Airbnb is becoming trash for host?

Airbnb is becoming trash for host?

I'm a host and recently Airbnb is simply becoming complete garbage. We are thinking of leaving after so many problems we are having.

 

  1. Guests are pigs. Everybody knows, the guests are not what they were when Airbnb first started. But now, it's not just annoying, it's actually bad. Airbnb educates host to be mindful and impartial with guests that are coming in, but they do not spend enough time educating the guests. So far, we spend twice the time of cleaning (+ covid regulation) because the guests are pigs. They leave the place messy, they do not do dishes, move furniture, leave with things around and lie about damage. We got someone who literally moved in with all their belonging for literally 1 day, and scuffed all walls and punctured ceilings; we can't do anything about that. Someone else took a white towel with menstruation blood on it and hid it in a stack of brand new clean towels. 
  2. Support is inexistent. In the past month, we called support 5 times, because we are a plus host we are told that the current support is not trained to handle any of our concerns. Asking to be transferred is not possible. So they ask us to open online tickets, but those are not being answered. We had a question in one of them and they simply close it without answering.
  3. Airbnb resolutions are at a halt. We have an open Airbnb resolution that hasn't been answered for 14 days. Sitting on Airbnb side. The guest agreed to pay us extra, they didn't. We open a resolution ticket and involved Airbnb. It should be quite simple to handle? Waiting that long, Airbnb will not be able to take the money off the security deposit anymore.
  4. Someone breaks the Airbnb rules. The host pays. A person booked a month in advanced on behalf of someone else (it's not allowed to do that based on Airbnb rules). We actually cannot get that person off our calendar. 0 Reviews. After all of what is going on, we don't want to take our chances. So we call Airbnb and ask them to take that reservation down. Support cannot handle it (because we are an Airbnb Plus); and online tickets do not handle it either. After 18 days of waiting; we decided to handle it and pay a penalty. The guest is furious that we didn't handle it earlier. Now our ticket turned into "we handled it, remove the penalty". Still no answers. 30 days waiting.
  5. Get better features if you give us your house. After having all these problems, we decided to turn off Instant Booking. We start getting more nice conversations before people book our house. We like that. But Airbnb decided to remove features for us: we do not show up in the search much anymore. We cannot cancel penalty free if something were to happen. They will NOT share the star ratings per category. What is this? Sounds like a game where if you pay you get more features. That is completely absurd.

 

Are you guys experiencing the same things? We are so close to call it quit.

25 Replies 25
Basem1
Level 2
Cairo, Egypt

I have increased my price and minimum stay due to delays in payouts, I read the forum a while ago and was really worried, decided to take a small risk by trusting AirBnB...I definitely regret it!

Bonnie64
Level 4
Bountiful, UT

Me too. If a few dollars more a night will keep some undesirable guests out, I am OK with that and not making as much money each month. I do not take any quests that do not have other host reviews. Too risky for me in the long run.

I also had a terrible experience. I HOST max 6 People but the recent guests were 5 plus 4 children. The house was left a mess with all the linen left to wash, aboutb20 kg of sheets and towels. Next time I will hide the Extra linen. I also have a washing machine but no way. Plus I told them only one car on the parking and they brought 2 cars refusing to move it. In e

In the end I had to pay a fine to the condo. Last but not least they had the nerve to give me a bad review 

Jennifer1775
Level 2
Columbus, OH

Airbnb has absolutely dropped the ball with customer service and caring about their hosts!  I also was denied a claim where a guest trashed the place and they did not follow up within the "allotted" days so the claim is denied.  We pay for the damages.  I have contacted them numerous times and get no response for over a week.  I had an appointment for a call scheduled today which I took off work for....guess what?? Nobody even called.  I've been superhost for 5 years and have never seen such a lack of customer service here.  So frustruating.

Eduardo199
Level 2
Merida, Mexico

This has to change, everything is falling apart, before hosting guests and sharing your space in airbnb was great, you even make friends and was very much enjoyable, but now every day is like We host are becoming slaves of the guests, every day they are more unfriendly, rude, dirty, threading to give you a bed review or make some kind of damage to the place if you don't do what they want, provide what they want or give them refunds even if when it doesn't correspond, discount, an so on, We have to be anxious or afraid to say something to them even if they broke the rules or do something they don't supposed to, because in case the situation becomes a problem, airbnb will not be of any help, and in the best case that you manage to contact someone of support, the host always ends up losing, be it money, rating or even  damage in the property and bad guests laugh in your face, one ends up feeling violated and unprotected, this cannot continue to be like this!


Due to all the damages and aggravations he-the airbnb-guest caused me and to my apartment, I was about to tell him to leave my place... Anyway i resisted... it was heavy duty for me to be and stay vigilant all this time... and the guest finally left on his own ....I think I prevented further damages to me and to the apartment, that it seems these 20's year old airbnb guests are in the habit of procuring to hosts, almost just as "a sport for them"... it is very sad... I confronted him and told him I wanted to check the room ... He immediately answered and said... "Yes... I did not want to do that... " I did not say anything... he already knew what I was talking about... even though I didn't say anything else...but he answered the right question already knowing what I was talking about...because he knew that he did it... and myself being vigilant all the time... I think i prevented even much worse damages... but it cost me missed time,  sleep and peace... I now need to recover from this ordeal... Especially now during Covid -19 times... Airbnb should come up with some regulations-additional punishments that would prevent the guests from practicing their favorite sport: "damaging the  rooms and homes of the hosts!                                        Don't you all agree?

Susan329
Level 2
Queensland, Australia

Hi to all yes this has been the case from the beginning they call the guests their guests not yours hosts come last. Also I take a security deposit myself for all bookings. Yes Abnb contacted me about bank transfer is not allowed they will de list me, Answer they have said though I can get a cash amount on arrival so I inform all guests that a cash amount is required as per ABNB rules. Yes a few phone ABNB the night before and refuse to pay but I then quote ABNB section under Guest rules (read it all print it out to show them) it says guest must abide by house rules. Now most people do not complain and have the deposit on arrival or go and get it from an atm. Hope this helps. The ones who object is when the alarm bells start to ring. Also I take a credit card details on arrival signed on slip. Also to mention I have on the few occasions of those few who claim do not need to pay YOU DO NOT HAVE to allow entry unless you see the ID of the booking guest ONLY. If not available you have the right to refuse entry.This happened twice with excuses he will after dark or next day, they grin so I say go to the pub and come back when he arrives their face changes oh ah what can we do. Well on this occasion I said I want $1,500 in cash I want all 3 car drivers license and I will put $2,000.00 on a card. They agree and do it, "ON best behavior." Meet your guests on arrival. Instant book I have never done as if another site like Homeaway books the same time then you have 2 bookings and either both will penalise you to cancel one of them. I have said before, people power if everybody stops using them until they change their rules to be fair for the HOSTS then Gandi wins again. Oh also ABNB in the contract is: you agree that you can not take a class action against them for any reason.

Bonnie64
Level 4
Bountiful, UT

It would be great if Airbnb would step up to do more to protect the hosts but that is not their mode of operation anymore. As long as they make their money that is all they care about.

Joyce421
Level 2
St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

My last guests forgot the keys inside the condo and totally destroyed my entry door and hardware to get inside without calling me. When asked about the damages, they lied about not knowing.  My door was less than one year old.  I was boiling with anger when I saw it.  They were expecting to leave before I noticed. I made a police report and reported the damages to my Owners Association and Airbnb.  I was so disgusted, I invited them to leave since the damages then made my place unsecured. I live in a quiet gated community with entry and exit cameras. 
The door could no longer lock safely from the outside so they locked it from inside and exited through the sliding glass door when they left. Once again, leaving my condo unlocked and unsecured.
I now need to pay to have the door and locks changed and repaired before I can host again. This will cost me $700 and lost revenue while my listing is blocked for repairs. 
Should I note this bad experience in their review? 

Michael99
Level 3
Palm Springs, CA

Trying to get support is essential in this business. Airbnb used to be so great at supporting its hosts. No more. These "HelpBots" are the worst asking you ridicules questions trying to drill down to what it thinks you want only to note get to the root - then asks are you done?  Support is no-existent. Very frustrating.