Listing suspended over false accusation

[Mirko116]

Hi fellow hosts. I'd like to share my experience with other hosts and Superhosts. I had my listing suspended for 10 days over a false claim from one of our guests. They accused me of having security cameras and recording devices inside my apartment when, in fact, it's clearly stated in my listing that we have security cameras outside the house, and an Echo Dot for our guests' convenience to turn ON/OFF lights, adjust the temperature, etc. This has always been stated in the "House Manual" and "Things Guest Should Know" sections of my listing.
I tried to get in touch with Airbnb since the first day, almost every day, and was never able to talk to the agent assigned to my case. When I finally spoke with the (second) agent handling my case, after 10 days, telling him that Airbnb should have contacted me and talk to me first, before suspending my listing, he said that that is the Airbnb policy when they receive a claim of privacy violations. My listing wasn't visible for 10 days, and I lost bookings and earnings because of this. I, very highly, suggest Airbnb to change this policy and try to get in touch with the host, before suspending their listings for claims/accusations from a guest. We, hosts and Superhosts, are giving work and money to Airbnb every week, and we should get a "preferred line of communication" and respect, compared to an occasional guest who decides to accuse an honest host!

[Bhumika]

Hi @Artur60 ,

Thanks for taking some time to come back and update us. Really glad to hear!

[Olivia891]

I’m also having the same issue! Our calendar was blocked, and we’ve called probably 40 times now. It’s been days, and both of our listings are blocked. Every time we call, nobody is able to give us an answer on why there is a problem, we are simply told that they will escalate it. We’ve been told that a group called “specialized teams” will call us - first we heard they would reach out last night, then we heard this morning. This has been such a highly stressful experience - I’m exhausted and so extremely concerned about how we will even pay our mortgage on our property if this issue isn’t resolved. We haven’t done anything wrong, and aren’t sure why we’re being penalized. We are a top host in our area with fantastic reviews, and at this point we’re just feeling so disappointed and powerless! 

[Andrea1375]

I am now dealing with this nightmare. A guest falsely claimed that I entered the property and that I have undisclosed security/recording devices. My entire calendar is blocked and was just informed that the rep assigned to my case is now out of office for 5 days. This is insane! I’ve been a superhost for over 4 years and have over 300 five star reviews. How can guests be allowed to retaliate like this. Furthermore, why is more effort not put into clearing the issue for the host?? I’m flabbergasted! 

[Paula]

Hello @Andrea1375,

I am so sorry to hear that you are going through this situation, and I understand how frustrated it can be. I just wanted to let you know that even though I am not part of the Airbnb Customer Service, I have gone ahead and forwarded your situation to the team that can help.

Hopefully, they will be able to get back to you quickly.

Paula

[Andrea1375]

Thank you Paula. I’ve been messaging and calling Airbnb and no one is interested in helping me. I’m feeling completely hopeless. Airbnb treats hosts terribly. It’s awful. 

[Maria14559]

I came here to see if other hosts are dealing with unfair issues with guests. I got a 1 star review filled with lies and I talked with the super host service but don’t feel confident that I will get any help from them. It feels so awful to work so hard to provide a nice home to people and one unstable guest who leaves a completely scathing review can ruin your excellent profile.

Not to mention if they can take you off the platform Willy nilly - as in case with the security camera thing - this too could happen to me bc I have a security system and one portal inside house has no camera but controls other things such as music - has been thought of as a camera too. (They just put it upside down.) I could very easily have someone report that simply from not knowing that it doesn’t have a camera. I have none inside the house. Not even the back yard to give privacy.

I guess I am just venting here because I feel so awful and deflected by a review I just got: have been reviewed that my pool is green and the hot tub smells and everything else you can imagine is bad too. And I didn’t respond to her - not true…

But then there are reviews from the same time period by several others that are amazing and how much they loved my house.. It makes me feel so awful and want to figure out another way to make money with that house, rather than deal with Airbnb.

I did not get the feeling from the person I talked with that they would be supportive of me. And based on what you and others are saying here, I am not the only one who feels this way.

Now I am “at risk of getting suspended” because of this review. I knew when that guest called me that she wasn’t “normal.” So I asked her to leave and I would refund her everything. She found a few individual hairs on top of mattresses after tearing all the bedding off of each bed. That’s all she complained to me about over the phone but then left a review that basically nothing was good at the house and it is just terrible. When she left, there were clumps of her hair everywhere and she left the place quite bad. So I don’t think she was “all there.” Ok, maybe the house wasn’t 5 stars to her,  But 1 star? No one leaves 1 star unless it’s truly sub par. I wouldn’t contest if it was a 3/4, even tho I would be sad about that.

I hope you and everyone else who has been unfairly suspended gets reinstated quickly and these things get resolved in a fair way.

[Zoë37]

This is happening to me. But the supervisor assigned to the case seemed to not understand what happened and everything is getting lost in translation. The more I explain that no one entered the property, the more confusing it gets. And it's hard to provide documents of an event that doesn't exist.

[Bhumika]

Hi @Zoë37 ,

Can you please help elaborate on what happened? Is your listing suspended?

I checked your profile and I can still see that your listing is still active and viewable.

Do let us know if you are looking for some advise on a specific situation!

[Zoë37]

It got suspended a week ago and un suspended without any notification. I believe it got unsuspended this morning without my realizing. At the time I wrote the above message, I don’t know if was suspended yet. I was accused of a privacy violation that never happened. My listing was not viewable for over a  week … I think. I only discovered it because I’m constantly tweaking and improving things. The previous guest didn’t like that the yard got muddy. She also did not appear to understand how light switches and locks work. Respect for safety & security is so important and false accusations undermine that. 

[Zoë37]

Bhumika, I reported her false accusations causing a week or more suspension based on zero facts and now she is making false accusations again based on my report and my account is suspended AGAIN! Suspended in the exact way that I reported it being a problem!

The guest said that there are window panes in the adjoining door! (She accidentally messaged me directly).  **  I never intended to make her uncomfortable when she invited me to come over, I was double-checking her safety by double-checking that the door was locked.

**[Content removed inline with the Community Center Guidelines- Please be respectful in your discussions  in Community Center]

[Bhumika]

Hi @Zoë37 ,

I am so sorry to hear that. The Support team would already be looking into your case and get in touch with you once they have reviewed all information. But, I will pop it over again.

[Zoë37]

It's quite frustrating because while the support team speaks better English than I can speak in any other language, it's clear that they are quick to misunderstand. And the guest is reporting things falsely, but I'm starting to wonder if she's not lying, she but has trouble understanding basic things and is very nervous. She also makes statements and then corrects herself so things may get lost. First, she said I entered through the bathroom door then she realized she left out the word "NOT" and corrects it but then I get accused of entering via the bathroom. Then she says there are window panes in the bathroom door. It is a solid door. 

[Zoë37]

I tried to report a false accusation and suspension but it resulted in more false accusations and another suspension so if the account can be reinstated, I won't report her so she'll stop retaliating. I don't have time to be trying to explain in emails all day. I have to find other ways to recover from the financial damage of the suspensions.

[Zoë37]

Any luck in finding something out? 

[Dimi924]

Dear All,

I was surprised to see the message of Airbnb about our listing. 
I am terribly sorry to see that after :
-3 years 

-476 days of bookings

-141 different guests

 - 3 next months are full booked
Airbnb is  sending this interesting automated message to us because 4 psychopaths, difficult and impolite guests ( 4 guests out of 476 days of booking with 4.4 score) wrote information that either doesn't correspond to reality or they wrote revenge critics. Giving 1 is a clear value for revenge critics, that as I read from Airbnb last Host protection we should be protected.

Definitely, there are a lot of listings with less score and  we all know in the Airbnb family that guests very often  write awful things for fantastic issues. 
 Airbnb treats hosts awful !!! Since I am working for the last 4 years with Airbnb I know very well that I have done my best to provide a nice stay to our guests.

Have a beutiful day and all the best 🙂