Party poopers: Airbnb to limit UK bookings for under-25s
Airbnb is set to restrict under-25s from booking entire properties in the UK in a bid to crack down on rowdy parties and antisocial behaviour.
The trial scheme will prevent guests under the age of 25 with fewer than three positive ratings from booking entire homes near to where they live.
The measures, which are also being rolled out in France and Spain, follow similar pilots in the US Canada, which Airbnb said had reduced the number of unauthorised parties.
“We want everyone to enjoy the summer safely and while the overwhelming majority of guests on our platform are responsible neighbours, we are absolutely determined to obstruct and weed out anyone intent on causing antisocial behaviour,” said Patrick Robinson, Airbnb’s director of public policy.
“We want to do everything we can to be good partners to the communities where hosts live and we hope that our new restriction will make it abundantly clear that there is no home for any unauthorised parties on Airbnb.”
The holiday rental site has come under pressure to limit antisocial behaviour after a string of incidents in the US and Canada that saw house parties in Airbnb properties descend into violence.
Last year the company banned all unauthorised parties and events at its listings and has since temporarily disabled the ‘event friendly’ search filter.
The website has also tightened controls on bookings to ensure guests do not host gatherings that violate public health rules during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The trial measures will still allow under-25s to book private rooms and hotel rooms through Airbnb, while younger users with at least three positive reviews and no negative reviews can still make entire property bookings.