Help Listing Suspended

[Isabel4763]

my listing has been suspended over a week now after a troublesome guest made false accusations after a claim was submitted after property damages during their stay. I’ve  tried to contact customer support several times and nobody seems to have an answer for me. I am a disabled host due to brain cancer and I am getting frustrated as to how Airbnb support can’t provide more support to disabled hosts like me. I am starting to feel discriminated that customer support just doesn’t want to deal with me. Can someone advise on what to do or who to contact? 

[Lorina14 · Accepted solution]

@Isabel4763,

Hi! I’m sorry you’ve felt unsupported by your concern. I’ve tagged some community host managers to see if they can assist you sending your concern to the right team. @Bhumika  @Rebecca  @Paula could you help her please?

I’ve seen other hosts have similar issues with false accusations from guests who broke house rules. If you have pics and documentation of everything in the app/airbnb website, this should help with your claim. I’ve heard some hosts tell guests that there was some damage and while they are filing a claim, airbnb will reach out to ask if they will pay and they can choose to or not, and if they decline, airbnb’s aircover will cover the damage. This way the guest feels in the loop, was notified of the issue and given a choice and also knows that they can say no with no repercussions.

I know some hosts never report as they fear bad or false reviews that then suspend their listings. I haven’t personally reported damaged sheets or watermark on night tables; I just took it as being part of running the business. But some hosts report every thing. Some get reimbursed while others have trouble because of lack of documentation on the app or pics/receipts/extra cleaning fees. 

[Paula]

Hello @Isabel4763, I am sorry about this situation.

I am forwarding your case to the relevant team. Since our Community Center is not a formal branch of the Support Team, they should contact you directly.

[Isabel4763]

Thank you so much Paula. This is all I always get I report it as a host and they twist it as if I am the guest with no solution as a host and they penalize me when I am the one not being helped.  **

**[Content removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines- Please note that it is not allowed to share Airbnb investigation and private conversations]

 

[Tatyana96]

Hello 

I’m a superhost, my 5 listings were suspended for a week now. Airbnb crucifies hosts. So unfair & stressful! 

Guest asked to cancel reservation due to its over his budget, but liked my property. I tried to work w/his budget but he kept taking it much lower Airbnb told me Im in full right to uphold my cancellation policy of no refund on check in day. So I did. He threatened he will fight to delist me. Made up lies my listing isn’t true to photos, that I  threatened & harassed him yet couldn’t produce any evidence. Yet my case is under investigation, CS is of no help, specialized team who’s investigating isn’t calling to give me a chance to explain my side. Can someone advise what to do? How to get listings back 

[Lorina14]

@Tatyana96 

 @Paula @Rebecca  could you help her out?

Did a community host manager reach out to you to help out? Unfortunately when a guest lies and reports a safety issue then all the host’s listings get suspended while they are investigating. 

Some hosts have waited weeks and others months. Communicaiton is only through email and the hosts have no idea why they are being investigated. Some have resorted to posting their listings on other sites to make up revenue and others have done a call out on social media to gain traction. 

I hope you are able to figure something out soon. 

[Tatyana96]

Lorina thank you for reply. No community manager reached out to help. How do I get in contact with her? I messaged Sophia, thought she was the one but not heard back in 2 weeks

it’s 15 days since my listings suspension but no one from specialized team has reached out! Support closes cases when I message them, run arounds & assigning case to that team every day, seems dead end! 

it has to be a better way to treat hosts! 1st investigate & if found guilty - suspend. Or investigate within 3 days! As Any guest can just exploit Airbnb system, fabricate lies & Airbnb is in full support of that & puts hosts out of business! Was this unfairness brought up to Head of Hosts? 

Could you pls suggest which groups & on which Social media Chanel’s I can go to? Thank you 🙏 

[Lorina14]

@Tatyana96 

If you type the @ a box will appear below where you can choose who to message (their name will appear underlined and this means they will get a notification that you mentioned them.

The community managers here that have been helpful for me are @Bhumika @Paula @Rebecca. Could you help out Tatyana as she has had no response regarding her suspension of all her listings from a disgruntled guest.

[Tatyana96]

@Bhumika , @Rebecca can you pls help re: suspension of my listings for a guest false complaint. It’s 16th day since & no one from specialized team reached out. Only run arounds, case gets assigned to that team every day with no resolution. Stressful.. I asked via phone call,  seems tech issue with messages receipts, many complain. Thank you 

[Tatyana96]

Hello all  @Mark3910 @Paula @Bhumika 

Something is terribly wrong! its been almost 3weeks of my listings suspension. I got a call from Specialised team agent, said she will help & resolve it max in 24hrs. It’s been 72hrs Now she wrote she’ll have 2days off. Agents word means nothing! Many hosts say how dysfunctional Airbnb is. 

Also i find it shocking she wouldn’t even say what allegations, why my account is suspended! How can I defend myself if I don’t know what to defend for?? She said due to privacy policy. But that policy means she can’t discuss someone else’s account with me, but this is mine! Even By law Every civil or any proceeding must state what the charges are for the case to be valid. 

Can someone explain how privacy policy works in this case, why such secrecy in disclosing why host’s listings were suspended? Appreciate your input. Thank you 

[Lorina14]

@Tatyana96 @Paula @Rebecca @Bhumika @Quincy 

Can you please help Tatyana96 out? I haven’t seen any response to her two posts. I know as community managers you can only flag items to the right team to addressm, ask other hosts for help, or cite a support article but I am not sure this particular case has been brought to the attention of the security team as she has been 3 weeks without notification of what the issue was why her listing was suspended (when she was told she would have notice in 24 hours).

[Paula]

Hello @Lorina14, thank you so much for bringing this to our attention.

I want to let you know that we have already shared Tatyana's case with the relevant team since she posted in our Community.

We hope this gets resolved very soon 🙏

[Zheng49]

The problem is that for a new listing, chances are good that if guests wanted to nitpick about something, they CAN find issues that are suspend-worthy.

For me, I pretty much do give refunds (partial or full) to guests that don't want to stay here, because basically it either ends in a negative review, a listing issue, or suspension lol (in the worst case scenario). As you found out yourself, a suspension this long can cost you hundreds in lost earnings so it may not be worth it. 

You can tell them, that you will refund in full any days that get rebooked. That way, if they cancel before the midnight of the check-in day, they can't leave a review. 

[Lorina14]

@Zheng49 

I agree with you that sometimes it is best to work with them or refund partially to fully depending on the circumstances. I had someone cancel the day of the check in (because they booked their flight for the wrong date and didn’t realize till they went to check in) and I explained that doing so blocked others from being able to book. I have a moderate cancellation policy and a 2 night minimum so when they cancelled they inadvertently blocked 3 days. I said I would refund them completely if I got rebooked as it is high season and I am an individual host (not a property manager or someone who has several listings). It all worked out as we had a last minute booking and I refunded them. It is true that guests can sometimes exploit the system and lie to get what they want. It’s sad as I’ve seen it on the board threads many times. I’ve also seen some guests post that hosts lies about the situation and cost them as well. There has to be a better way to support hosts than outright suspending listings without explanation. @Paula @Rebecca is there anyway you can bring these issues up to the right team to address?

[Paula]

Hello @Lorina14, thank you for sharing this with us. We are taking note and will pass your feedback to the relevant team. Additionally, here is the feedback form where you can share your thoughts directly with Airbnb.

Regards,