Airbnb Blocks 80,000 Bookings Made By Under-25s In The UK

Airbnb has blocked almost 80,000 reservations made by under-25s in the UK, in a bid to crack down on anti-social behaviour during stays.

The reservations have been prevented from being confirmed automatically, thanks to a measure introduced in August last year.

It stops those under the age of 25 from reserving entire homes in their local area if they have fewer than three positive reviews.

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The move comes after a number of incidents in which hosts' properties have been trashed after parties.

In the past six months the company has removed or suspended a whopping 1,000 UK listings because their descriptions indicated that parties were allowed, which is against the firm's policy.

Airbnb even took legal action over unauthorised parties in the States, filing a lawsuit alleging breach of contract, fraudulent misrepresentation, and fraudulent and unlawful business practices in one case.

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Recently, the company has also announced additional steps aimed at stamping out anti-social behaviour among guests. These included discounts for noise detection devices, strengthening its community support teams and making the 'house rules' section of listings more prominent for those looking to reserve a stay.

Airbnb director of public policy Patrick Robinson said: "While the overwhelming majority of guests are responsible neighbours, we are committed to tackling potential issues of anti-social behaviour on the Airbnb platform.

"Today's measures mark another step towards ensuring that stays are mindful and considerate of the communities that hosts call home."

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Last year, we told you about the Airbnb hosts who were accused of fatphobia after banning anyone weighing over 16 stone from staying at their cottage.

Hosts Zsu and Marcus, who listed their £199-a-night Bobbit's Lair cottage in Sandwich, Kent, said anyone with 'eating disorders' was unable to rent the property due to a 'maximum weight limit of 100kg [15.7 stone] PP'.

You can read more about that here.

Topics: airbnb, Life News, News, travel

Lucy Devine

Lucy is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, she has worked in both print and online and is particularly interested in fashion, food, health and women's issues. Northerner, coffee addict, says hun a lot. Get in touch at [email protected].