The online platform Airbnb plans to improve the way it presents rental prices for the rooms and homes it advertises,as well as their conditions of use, in keeping with European consumer laws, the European Commission said. The Commission, which had already rapped the U.S. business on its fingers in July, said Airbnb had until the end of the year to implement the changes.
The Commission had mainly faulted the way the platform presented the prices of its rooms and homes. It also felt users needed to be better protected against cancellations by proprietors.
At a meeting with the Commission and European consumer-protection authorities on Wednesday, Airbnb explained how it aimed to adjust its conditions of use and improve the way it presented its prices.
The European Commissioner for Consumers, Vera Jourová, said she appreciated Airbnb’s will to make the changes needed to render the platform totally transparent and clear for the consumer.
Airbnb has agreed to indicate the total price of each reservation, including additional costs such as cleaning and service fees. Where the total price cannot be calculated beforehand, Airbnb will inform customers in a clear manner that additional costs may be charged.
Further, the platform will indicate whether the accomodation is offered by an individual or a company, since consumer protection rules are different for each of the two categories.
The Brussels Times
