Discrimination on airbnb and VRBO
![[Post New]](/jforum/templates/default/images/icon_minipost_new.gif){kind=icon}
Anonymous
| I think we're encountering this trying to find somewhere to stay with a one-month-old. It's really frustrating. Has anyone else dealt with this? |
Anonymous
| What makes you think you're being discriminated against? |
Anonymous
| Details? |
Anonymous
|
According to airbnb, the owner of the place typically responds to emails within 24 hours and updates availability calendar at the same rate. The place is listed on both airbnb and VRBO and the dates we want show up as available on both calendars.
I emailed about a month ago to ask if there is room for a pack and play, stupidly revealing that I have a baby. I never heard back from the owner, but when I then tried to go ahead and reserve the place, my request was declined. Tried to reserve the place through the other site, and request was declined again. The place still shows up as available on both calendars. Upon closer inspection, I realized that owner has posted a note that says, "only well behaved, quiet children please!" |
Anonymous
| Well, it is his discretion, I guess? Find another place. |
Anonymous
| Have your husband/partner reserve under his/her name. See what happens. |
Anonymous
|
When we were looking in September we found there were a decent amount of places who didn't want to rent to kids with babies/toddlers. A couple of places were honest with us (disturbing neighbors, didn't want to be held responsible for a non baby proofed place if something happened to baby, not a family friendly area..in that case apparently the apt was surrounded by a lot of clubs! glad we didn't go there)
I don't really find it to be discriminatory. |
Anonymous
| It's understandable that people would not want to share their homes with a stranger's newborn--they wake up a lot at night! Most bed and breakfasts do not allow any children. Try to find a hotel. |
Anonymous
| Um no this is not discrimination. Someone is opening up their home to you. They can't discriminate against race or orientation, but they are certainly well within their rights to say they don't want to rent to someone with a baby,s mall child, teenager, etc. |
Anonymous
| When you're renting out a place to members of the public, you are subject to housing discrimination laws. Discriminating against renters who have kids violates federal and probably also state law. |
Anonymous
In most jurisdictions, property owners who only own a couple properties or who are renting out their own homes are allowed to discriminate. |
Anonymous
| If you were trying to rent a permanent dwelling, they would potentially be in violation of the Fair Housing Act, but I don't think that would apply to something like Airbnb or VRBO. |
Anonymous
| Do you really want to waste this much energy on this? I just don't get it. there must be other places. |
Anonymous
Nope. Google "owner occupied." People who are living in their own homes while renting rooms - or even another house/apartment on the same property - are almost always exempt from family status discrimination laws. I say almost always because I don't know the law in every single state but every one I've ever lived in (and there have been quite a few) owner-occupied people violated no laws when not renting to parents. Thank God. |
Anonymous
| Does the property come up when you do a advanced search where you specify that you are looking for a place that's okay with kids? They don't always post that in the listing unless you search specifically. This happened with us in looking for a place okay with pets. |