Today I will talk about how to use Korean Airbnb house wisely.
Specifically, I’ll outline the penalties for utilizing illegal sharing houses and offer tips on how to avoid them.
How to use airbnb house in Korea wisely – avoid illegal things!
Why you should use Airbnb house in Korean wisely?
Are you familiar with Airbnb? It’s a renowned American platform for house sharing.
In Korea, it’s gained substantial popularity, ranking 4th in accommodation apps according to Realmeter, a major Korean research agency.
However, a staggering 90% of Airbnb hosts in Korea operate illegally due to stringent regulations and lenient penalties.
This presents risks for travelers, including potential conflicts with hosts and compromised insurance coverage.
Penalties for Using Illegal Airbnb Houses
What happens if you book an illegal Airbnb?
Firstly, in case of mishaps like theft, fire incidents, or disputes with hosts, your travel insurance may not provide coverage due to the illicit nature of your stay.
This is why illegal Airbnb listings often offer cheaper rates compared to legitimate accommodations.
How to Distinguish Legal and Illegal Houses
Distinguishing between legal and illegal listings is crucial. Here are some tips:
- Check if the Host Resides in the Property: If the host confirms living in the property, it’s undoubtedly illegal. Avoid such listings. You should confirm if the host lives in a studio. If the host said “yes”, it is 100% illegal house. Avoid it!
Also, you can ask in Korean “혹시 오피스텔이나 원룸인가요?” Just send this message to them. And If they run by illegal way, they will block you or avoid answer about that. - Ask about Business Licenses: Sharing house business is also one of the business literally. Legitimate sharing house operators should possess business licenses. Inquire about this directly. In this case, you can ask like “혹시 사업자등록증이나, 숙박업소 등록증이 있나요?”.
- Review Language Composition: If a majority of reviews are in Korean, try to doubt about their buisness legality. Basically, sharing houses are meant for foreigners due to Korean local regulations. Recently it can target for domestics a little, but domestics cannot use Airbnb sharing house system legally.
If you still want to continue using such accommodations despite the risks:
Korean regulations on sharing houses prioritize resident welfare, aiming to mitigate disturbances like noise and property damage.
So if you use these illegal sharing house (almost 70 ~ 90% of Airbnb hosts), you’d better to keep silence like other real residents and use it like your house.
Because only one case being caught by the police is those are reported by residents who live nearby sharing house.
Thank you for reading. I hope you make delightful memories during your Airbnb stays in Korea!
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