Airbnb has introduced a new Guide to Responsible Hosting in Buildings aimed at supporting responsible short-term rental accommodation (STRA) practices in Malaysian strata buildings. The guide is designed for hosts, property managers, joint management bodies (JMB), management corporations (MC), and developers involved with apartments and condominiums.
The toolkit includes Airbnb’s recommended Code of Conduct for STRA, which outlines the responsibilities of both hosts and guests. It also provides resources such as a multilingual Neighbourhood Support Line that allows guests to report urgent concerns about nearby listings.
Airbnb partnered with legal firm Messrs. Zaid Ibrahim & Co (in association with KPMG law) to develop reference building by-laws. These are intended to help condominiums and apartment buildings manage their STRA activities more effectively. The by-laws offer guidance on issues such as parking management and use of common areas, while allowing JMBs and MCs discretion over adoption and implementation. The framework draws on the Strata Management Act 2013, which already gives JMBs and MCs authority to create rules for managing their properties.
Mohamad Izahar Mohamad Izham, Partner and Head of the Corporate and Government Advisory Department at Zaid Ibrahim & Co., said: “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 (JMB) and Management Corporations (MC) are able to adopt these by-laws to provide minimum standards for STRA operations in strata properties. This would include among others parking management and the appropriate use of common properties, to name a few. These by-laws come as a timely resource for STRA operations as it preserves the autonomy of the JMB and MCs, and provides best practice guidance for all stakeholders to implement.”
Michelle Siew, JMB committee member for Ceylonz Suites in Bukit Bintang, commented: “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 utilizing the guide at Ceylonz Suites.”
Sarah Othman, a host at Legasi Kampung Bharu, added: “I am excited by Airbnb’s launch of the strata toolkit. 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.”
This initiative follows previous efforts from Airbnb focused on community safety in Malaysia. Last year Airbnb engaged with PLANMalaysia on national guidelines for short-term rentals that included recommendations such as an online registration portal for operators and an exclusion register aimed at improving transparency within Malaysia's tourism sector.
Mich Goh, Airbnb’s Head of Public Policy for Southeast Asia, India, Hong Kong, and Taiwan stated: “At Airbnb, we believe the neighborhoods and communities in which we operate are as important as the Hosts and guests who use our service. Our Guide to Responsible Hosting in Buildings, including the reference by-laws for STRA in strata buildings is designed to help ensure that each stay is a positive experience for hosts, guests, and neighbors alike. With renewed enthusiasm for travel among local and international travelers, we believe that STRA will continue to be a key driver for tourism growth, in attracting different types of travelers into Malaysia. We remain committed to working hand in hand with the government to ensure that more communities can share in the benefits of tourism, and will work with local authorities to support and educate our Hosts and guests on responsible hosting and behavior.”
According to research from Oxford Economics cited by Airbnb [https://www.airbnb.com/hostinginbuildings], guest spending contributed approximately RM7 billion across various sectors like restaurants or retail stores during 2022; overall activity supported nearly 57 thousand jobs—representing about 4.9 percent of tourism-related GDP contribution that year.
For further details or access to the Guide to Responsible Hosting in Buildings visit http://airbnb.com/hostinginbuildings.