In 2019, the European Commission announced that accommodation platform Airbnb improved and fully clarified the way it presents offers to consumers so that it is now in line with the standards set in EU consumer law.
The main improvements and changes are as follows:
- In accommodation searches with selected dates, users see the total price in the results page, including all the applicable mandatory charges and fees (such as service, cleaning charges and local taxes). There are now no surprise mandatory fees appearing on later pages;
- Airbnb clearly distinguishes if an accommodation offer is put on the market by a private host or a professional;
- Airbnb provides an easily accessible link to the Online Dispute Resolution platform on its website and all the necessary information related to dispute resolution.
Airbnb also revised its terms of service in which it:
- Makes clear that users can bring a case against Airbnb before the courts of their country of residence;
- Respects users’ basic legal rights to sue a host in case of personal harm or other damages;
- Commits not to unilaterally change the terms and conditions without clearly informing users in advance and without giving them the possibility to cancel the contract.
More information is available in the Airbnb Enforcement Action Factsheet:
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