In Conversation with Tim

Airbnb Superhost and gardening enthusiast, Tim shares a private room in Birmingham. He loves it when guests take away something new from their stay - whether a memorable day out, or a little local history.

“I was full every night of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games and it was amazing talking to my guests, who were saying ‘I had no idea this was such a lovely city, I’ll be back.”

Tim is proud of his corner of South Birmingham, and recommends local restaurants, gigs and other experiences to all his guests. The positive feedback always makes his day.

“Safety is a really important thing for me because if you think about it, I'm inviting a total stranger into my home and knowing that they will have completed a verification process, is really reassuring.”

Tim is glad that there are Airbnb trust and safety measures in place so he can feel confident about hosting guests, particularly as he lives alone.

“Losing the extra earnings from Airbnb would be catastrophic as it's a third of my income. I’m unable to work full-time because of illness and without the earnings, I would have to be claiming government support.”

Hosting on Airbnb not only allows Tim to afford day-to-day expenses, but the flexibility means he can manage his health and time in a way that works for him.

“I just want an easy way of inviting guests into my home. Also, several of my regular guests are on short-term work contracts in the city. Without my listing they probably couldn't afford to work here.”

More restrictive regulations would have a serious impact, not just on Tim’s livelihood, but on the wider business community.

Read more here about Airbnb’s support of new, modern rules for short-term lets.