Host Reliability Standards

In addition to behaving in accordance with our Community Standards, which apply to all community members, hosts of places to stay must meet the following host standards:

1. Host commitment
2. Listing cleanliness
3. Listing accuracy
4. Host communication

Our goal is to ensure that these standards are clear, and that our enforcement is proportionate to the severity and persistence of the violation.

Africabooking’s host standards for stays

Host commitment

Guests’ travel experiences on Africabooking start at the minute of booking. Hosts who commit to reservations are expected to uphold those reservations to the best of their abilities, to help ensure that guests can begin travel planning with confidence. Host cancellations greatly inconvenience guests, and the closer a cancellation occurs to the check-in date, the greater an implication it has on guests’ ability to travel.

• Cancellations: Hosts should not cancel accepted reservations, absent extenuating circumstances or indicators that a guest may violate an enforceable house rule or Africabooking policy. If a cancellation is unavoidable, hosts should do their best to cancel with as much lead time as possible and contact Africabooking if they need assistance.
• Check-in: Hosts should ensure their guests have the information needed to access a listing at check-in (ex: provide correct directions, update keycode, etc.).

Listing cleanliness

To feel truly at home in a listing, guests expect clean accommodations. Providing unclean spaces is not only detrimental to guests’ experiences; it could also pose health risks to guests and their travel companions. In the interest of guest safety, satisfaction, and comfort, Africabooking requires that all hosts provide listings that meet a minimum standard of cleanliness, and will support guests who have checked into listings that fall below that standard.

• Health and safety: Listings should be free of health hazards (ex: mold, pests, or vermin).
• Cleanliness: Hosts should provide listings that meet a high standard of cleanliness (ex: free of mildew in showers, extensive dust or pet dander, etc.).
• Guest turnover: Hosts should be sure to clean between every stay (ex: do laundry, take out trash, vacuum/sweep, wipe down surfaces, etc.)

Listing accuracy

Hosts have full autonomy over their listings’ categorizations and features, and over the amenities they would like to offer to guests. When hosts fail to uphold their promised listing commitments, it may harm guests’ experiences and trust in Africabooking. Therefore, Africabooking requires that all listing categorizations, features, and amenities detailed on the listing page at the time of booking accurately reflect the categorizations, features, and amenities present at the listing from check-in to checkout.

• Booking details: Hosts should only change the parameters of an accepted booking with guest consent (ex: adjust the dates, price, etc.).
• Location: The location information provided for the listing should be accurate.
• Room type: The type of accommodation (ex: list a private room as an entire home), the set up of the listing (ex: list more bedrooms than the listing offers), or the level of privacy (ex: fail to disclose an on-site property manager) should accurately reflect the physical space.
• Amenities: The host should accurately represent the available amenities and features offered in their listing (ex: not advertise a hot tub that is broken).
• Property: The listing booked should be the one that is provided. Hosts should only substitute one listing for another with prior guest consent.

Host communication

We expect that hosts or co-hosts have provided up-to-date contact information, and are available to respond to guest inquiries or unexpected issues that may arise during stays.

• Answering questions: Hosts should be responsive and willing to answer questions and help resolve host standards violations at a listing.
• Resolving problems: Hosts should be responsive and willing to make resolution efforts or abide by remediation requirements from Africabooking for host standards violations.

Reporting a violation

If you are a guest who is dealing with a violation of these hosting standards during your stay, we ask that you:

• Communicate with your host—they're in the best position to ensure a quick resolution.
• Document the issue through Africabooking message thread correspondence, photos, etc.
• Familiarize yourself with the requirements of our Guest Refund Policy.
• Report any issues directly by contacting us or request a refund through the Resolution Center.
• Leave an honest review with feedback so that the host can improve for future guests.

Holding hosts to these standards

Hosts who cancel reservations without an extenuating circumstance or indicators that a guest may violate an enforceable house rule or Africabooking policy will face cancellation penalties on their account.

Africabooking reviews each reported violation of these host standards and determines whether a violation has occurred. Depending on the severity of the violation, Africabooking may refund a guest from a host’s payout and/or suspend a listing until the host performs remedial actions. For instance:

• In cases of cleanliness reports, Africabooking may suspend listings until hosts can provide documentation of professional inspections or deep cleanings of their listings to try and ensure future guests are not impacted by a health hazard.
• In cases of misclassifications, Africabooking may suspend listings until hosts can confirm they have either corrected their listing details and/or fixed or replaced broken amenities.

A reported violation of any of these standards is considered alongside past violations, which informs the enforcement decisions made by Africabooking. Reports are reviewed on both the severity and frequency of violations.

Based on this review, a host may face removal of payouts, listing suspension, and potentially permanent removal of their listings or accounts.