Trust doesn’t come easy with home sharing.
A recent survey found that about one in 10 Airbnb guests have discovered chidden in their short-term rentals.
Property exchange services firm IPX1031 conducted the survey in April, asking 2,000 people about their experiences as Airbnb guests, Inman reported.
The survey showed that 11 percent of the respondents found such cameras, while 58 percent were concerned “property owners may have hidden cameras within their Airbnb.”
At the same time, nearly 25 percent of the respondents said they would not object to cameras in living rooms, kitchens and other common areas in Airbnb rentals.
Airbnb spokesman Charlie Urbancic questioned the methodology of the survey, telling Inman it failed to “take into account several important factors.”
Urbancic also cited Airbnb rules requiring its hosts to disclose the presence and operation of “any type of security camera or other recording device.” If a host makes such a disclosure after a guest reserves an Airbnb, the guest can cancel the reservation and collect a refund.
Not all the results of the IPX1031 survey were negative for Airbnb, which is reportedly gearing up for an initial public offering this year. More than 80 percent of survey respondents said they trust Airbnb hosts. [Inman.com] — Mike Seemuth