Tragedy in Chile points up Airbnb's safety shortcomings
Last month, six people died in Chile in an apartment they had rented via Airbnb. They were poisoned by carbon monoxide, which came from a heater that was not properly functioning. Airbnb did not take direct responsibility for the situation, according to a statement.
Legally correct, but it shows clearly the issue of fire and life safety in apartments rented via Airbnb.
Local authorities only focus on collecting taxes and limiting the number of apartments for renting out. Health standards, fire and life safety issues seem not to be of interest.
Tourists renting these apartments are either not aware about the risks or simply do not care. Sad enough that it has to take victims first before measures are taken.
I do not understand why nobody requires Airbnb to implement safety standards and also to control them. Airbnb says that it informs landlords to check that everything is working properly, but there is no control procedure in place – as far as I know. Of course such a procedure causes tremendous costs and it is complicated to realize.
I also wonder, if the owner of that apartment in Chile, and others, has appropriate insurance. Standard home insurance will not apply if the apartment is commercially used – which is the case if it is rented out.
I am not against Airbnb. It is a fantastic concept and it has been a great disruptor for the hospitality industry, causing many innovations and developments for the benefit of the customers. However, I think Airbnb has to take on the responsibility for the safety of its customers. Instruction and information of owners is not sufficient. Guests will not report fire and life safety failures on TripAdvisor. It also needs some knowledge and experience to identify the deficiencies.
Let’s hope that the right conclusions are taken!
DI HERBERT MASCHA, MRICS Partner - MRP Hotels Herbert Mascha is an experienced civil engineer, working on international hotel projects as a project manager and consultant.
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