Recently, some netizens reported that they encountered "ghost homestays" when traveling in Beijing. The addresses left by these "ghost B&Bs" on the platform are relatively blurry, and the pictures do not match the reality. Experts said that these homestays violated consumers' legitimate rights and interests such as the right to know, and called on travel platforms and the government to strengthen supervision and punishment of merchants.
When publishing information online, the address marked in the prime location has become a publicity method for some homestays. A media reporter recently found during the investigation that some homestays marked on a certain platform are 500 meters near the Beijing Railway Station, but the actual location is tens of kilometers away, which will mislead foreign tourists who are not familiar with Beijing. Although some homestays are under the banner of "hostel" or "apartment", they are actually group rental houses located in ordinary residential communities.
The reporter searched for a homestay near "Beijing Railway Station" on an online travel platform, and the Hongshan Home Family Apartment was located in it, but the apartment did not indicate a clear address on the platform. The reporter contacted the merchant as a consumer and was told that the actual address could only be known after placing an order.
Merchants: The specific location will change, because the platform can only set an address, but the houses are scattered, but they are all nearby.
Screenshot of Hongshan Home Family Apartment/APP
After booking, you can view the screenshot of the homestay page/APP of the address
In this regard, the staff of the Shibalidian Police Station in Chaoyang District, where the apartment is located, said that such situations are being inventoried.
Staff: That kind of family apartment is illegal, it is all group renting. We are taking stock.
In 2020, the Beijing Housing and Construction Commission and other four departments clearly required that the operation of short-term rental housing requires the owner's identity certificate, proof of housing ownership, written materials for the owner of the rental housing to agree that the house is used for short-term rental operation, the identity certificate of the operator, and the public security responsibility guarantee signed by the operator and the public security police station where the house is located.
Luo Dongxia, deputy director of the Department of Hotel Management of the School of Tourism of Beijing Union University, analyzed that whether the address is marked near a landmark building or called a homestay, it is actually a group rental house located in the community, which is a business in order to attract customers, evade supervision, and then pursue profits.
Luo Dongxia: It is marked next to the landmark building, but it is actually very far away from the landmark building, so that customers mistakenly think that this place is convenient, attract customers, and achieve the purpose of expanding income. Under the banner of a homestay, it is actually in a residential community. There are many requirements for opening a homestay in a residential area, and we have to put a question mark on whether such a store has a business license. The motivation is to evade regulation, to attract more customers and not to pay taxes or pay less.
Part of the content of the Notice on Standardizing the Management of Short-term Rental Housing/screenshot from the website of the Beijing Municipal People's Government
According to the relevant provisions of the Mainland Consumer Rights Protection Law and the E-Commerce Law, the operator of the "Ghost Homestay" is suspected of fraud, and consumers can demand a refund of one and three compensations. Li Chuan, Legal Counsel of China Tourism Association, said:
Li Chuan: To ask for the corresponding evidence, screenshots, or chat records, invoices for accommodation fees, etc., you can call 12301 or 12345 for complaints. If the hotel does not live up to its name, it will be compensated three times according to the Consumer Rights Protection Law. Tourists can also report it to the Beijing Municipal Cultural Market Comprehensive Law Enforcement Corps, which will be punished, fined or even suspended for rectification.
Beijing Cultural Market Comprehensive Law Enforcement Corps/From the Internet
Luo Dongxia, deputy director of the hotel management department of the School of Tourism of Beijing Union University, said that tourism platforms should strengthen the qualification review of homestays and hotels, and government departments should also ensure the compliance of homestays through irregular offline inspections.
Luo Dongxia: The platform should strengthen all-round and whole-process supervision. From strengthening qualification review when the listing is on the shelves, to the daily supervision of the operation of the homestay after the platform is launched, you have to take responsibility. The government should strengthen the supervision of homestays online and offline, for example, requiring each homestay to put the 12345 hotline in a very prominent position; Organize some joint law enforcement teams offline to inspect the operation of homestays, such as safety operations or license inspections, and once found to be unqualified, resolutely ban and strengthen punishment.
Reporter Wang Nan Editor Zhao Mingcong Editor-in-Chief Cheng Yan