Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB) and Expedia's (NASDAQ: EXPE) Vrbo will collaborate in order to get rid of "party house" continued offenders, the companies recently announced. The companies have made the decision as a partnership to create the Community Integrity Program, which is a collaboration that will share information as well as demonstrate how to specifically take action against those who book rentals just to throw parties in them.
"Both companies have worked separately to address the challenge of disruptive party houses that are repeatedly reported. However, the challenge persists, as repeat offenders may be delisted by one platform, only to pop up on another," the companies said in a joint statement.
The two companies plan to work with a third party in order to discover a way to pinpoint listings that have been permanently banned from either platform from constant violations of community policies. The information will then become accessible for each company to take action if the listings appear on other platforms.
Because of the ways that the companies carry on with their policies, however, they are unable to always stop the parties from being held. While the owners are away, the guests can, at times, check in to properties for themselves and invite as many people over as they would prefer.
The companies said, regarding this matter, "Industry collaboration is an important step in narrowing enforcement gaps and prioritizing the safety of the communities in which we all operate. This is the first step in building on an important foundation."
In 2019, Airbnb had banned party houses in late 2019 after five people were murdered in a shooting at a California rental's house party. The company then employed a global ban on all parties and events in their rentals and proposed an occupancy limit of 16 people for all listings.
This past month, Airbnb stated that this ban has been increased to go beyond the summer. Airbnb and Vrbo, in working together to ban the violators of their community guidelines - particularly, against those who book rentals just to throw parties in them - will ensure the safety and security of their communities, as well as the business of their companies as a whole.