I have read many other stories today about unfair account suspension so I guess I will add mine as well to see if anyone can offer any suggestions. I will say I am apprehensive to even write anything though because of the way AirBNB has handled the situation. I know this is just a forum and AirBNB apparently doesn't check this but I feel like they can use anything and everything against hosts now even when you're trying to do the right thing. I want to note I am a Superhost and have been on AirBNB for three years. I have referred other hosts and even received Superhost bonuses. I have a woman even die in my home due to a stroke, one couple trashed my home, a questionable guest who may have been part of a trafficking situation, and maintained a 4.8 average rating even through all of that with exceptional customer service from AIrBNB. I do not know what has happened lately but I can not say the same anymore and I am astonished that one overly friendly to my face guest with only 7 reviews can get me removed.
Here's my story:
I had a guest (she and her husband) book for two nights. My listing states it is the center part of a home with an attached AirBNB on one side and a salon on the other side. It is very clear on these details as well as street parking. I also have quiet hours from 10:00pm-8:00am.
The guest showed up at 10:37pm and began calling me on my cell to complain there was a bunch of cars in the driveway and "brush" by the street so where were they supposed to park (they were in a large dually truck)? I said in front of the house. They were disgruntled before they even entered the house. I explained to them all the brush was from an ice storm and if they looked around it was in front of every house bc the city was behind picking it up.
I was in my salon cleaning up and all of a sudden heard dogs barking (I didn't know they were bringing a dog) and my other AirBNB guest in the attached space voice interacting with this guest. The walls are thin so I could hear their entire conversation and the new guests were questioning her and asking her inappropriate questions. I began getting concerned because this couple was already disgruntled so I was confused on why they were even interacting considering they have separate spaces not to mention the COVID protocols so I knocked on my salon door that leads into the house three times and no one answered. I cracked the door and announced myself and said that I just wanted to introduce myself since everyone seemed to be interacting and make sure everything was ok. With two against one, I take the safety of all guests seriously and wanted to make sure everything was ok and was trying to avoid another negative interaction. I even offered to move my car so they could park in the driveway. They were sweet as can be to my face. I never entered their space however their review says I walked right in which was absolutely untrue.
I was alarmed to see the other guest in the space and immediately texted her and asked her never to do that again and she informed me the couple had invited her and her dog in. So I was relieved because I usually do not interact with guests. She assured me it was them who were overly friendly and a bit intrusive.
The couple continued to ask me questions throughout the night about things that were clearly listed in the check in. The next morning I listened to their dog scratch on my salon door all morning because they left it unattended. When they returned, I received a message that they were leaving because their dog didn't sleep at tall bc of smelling the other dog on the property. I tried to offer solutions and they assured me they wouldn't be back.
Then the review came "worst AirBNB they had ever stayed at".....a two star review and a request for a full refund. I spoke to AirBNB and I have in writing the case was closed and I did not have to give the guest a refund because they did not find enough validity in the guest claims. I thought ok great and I told them I was going to write a public response to her poor review. I admit I wrote a public response to that review detailing our interaction and may have seemed a bit harsh but everything was true in my statement. NOTHING in her review mentioned she had a problem with the other dog on the property which was her initial reason for leaving.
The next morning I went to adjust my calendar for the month and saw my account was suspended. I wouldn't have even known because AirBNB didn't notify me of this information. When I messaged them about it, I was given the run around. They had re-opened the case because the guest filed a safety concern on me and felt uncomfortable and unsafe. I spoke with AirBNB on the phone and I can be honest and say I was frustrated and upset on the phone call. I told him the whole story and that I even had witnesses. Now I will say my other guest was not booked through AirBNB and he questioned that even. He asked if she had an AirBNB account and I said yes but that she wasn't renting through that platform at this time.
He asked me to provide proof of any conversations that had taken place outside the app and I provided all the messages between me and the couple and me and the other guest including her name and phone number.
The next day I heard nothing from them and when I reached again I was told I was permanently suspended for violating community standards. I see they are also refunding the guest partial payment which I did not authorize.
Every time I try to reach out to them to find out what exactly I violated, they will not give me an answer. I asked the other guest if they called her and she said no however I am being told they did a full investigation. The other guest even gave more information about the couple days later stating they had told her they were leaving bc they were finished moving their daughter and didn't need to stay any longer. They also had two dogs with them and not just one that I was unaware of at the time of their stay.
This was my FIRST ever issue with a guest of this magnitude and I am appalled I can just be stripped of my income without being told exactly what I did wrong. It feels as though AirBNB is allowing the guests more control than the hosts and they do not care that these are our homes anymore and not hearing the host out. I feel like I was trapped into getting myself suspended because the guest was angry I wouldn't give the a refund. I even asked if the guests would be held accountable and was told they were only investigating the complaint at hand.
My question is what to do at this point?
Should I report the guests for violating my house rules of quiet hours and letting unexpected guest and animals into my space and also putting the other guest at risk because absolutely no one was wearing a mask? Should I try to appeal this and how do I go about that? Or should I just move my business to another platform?
Thanks in advance for any insight.
