Airbnb has unveiled its Guide to Responsible Hosting in Buildings, for short-term rental accommodations (STRA) in strata buildings, in line with its ongoing commitment to driving responsible hosting in Malaysia.
The guide provides strata hosts, property managers, joint management bodies (JMB), management corporations (MC), and strata developers with a toolkit of resources to conduct short-term rentals responsibly in their apartment buildings and condominiums. These include Airbnb’s recommended Code of Conduct for STRA outlining the responsibilities and common courtesies of hosts and guests, alongside resources such as the Neighbourhood Support Line in multiple languages including Bahasa Malaysia for guests to flag urgent concerns about nearby listings.
Partnering with legal professionals Messrs. Zaid Ibrahim & Co (in association with KPMG law), Airbnb developed reference building by-laws aimed at equipping condominiums and apartment buildings with suggestions to ease the management of their STRA activities. They serve as a reference point for hosts, residents, and building management, outlining a clear framework for short-term rental activities including procedures for addressing potential breaches. JMBs and MCs are free to adopt and implement these reference by-laws at their own discretion. Implementation of these by-laws will draw on the existing Strata Management Act 2013 (SMA 2013) which empowers JMBs and MCs to implement rules to effectively manage day-to-day operations in their buildings.
Mohamad Izahar Mohamad Izham, Partner and Head of the Corporate and Government Advisory Department of Zaid Ibrahim & Co. (In association with KPMG Law) shared, “The introduction of these reference by-laws is a significant milestone in the regulatory framework of STRA operations. With the powers already provided under the SMA 2013, Joint Management Bodies (JMB) and Management Corporations (MC) are able to adopt these by-laws to provide minimum standards for STRA operations in strata properties. This would include among others parking management, the appropriate use of common properties, to name a few. These by-laws come as a timely resource for STRA operations as it preserves the autonomy of the JMB and MCs, and provides best practice guidance for all stakeholders to implement.”
Michelle Siew, JMB committee member for Ceylonz Suites, situated within the Bukit Bintang prime location said, “We warmly welcome Airbnb’s Guide to Responsible Hosting in Buildings, offering a comprehensive resource for promoting responsible behavior within strata communities. The guide is clear and easy to follow – allowing us to better foster greater harmony amongst residents and guests in our property. We look forward to implementing these by-laws and utilizing the guide at Ceylonz Suites”
Sarah Othman, 41, Host at Legasi Kampung Bharu, said, “I am excited by Airbnb’s launch of the strata toolkit. As committed hosts, we prioritise maintaining our property’s integrity by ensuring the security and cleanliness of the common premises. We look forward to collaborating closely with the building management to adopt and adapt the reference by-laws to create win-win solutions for our community at Legasi Kampung Bharu. ”
The guide is the latest step in Airbnb’s ongoing efforts to encourage and support community safety. Airbnb engaged with PLANMalaysia last year to share industry inputs and global best practices on national STRA guidelines. The recommendations, including the introduction of a national-level online registration portal for STRA operators and the creation of an exclusion register, aim to create a fair and transparent regulatory framework that benefits Malaysia’s community. Globally, Airbnb also launched an enhanced reservation screening technology to reduce the risk of disruptive incidents on the platform globally and the party ban policy introduced by Airbnb last year.
Mich Goh, Airbnb’s Head of Public Policy for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, reiterates the company’s ongoing commitment to promoting safer and responsible travel in strata buildings. “At Airbnb, we believe the neighborhoods and communities in which we operate are as important as the Hosts and guests who use our service. Our Guide to Responsible Hosting in Buildings, including the reference by-laws for STRA in strata buildings is designed to help ensure that each stay is a positive experience for hosts, guests, and neighbors alike.”
“With renewed enthusiasm for travel among local and international travelers, we believe that STRA will continue to be a key driver for tourism growth, in attracting different types of travelers into Malaysia. We remain committed to working hand in hand with the government to ensure that more communities can share in the benefits of tourism, and will work with local authorities to support and educate our Hosts and guests on responsible hosting and behavior,” she added.
A recent study by Oxford Economics showed that Airbnb guests spent approximately RM7 billion in Malaysia in 2022 across various industry sectors, including restaurants, retail stores, and transportation. Notably, Airbnb’s activities contributed over RM5 billion to Malaysia’s GDP and supported nearly 57,000 jobs which accounted for approximately 4.9 percent of the tourism industry’s contribution to GDP in 2022*.
For more information and to access the Guide to Responsible Hosting, visit http://airbnb.com/hostinginbuildings.
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*This report presents results for the twelve month period up to and including March 2023, referred to as 2022*, which represents the first full year after the reopening of international travel. Prevailing exchange rates at the time of study were applied, using proprietary data from Oxford Economics.
