Airbnb starts letting landlords hire other landlords to work for them

Airbnb has launched a new network that allows landlords to hire other landlords to work for them.

new co-hosting network will allow property owners to find and hire co-hosts to manage their property. The platform's co-founder and chief executive, Brian Chesky, said: " apps have been one-size-fits-all [but Airbnb is] changing that today."

The network will include more than 10,000 experienced co-hosts across 10 countries. They must have an average rating of 4.86 in order to appear, with a personalised algorithm recommending the best fits for the user to manage their property for them.

It is not clear if there will be a limit on the number of properties hosts hiring co-hosts can have, and if the mega-landlords with dozens of properties could build vast webs of managed properties. Airbnb has not responded to a request for clarity at the time of publication.

The firm's chief business officer, Dave Stephenson, told the PA news agency the company feels it is vital to support hosts as well as guests on the platform, because they often offer unique properties and experiences that help it stand out.

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"The better we can do to support hosts and have unique features that hosts appreciate, the more they are uniquely on Airbnb. The majority of our listings actually are unique and only on Airbnb and so we want them to stay and not necessarily go elsewhere, and we do that by providing them demand that's going to be their number one need and then just make it easier to host," he said.

"And I think what we've uniquely done also is build tools for individuals to share their homes - whereas other platforms have focused more on professional hosting and large-scale hosting, and those kinds of needs are different."

Mr Stephenson added that the company has found many of its hosts would take on guests more "if they had more help".

Airbnb is also introducing over 50 upgrades to its platform, to make using the app more personalised, including suggested destinations based on search and booking history, redesigned search filters, and the addition of new localised payment methods.

"I think you want to inspire people to know that 'Wow, I can come to Airbnb and get something truly unique and different'," Mr Stephenson added.

"And then, when they come, you want to do your best job of matching it up and understanding what their needs are, because sometimes you're traveling on your own for work - that's one kind of trip - but then maybe you're traveling with friends, and that has a different need.

"And so, even understanding not just you but your use case, your type of travel and better matching that up, it's super-important, and that's one of the features we've launched in this most recent release - highlighting specific features in a listing that might appeal to you as a traveller.

"For example, if you're traveling with kids, we'll highlight that the listing might have a crib or has certain amenities that are helpful for them. So I think it's a 'Yes and...' - you want to inspire with uniqueness and then tailor the specifics."

Several cities across Europe have expressed how they are facing housing difficulties due to the rise in short-term rental properties available. Back in June, announced that it would be banning short-term rental properties, starting from November 2028.

The decision came after there were locals in the city were being priced-out of housing available. Barcelona will stop issuing new licenses and will not renew existing ones after November 2028, meaning that from 2029 onwards, no homes will be permitted to be rented out as tourist accommodation.

Other cities including Lisbon, Florence and have also implemented restrictions on Airbnb properties.

In May of this year, borough revealed it was investigating more than 2,400 properties for abusing rules. Buildings including suspected brothels and party pads were suspected of severe overcrowding after receiving dozens of residents complaints.

New controls in London have been designed to ease the current housing crisis and prevent local people in tourist hotspots being impacted by noise. The Government now requires landlords to gain permission from the council to turn their home into a short-term let. Former housing secretary also announced a mandatory national registrations scheme would be introduced.