Previous host will not remove listing, Airbnb will not help.

[Sea2652]

I am desperate at this point. The previous host for a property I began renting from the owner earlier this month still had 15 listings of the property up. They are not deleting these listings, and I believe are using them to advertise and switch guests to other nearby properties they own. I have received messages from potential guests even questioning why my rooms are listed under different people, and given that the previous is a super host I believe it is causing a significant loss of revenue. Airbnb support is useless and they will not intervene or take action, instead allowing unauthorized and fraudulent listings remain on their platform without bothering to truly investigate. 

[Helen3]

sorry when you say renting do you mean you are the new cohost @Sea2652 

If so, the owner should be sorting this out as they had the contract with the previous management company .

[Sea2652]

I am the sole host. The previous host is also independent, not a management company. The owner had informed them and they are aware they have to take down listing, they're refusing to do so in bad faith. 

[Joan2709]

@Sea2652 

I'm confused...is the owner of the properties not listed as "owner" on the listings? Why don't they go into the listings and delete the previous Co-Host?

Did the owner perhaps make the mistake of letting the Co-Host setup the listing as owner?

[Sea2652]

No the owner of the property did not list themselves as the owner on the listings. The previous host was the sole host of the listing before I took over and rented the property. 

[Helen3]

Sorry I can't help further because I don't understand from your posts who was/is hosting . @Sea2652 

[Joan2709]

@Sea2652 

So the owner made the mistake of allowing a Co Host to list themselves as owner on Airbnb? If that is true, then the owner will have to take some drastic measures at this point. Couldn't the owner go and change the locks on the properties? Do they live in the area of the properties?

If the locks are smart locks and the owner doesn't have access to the lock App, then the locks will have to be replaced. You could try doing a factory reset on the locks removed and resuse them, but usually smart locks have backup keys and the rebel former Co Host probably has those. I'm told that smart locks backup keys can be re-keyed by a locksmith, but sometimes it damages the lock. 

If the rebel Co Host is doing a bait and switch even after they the locks are changed and they no longer have access, there are some other things that can be done. In the mean time, I hope legal action has been started against the rebel Co Host.

Airbnb doesn't allow Hosts to switch properties without consent of the guest. You might have to go that route to get Airbnb's attention. You could also post the situation on X (formerly Twitter) and ask for help. 

If A Host Offers You A Different Place to Stay

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/250

"...Sometimes a Host might offer you an alternative listing if the one you wanted has become unavailable—and it’s completely up to you if you want to accept or decline it.

If you don’t want to change your reservation, or if your Host is asking you to switch without officially changing the reservation on Airbnb, ask the Host to cancel your reservation so you can get a full refund or find another place to stay."