Airbnb is now launching a campaign to ‘kidnap’ tenants from PRS landlords by encouraging longer term tenancies rather than the ‘holiday’ short stays.

Image credit: Unsplash

In the last week it has made public its new strategies and policies to convert long term renters into their fold.

Around 20 per cent of Airbnb business accounts for ‘stays’ of one month or longer and it has seen that the platform’s rapidly exploding longer term ‘stays’ is now its number one fastest growing category.

The platform has now upgraded its longest term ‘stays’ of six months up to 12 months and is linking its campaign with other major world-wide companies such as  Procter & Gamble, Ford Motor Company, PwC and Amazon’s high profile announcement that employees will still be allowed to work from home under certain conditions.

Airbnb has also stated that users have accessed its Wi-Fi filter over 288 million times and because of this it will be launching its own ‘Verified Wifi’ to property details. This will now allow hosts to check out their listing’s internet connection from its Airtbnb app as well as testing and authenticating its Wifi speed.

To attract longer term agreements Airbnb has now introduced Aircover for hosts and states it will provide “top-to-bottom protection, free for every host.”

The platform’s UK website claims the cover equates to US$1 million (virtually three quarters of a million pounds) in damage protection and includes ‘furry friends’ damage as it reassures hosts there will be “no need to worry, damage caused by four-legged guests is covered.”