Am I Alone Feeling AirBNB Does Not Truly Support Super Hosts?

[Mick-and-Lizzy0]

We are infuriated with anger. As experienced superhosts with a remarkable track record of years and countless 5-star reviews, we manage three listings and oversee two others. Our success has brought substantial revenue and happiness to both the company and its shareholders. However, whenever a guest lodges a complaint, we find ourselves utterly unsupported. Currently, we are facing a situation where guests not only lied but also violated every rule we had in place, surpassing the maximum number of guests and causing extensive damage to the property. We are unsure of what these guests communicated to Airbnb, as the ambassador assigned to our case never bothered to contact us for verification. Instead, they abruptly canceled our listing, withheld payment, refused to engage in any dialogue, and proceeded to freeze all five of our listings. To add insult to injury, they even threatened to expel us from the community via email, yet have failed to disclose the nature of the guests' complaints during a phone call. Consequently, I am now considering shifting my focus to VRBO, as this is just one of many unjust rulings we have encountered. Undoubtedly, this incident is the most severe. Am I alone in feeling that Airbnb prioritizes their stockholders over ensuring the satisfaction of their guest consumers? Numerous articles and even change.org petitions support my viewpoint, but I genuinely want to hear from individuals right here. I have dedicated years of hard work, sweat, and tears to provide exceptional spaces and services. Each time we reach out to Airbnb, we receive compliments for our outstanding hosting over the years, until some ill-intentioned individual fabricates lies to achieve their own desires. I am at a loss, and it seems that there is no recourse. There is never an opportunity to speak with someone possessing adequate authority. We are left at the mercy of these inexperienced ambassadors who lack the skills to manage conflicts and deliver impartial and fair resolutions.

[Hamid16]

Obviously I can't comment on your case but in general I have the same feeling, I feel as you mentioned Airbnb's model is to maximize its market share by prioritizing guests over hosts, I had people giving bad reviews, complaining about rubbish that was swept by the wind, the lay out of the property and even lack of halal shops near the property (this was never advertised) and most of the time it was so the guest could get a refund in exchange for removing the review! Airbnb does nothing about it and I'm sure many hosts would issue refunds to get a bad review removed...

[M199]

@Mick-and-Lizzy0 

Yes, there are a lot of varying opinions about CS here.

My last guests were absolute pigs, food, kitchen cutlery, dishes, utensils strewn around the kitchen.  Leftover scrambled eggs left on a pan, second pan greasy.  It took me an hour just to do the dishes.  Then there were the bathroom towels hung over wooden furniture or outdoors.  Fridge and cupboards full of opened food.  Now waste, we took a 75 liter green garbage bag of food waste to the local dump. Also, so many ants attracted, we had to fumigate the entire cottage. Also, normal urine on toilet bowl, floors filthy. Evidence of marijuana in thd cottage, not illegal in Canada.

Upon meeting guest at check-out, they "loved the cottage, would be back later this summer, we just finished cleaning everything". We got another 5 star review.

I walked in just looked around and stopped dead in my tracks.

I took some very relevant photos.  Before completing the review, I contacted CS, explained what had transpired, sent pictures.  I gave the guest an average 3 stars and told CS that I would do so, but feared a retaliatory review.

The gentleman at CS resolved the issues by noting them on the guest profile and later confirmed that the notes would be permanently added to the guest profile for life.

It took me a while to figure out not to immediately react, but rather gather my photos, evidence, get my list of issues together before calling CS.

CS completely agreed with me when the guest called them to fight.  However, because I had contacted CS with photos, CS completely supported me.

Furthermore, the guest decided to posted a reply to my review, arguing as 23 year olds do, that all rules were followed.  

Yup, ok, who gets to see that? Future hosts.

Keep your head up and when something happens, document everything, present it to CS as factual.  Remove any emotional reaction and CS will assist.

BTW - The case with CS was resolved to my expectations within 45 minutes.

This may not be the case in others situations, but I have found my process very effective.

Good Luck 

[Fred13]

@M199  You know the ways M. Cool as a cucumber is the way, to help the CS person make a wise decision.

P.S. Sorry to hear about the clueless, knuckle-dragsters you just got.

[Olu241]

Mick and Lizzy definitely keep ya head up M199 is completely right take all emotion out of it and become fact base. Definitely take pics get those into cs asap and make your review asap. I’ve even gotten reviews taken off two different times that had made my rating go down just because of proof my security camera showed and my other reviews express. 

good luck fellow host

btw I see ya from NH GO RED SOX! I’m from Boston live in Ny now

[Marco3926]

Yes, Airbnb sides with guests no matter how many five stars you have. I was a superhost and because of two back to back guests with unreasonable expectations Airbnb started threatening me with suspension. Never mind the hundreds of 5 star reviews. It's the algorithms, and they could care less about us. 

[Patricia2526]

Hello @Mick-and-Lizzy0

I suggest when contacting CS, provide clear and concise description of the issue you experienced with your last guest. Include relevant details, suck as dates, specific incidents, damages, screenshot of convo exchanged with the guest. Always attach your supporting evidence. If CS requires more information or documentation to investigate your complaint, make sure to promptly provide the requested details.  Remember to remain calm and professional throughout the process. 

[Fred13]

@Mick-and-Lizzy0  You are not alone in your thinking. Having participated in many exchanges with Airbnb (workshops, etc), I remain of the opinion they do mean well, but they are a young company and still of the believe that all opinions are equally valid and must be given the same weight. It is like the concept of 'consider the source' (aka the track record) hasn't enter their overall mentality yet, which oftentimes comes with age (aka experience with human nature). Keep the faith.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Mick-and-Lizzy0 ,

Hope you are doing well and am so sorry to hear that it hasn't been a smooth experience for you.

I was just visiting your profile and saw that your listings are active. Are these the same listings you needed help with?

Do keep us posted if it has been resolved for you.

[Mick-and-Lizzy0]

It did finally get resolved, however your ** policy that super hosts are considered guilty until proven innocent is not support. It’s not fair. It’s stressful and cost us revenue. You believe a lying guest over a 7 year super host with 4.8 to 5 star ratings in the hundreds in all. You take us down and have the audacity not to once contact us for days. Then you find you were right and threaten me that the next complaint will be our last ad you’ll remove us from the community. Nothing you can say will fix this or our current opinion. We received no apology, but you have no problem with a threat. That said we are going to simultaneously host our properties with VRBO so when you decide to believe lying ** next time we won’t lose income. This testimonial in the listing page of VRBO is poignant and spot on.:

In comparison to a lot of the other platforms Vrbo always has the owner's back."

Kemp, a Vrbo host

My suggestion is that management look at their unfair and unbalanced approach to conflict resolution and put hosts over consumers when the history of the host clearly raises an eyebrow to the so called claim made by guests looking not to pay or who have been caught red handed violating host rules.  The fact we as hosts can never reach anyone with real knowledge or authority speaks volumes on your stock holder and consumer approach to host priorities. Without our listings you’ve nothing to sell. Just saying. 

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