Airbnb/Covid conundrum

[Catabogus]

I’m going on holiday in the UK with DH and DC next month. We’re staying in an Airbnb and travelling by train (long journey, multiple changes). It’s just occurred to me rather belatedly: what happens if one of us gets Covid while we’re away? We won’t be able to get home via public transport, we don’t drive, we won’t be able to stay in the Airbnb as new guests will be coming in, I doubt we’ll be able to find alternative accommodation in a busy tourist spot....how do we self-isolate?!

Obviously this is all theoretical at the moment, and we’ll try our best not to get Covid - I’m just trying to plan out our options in advance. Thanks very much for any thoughts.

It's my understanding that you are allowed to use public transport to get home if you have to isolate, but not sure what if you test positive. Maybe you would have to immediately go home if anyone experienced symptoms and then test once home? Perhaps the symptomatic person could move to a travel lodge or something while everyone else goes home?

Thanks for the reply. I can’t imagine it being ok to get on a train with Covid symptoms! Trains are likely to be busy too I would think, so I’d be worried we’d infect others, and I don’t think even a Travelodge would be available in peak tourist season in a prime holiday spot.

I don’t know how this issue didn’t occur to me until today - I booked this holiday 9 months ago!

If you are genuinely stuck without any other option they you would have to use public transport. I guess all you could do would be to choose a time that's not busy and stay away from others. I don't think a Travelodge would want you booking in to them with covid symptoms even if they have space.

It’s all here

You must notify accommodation owner.

No to travelling by public transport, and have to pay all costs.

@Bleddyansum

It’s all here

You must notify accommodation owner.

No to travelling by public transport, and have to pay all costs.

That guidance is incomplete really - Written with no practical considerations taken into account at all - surprise surprise.

Enjoy your holiday and try not to worry about something that probably won't happen. You won't be arrested for using public transport if you had to nor will you wipe out a whole nation.

@Bleddyansum

It’s all here

You must notify accommodation owner.

No to travelling by public transport, and have to pay all costs.

It's all very well but what is the solution if you don't drive and are away from home? Should people sleep rough for 10 days?

Really feel for you. There is no answer to this, which is why we decided not to go away. I'm not sure what people that travelled by public transport (or flew abroad) last year did, I don't think quarantining in a hotel was around then, so I guess it was the same risk.

We are going away in Mid August. We don't have a car so we are going by trian. We'll be steering clear of people beforehand!!

There is no way we'd be able to afford to pay the costs to self isolate at the accommodation (I read that as you'd pay for the extra time you stay + the amount the owner would have to pay for any cancellations of the guests they have to cancel).

FWIW my plan would be to LFT all those not symptomatic and pay for the latest train of the day home (likely to be less busy) and then we'd beg a vaccinated family member to take those with symptoms.

Thanks very much for all the views. I’d be happy (well, not happy - but willing) to pay all costs if I only knew what the answer was! No taxi driver in the world is going to accept a job taking 5 Covid-infected people home 400 miles, surely?! With one child too young to wear a mask as well.

And our trains are all booked - you have to book in advance so can’t really just turn up for a late (and hopefully quiet) train, when tickets have sold out earlier.

It’s not exactly keeping me awake at night, but I must admit I’m very confused as to what we’d do. The guidance doesn’t really seem to spell out a solution.

I think the answer is travel insurance. Get a policy that would cover you for the costs of having to stay on where you were until recovered.

@Porcupineintherough

I think the answer is travel insurance. Get a policy that would cover you for the costs of having to stay on where you were until recovered.

Many don’t cover Covid related problems so do check first!

That's true but you can get policies to cover this eventuality, I checked.

It's amazing how they'll happily let new variants into the country and then completely wash their hands when it comes to paying for the consequences.

Porcupineintherough

Travel insurance doesn't cover the ethical and practical dilemma of the situation though

I'm in an Airbnb just now. Suppose I tested positive, I'd have to isolate of course. Does the owner have to agree to us staying on and cancel the next bookings? In another 5 days dh might test positive. So that's 15 days in the accommodation. We also have three dc - they could get it one after the other, we could be here for months!
really hope this all stays hypothetical

In some other countries you’d be taken to a local hotel which has been set aside just for these circumstances. Some would keep you for free as a way to reassure tourists that they’re welcome to come, some would ask you to contribute (NOT as much as the hotel quarantine here)

@Myplantsare

Porcupineintherough

Travel insurance doesn't cover the ethical and practical dilemma of the situation though

Yes, quite! If my travel insurance would pay the Airbnb owner for the extra nights, then that would be great (and I will check) - but would she even let us stay on to isolate in her holiday home? When there are other guests arriving the next day?

@cherin

In some other countries you’d be taken to a local hotel which has been set aside just for these circumstances. Some would keep you for free as a way to reassure tourists that they’re welcome to come, some would ask you to contribute (NOT as much as the hotel quarantine here)

This would be perfect. I have a feeling this is more for international travel though.

@Halfwaytoholiday

I'm in an Airbnb just now. Suppose I tested positive, I'd have to isolate of course. Does the owner have to agree to us staying on and cancel the next bookings? In another 5 days dh might test positive. So that's 15 days in the accommodation. We also have three dc - they could get it one after the other, we could be here for months! really hope this all stays hypothetical

Yes - nightmare scenario! We could be in the holiday let for months. Meanwhile the owner’s Airbnb rating goes through the floor because she has to cancel the next 6 guests who all leave angry reviews. And they can’t find anywhere else to stay, even if my travel insurance would she’ll out, because everywhere is full.

Does the owner have to agree to us staying on and cancel the next bookings?

I'm an Airbnb host, and they've not given any guidance, or even mentioned what I should do if this were to happen. I mean, I'd do my best to find a solution, but I wouldn't be able to let people stay on indefinitely.

Pretty ridiculous they expect you to pay the accommodation!
The accommodation shpuld have insurance. As it's more likely to happen to them than an individual and it hasnt been made clear to customers.
Plus if booking in advance you didn't because agree to this.
So they expect people on holiday to

• lose holiday by isolatinc
• try to find a test --- if you dobt drive
• if you test positive to leave but not public transport
• thereby ruining your holiday waiting for tests and then leaving. And if you cant leave then costing you thousands.

Only 1% of people will unfortunately test in these situations. Similarly we got caught on a school isolation - that wouldn't exist a few days later. We tried to sort the holiday but they were really rude inflexible and kept lying about stuff. So dc1 and dp have gone. But clearly by that point there is as much chance either of them have it. No being able to change it or keep part of holiday many people would just go anyway. If they want people to do the right thing they shouldnt be at a loss.

With holiday accommodation being 7 nights its possible you would have to pay for 2 more weeks to cover the 10d.
Do you have to pay for extra cleaning too!??!

Most people therefore would likely isolate the symptomatic person only unfortunately. Possibly especially if everyone else is vaccinated.

I do think this is an extra reason to vax kids. How many people will end up trapped abroad or on holiday in uk or with ruined holidays due to symtoms and testing.

Incentive to learn to drive at least you could rent a car

You're overthinking OP. Your air bnb host would have to let you stay longer because they'd have no choice. It is highly unlikely that the next renters of the property would want it straight after a COVID case anyway. Travel insurance will pay for the extra days, or maybe even for you to be medivac- ed home if you get to the point where you cant stay any longer. Or they may be able to make alternative accomodation arrangements for you.

Do you drive? Could you hire a car with a one way hire option and drive you all home?

Oh sorry ignore me! I’ve seen that you don’t drive so that won’t work.