Airbnb requires installed detectors by year's end

Airbnb is the industrious service by which hosts can offer travelers a place to stay, eschewing hotels altogether and sometimes proving more homey. By the end of the year, those hosts will be required to have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors installed in their rentals, according to a blog post the company published today.

The announcement was made by Phil Cardenas, Airbnb's Trust and Safety Manager, who says the move is one that aims to make sure the homes being rented out are safer for customers. He points out that, according to recent data, the majority of homes in the United States lack a carbon monoxide detector.

That doesn't fly for the service, and by the end of this year, all hosts will need to confirm in their listing that the rental has both carbon monoxide and smoke detectors. To ensure this happens, all eligible hosts in the United States can receive these for free upon request, with a similar offering outside the US currently being in the works.

In addition to the detectors requirement, Airbnb will also be giving away first aid kits to the first 10,000 eligible hosts that request them in the United States. Eligible hosts will also receive a free Emergency Safety Card for their rental upon request (in the US).

VIA: The Verge

SOURCE: Airbnb Blog