond I have drafted my question carefully. Airbnb website says nhs staff but the neighbour referred to key workers.

I very politely pointed them in the direction of the footpath. I'll try not to sweat the other stuff as you're right, I'll never know.

The field issue will be because of them touching the fence or gate.

Just ask the neighbours to tell these people and any other guests that your land is private and not to be used for walks. The reason for them staying there is none of your business and not important; just remember that you don't own the place they are staying, it belongs to the neighbours.

There was a thead on here the other day about cleaning measures that have to take place after someone leaves and you have to take all your own bedding etc so hopefully they are following that

People only to walk on the footpaths, not stray off. You need to tell them this. There have been numerous deaths of people’s horses, cows and other animals because morons trespassed on their land and fed them unsuitable foods😡

Stick to the footpaths and leave people’s animals alone, the countryside is not a petting zoo!

I have an Airbnb annexe and we currently have key workers staying. I planned to leave it empty but the couple who are staying reached out as they were desperate to get accomodation sorted.

Their reasons for staying are completely in line with the government recommendations and I have given them a hefty discount (they pay less than a third of usual rate).

They are really hard workers and keeping the country going - why on earth would I say no?

@runninguphills I think it's very kind of you to give them a hefty discount.

It’s the toddler that makes me think this isn’t legit.
I thought the making accommodation available for keyworkers was for the ones that needed to stay away from thier own home and families to prevent bringing home Covid 19 to them or to lessen people commute.

If you see them again can you not ask them where they are from etc in a polite just making chitchat way?
Also if there is now a never ending stream of families staying (rather than this one being a long term stay) than I think it’s obvious they are breaking the rules.

Just ring the police already OP. I have it on good authority that your neighbour also took a non-essential trip to B&M last week so hopefully that will increase their prison sentence, fingers crossed

Airbnb website says nhs staff
But NHS staff doesn’t mean they are medical professionals, though.

It could be any one of a number of legit (or non-legit reasons) which your neighbour doesn't want to explain to you so they've just said NHS. It could be a homeless family, they could have had a flood or fire in their house, they could have been caring for someone who has died and needs some respite... that's three situations off the top of my head that wouldn't be strictly 'rehousing a key worker' but that would not make me unhappy for one second.

I nearly went to a friend's AirBnB last week as we are caring for my shielding mother in law who is extremely difficult and demanding and I felt suicidal. I ended up not going because I'd have to take public transport to get there and couldn't square the risk, but if I could have got there safely I wouldn't have thought twice (obvs would have taken all own food and bedding and not left the property for 24 hours).

By all means, talk to them about not leaning on gates etc and keeping off your field, but I think beak out when it comes to why they are there.

I know some people who have been evacuated from government jobs overseas who are in rural air bnbs. Totally within the guidelines.

Key worker is a very broad category.

I clean an air B&B. Currently housing paramedics only...
*the owner is doing the cleans not me!

A friend is and his partner are in an airbnb, they rent their UK home out as he works abroad in an embassy, they were ‘evacuated’ by the UK government. They of course cannot evict their tenant so they’re living in an airbnb on a farm in Yorkshire.

commute the 40 mins or so each way to get to work!
That's a short commute.

It could be one family member is staying at home close to the hospital and the rest of the family have decamped

You know that it isn't just hospital staff who are "key workers" don't you?

The neighbour has already given your DH the answer - they are key workers. Why would you report them? You need to mind your own business.

My sister in law has the builders at her house for 9 days, non emergency work, the builders aren’t local, they are staying in Airbnb round the corner, 3 of them, all in the same apartment. What annoys me more, she’s constantly telling people off on Facebook for not following the rules but she doesn’t seem to think the rules apply to her