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Airbnb Wants To Help You Complain About Problem Rental Units

By Joe Ward | May 31, 2016 4:51pm | Updated on May 31, 2016 5:02pm
 With the city considering regulating Airbnb, the company said its new tool will help neighbors.
With the city considering regulating Airbnb, the company said its new tool will help neighbors.
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Airbnb

CHICAGO — Airbnb has launched a tool that will help users notify the home-sharing company of problematic rental units in their area.

The company has created airbnb.com/neighbors, where people can register complaints about a neighbor who uses Airbnb to rent out their place to travelers, Airbnb said in a news release Tuesday.

Once properly vetted, complaints can lead to the suspension or removal of a unit from Airbnb's site, the company said.

The new tool comes as some communities in Chicago begin to debate the effects of having what amount to full-time rental units in traditionally residential neighborhoods.

Legislation to limit how many units in a building can be short-term rented on sites like Airbnb is being considered by the City Council. Among other regulations, the ordinance would require the owners of single family houses to remain on site when renting to travelers.

In Lincoln Park, some are worried that the proliferation of Airbnb units next to schools puts children at danger, and some have called on the home-sharing sites to screen its renters. (Airbnb's site it reserves the right to conduct background but does not routinely do it.)

In announcing its new accountability tool, Airbnb said the overwhelming majority of users rent units without incident and that complaints are "incredibly rare."

"We always want to do everything we can to help our community members be good neighbors in the places our hosts call home," Airbnb said in a release.

Complaints entered into the site will be vetted by Airbnb, which will follow up with the rental unit's owner to address any problems. People can level nameless complaints or can leave their contact information so Airbnb can reach out. 

Once a neighbor sends a complaint, Airbnb will follow up with a confirmation email and a case number.

"We'll treat each case seriously and ensure that we give hosts and their neighbors the opportunity to resolve concerns themselves, whenever possible," Airbnb said in a release announcing the tool. "Hosting is a big responsibility and those who repeatedly fail to meet our standards and expectations will be subject to suspension or removal from the Airbnb community."

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