Airbnb makes ‘party ban’ official

Let’s not get that party started.

Airbnb has permanently banned “all parties and events in listings globally,” after codifying a ban that had been temporarily enacted nearly two years ago.

In August 2020, the San Francisco-based online lodging marketplace announced a party ban in all of its listings, which at the time was in effect “until further notice.”

That temporary ban was well received by its community of hosts as well as community leaders and elected officials, so “today we are officially codifying the ban as our policy,” Airbnb said Tuesday in a news release.

For about 10 years, the 2008-founded company allowed hosts to use their best judgment and authorize guests to throw parties at the rented houses whenever they felt it was appropriate for their homes and neighborhood.

It began cracking down on parties in late 2019, however, after five people were killed during a Halloween celebration in California, prohibiting both “open-invite” parties (or those advertised on social media) as well as “chronic party houses.”

The following year, after the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the company announced a “global ban” on any gatherings of more than 16 people on its listings, as well as a ban on any “disruptive parties and events” — a policy implemented primarily because of concerns around large gatherings prior to the introduction of coronavirus vaccines.

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“Over time, the party ban became much more than a public health measure. It developed into a bedrock community policy to support our Hosts and their neighbors,” the company announced Tuesday, noting that the ban, initially implemented in August 2020, resulted in a 44% year-over-year drop in the rate of party reports.

“As we build on this momentum, we believe the time is right to codify this policy,” Airbnb said.

The codified policy will mean that “disruptive parties and events will continue to be prohibited, and ‘party house’ properties will continue to be strictly prohibited as well.”

Airbnb is also removing the 16-people cap on houses that can comfortably fit as many people — from castles in Europe to vineyards in the U.S. to large beachfront villas in the Caribbean.

Guests who violate the rules will face “serious consequences,” which can include a suspension or “full removal from the platform.”

The company also renewed its commitment to enforce the policy by enacting measures that include anti-party reservation prevention; special holiday anti-party measures; a 24-hour safety line; a Neighborhood Support Line; as well as a partnership with rival Vrbo to share information on repeat “party house” offenders in the U.S.

Last year, more than 6,600 guests were suspended from Airbnb for attempting to violate its party ban.