KUALA LUMPUR: Airbnb recently 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 Melayu 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.
Zaid Ibrahim & Co corporate and government advisory department partner and head Mohamad Izahar Mohamad Izham 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 and management corporations 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.”
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 utilising the guide at Ceylonz Suites”
Sarah Othman, host at Legasi Kampung Bharu, said, “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.
