yeah. i was… let’s just go with unhappy. lol. I haven’t checked but it wouldn’t surprise me since they didn’t seem to think anything they did was wrong.
I saw a listing this week (in Maine I think) for which the HO said that the upstairs of the home is a “self-contained” Airbnb.
Hello everyone and thank you for contributing to this conversation. We have now heard back from the membership services management team with their feedback:
Thank you for highlighting these listings that mention Airbnb. We do not allow listings where the responsibilities become more like work than lending a hand, and then only when in a separate building to where the sitter is staying. There must not be a breach of the third party ruling in the primary property being offered to the sitter as accommodation. Each case is assessed individually.
We do review all new listings, but at times the listings are updated after being approved and therefore we are unaware of these changes. Although we cannot list every potential scenario in our terms and conditions, we will take action and remove listings when we become aware of them requesting unreasonable additional responsibilities. Being asked to “keep an eye” on a business (including AirBnB) is NOT acceptable. If you do ever spot a listing that seems to be asking for sitters to carry out unreasonable tasks, please email the listing URL to our Membership Services team and they will review and remove where appropriate.
For any specific queries relating to this please do reach out to the membership services team at support@trustedhousesitters.com for advice and help.
Many thanks
Vanessa and the forum team
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Thanks for this @Vanessa_A. Could I suggest it is also posted in the Owner Questions, Advice and Chat so owners who are or become members of the forum are aware of this too.
Good idea @temba I will change this category to the owner/sitter exchange so everyone sees in the same area. I will change the title too so it’s easily searchable under “Airbnb”. Thank you!
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I know experiences with doing Airbnb tasks while sitting has been discussed, but I’m unable to find the post. Searching is taking me to any post that ever mentioned Airbnb so I’m asking here.
What experiences have people had, what specific questions should I ask?
Thanks
Laura
It is against THS policies but if you are happy doing it and you have discussed your responsibilities fully with the pet owner go for it.
I look at the policies as suggestions not rules. If I’m ok/happy with the responsibilities I go ahead. If I’m not I walk away. It’s a sitters paradise out there at the moment.
Elsie
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As @ElsieDownie says, if you’re comfortable with it and have an understanding with the owners, then it’s certainly up to you. I know that I would never do it, based on the many numerous things that could go wrong. I suggest you search for @CreatureCuddler who wrote on the Forum of her experience sitting at an Airbnb. It sounded like a horrifying experience to me. The title of the Forum post is “Airbnb Responsibilities & Drop-In House Sits”.
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In the past few days I’ve been interested in 2 houses whose owners run an Airbnb. One mentions it in the listing as ‘an annexe on the end of the house, which is rented out to Airbnb guests, who have the use of the front garden, but the rest is yours!’, the other told me during TH messaging: ‘an annex which I let on airbnb , would you be up for doing a few changeovers while you’re staying?’
I’ve asked what he means by doing changeovers so don’t know yet how much we might call ‘work’ is involved.
I remember this thread and at least one sitter’s horrendous experience.
Is it forbidden by TH? The term annexe is of course quite vague, it could be totally separate or not. @Vanessa_A
Hi @Lauraa Vanessa may not be online today so I’m going to jump in and address some of your points. I’m including part of Vanessa’s response to this topic last month (entry #44 in this post):
I’ll use an example of one sit I did in my early years of housesitting. I was asked beforehand if I would be willing to be available at a certain time and date to merely hand over keys to a separate building on the property. They reinforced that all communication would be with the owners. I had no issue with that. However, with more experience now I would likely have more questions (e.g. will there be 2 or 22 guests 
). To quote (I hope I get this correct) one of our wise members, @Amparo, “you do you”.
Make sure you are 100% comfortable with any arrangement. In the example of my experience I’ve mentioned, you could suggest a lockbox be used for the key, if you didn’t want to be available or interact with the renters. Remember, communication is key, and also that sits are a 2-way agreement.
Francine,
Volunteer Forum Moderator
I had read Vanessa’s earlier statement, but it is still not completely clear. I’ve now had an initial reply from one of the owners, who says changeover would be 3 or 4 times ‘cleaning changing and washing bed linen, the keys are kept in a key safe’ which he would ‘of course’ pay me for. He sent me to the Airbnb listing, which is very attractive. I wouldn’t want to do those tasks, but I don’t think it’s wrong necessarily.
@Lauraa I think Vanessa made a guiding statement. She did also state that each case is assessed individually. Situations that can have so many variables, such as this one, can be discussed with membership services when clarification is needed. Something to keep in. mind, if there was another scenario where you were considering the sit but were unsure of something.
Hi @Lauraa and thanks @Snowbird for providing feedback on this based on the information we were given from Membership Services on the topic of Airbnbs.
Sorry it wasn’t seen as completely clear in the answer I posted, but that unfortunately is the nature of many queries that relate to the limitless possibilities that make up different house sit scenarios. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered two entirely similar sits and frequently learn something new at each one. I’m sure that must be the experience of many of us.
Where guidance is given by the membership services team as opposed to a strict rule, so much comes down to individual interpretation and as you suggest, what’s acceptable between two parties. For me on reading your description about 3 to 4 changeovers and receiving payment, that is clearly “work” (I speak for myself and not on behalf of MS on this) and could actually involve breaking immigration regulations around work and visas for some sitters. For me personally I wouldn’t see this as “lending a hand” and that’s where membership services will use their experience, knowledge and best practice information to decide whether this sit is acceptable or not.
I would suggest running this by membership services for their support and advice and to check whether this particular sit does sit within their guidance.
Sorry that’s still not a definitive answer, but it’s one on which only membership services can provide clarity. All the best, Vanessa
This is the answer to most questions on this forum 
Everyone’s experiences are and will be unique.
I am learning every day. That for me is the best part.
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I’ll always use my own judgement to do what seems right for me, rather than consulting TH on that score! I merely wanted to know whether I would actually be doing something Against Regulations, thus possibly endangering my membership. That’s what I meant. @Vanessa_A
That’s great to hear @Lauraa - we do our absolute best to advise here in the forum where we can but unless it’s like you say, clearly stipulated in terms as “against regulations” we do have to refer members to the MS team. Hope it works out well whichever way you choose to proceed on this on.
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There was no ambiguity about this case: the owner is paying the sitter for the work. I take everyone’s point that all sorts of things can go wrong, and there would be no payment for THAT kind of responsibility.
There is another listing today (in Switzerland) that asks sitters to take over as AirBnB host for a few months. It seems to be a brand new listing, so it reinforces my thought that THS doesn’t thoroughly review new listings before they go live. I see too many first-time listings that violate THS policies. I don’t care enough to report them, but if THS cares, they need to work on quality control.
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I have to agree with you.
Much as I like stumbling across these listings, the bottom line is: it’s not my position to report them to THS. Each time, it takes a few minutes here and there which is nothing really, is it?!
But: its not my job and I resent being encouraged to report the rogue ads asking for help to run a business or blatently advertising the presence of an additional person whilst you are house sitting.
Any and all references to AirB&B etc and all variations of such, should instantly pause the ability of the HO to add the sit until its moderated -not by house sitters but by paid THS staff.
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