Airbnb made Alteration (shortening) of long term without Host knowledge at all.

[Karla128]

I have been hosting 7 years and last few years it is getting worse. It took me long time to learn from this community.  Only if I read all topic. Lol

it happens again from 2018. ( I just found one case at 2018 ) since it is so old. 
I decide to start a new topic here. 
I had a guest brought Unknow people in my property. My policy and house rules is “no visitors allowed at Covid-19 and if must, it has to be agreed by host in advance. Plus I need photo ID. My property has 10 lists in one building. So, please don’t think it is a single house. 
‘each private studio has own entries but with long hall way sharing with all tenants. Mask is required, security cameras are all over common areas to protect each other’s from any drama queens. If any.  I don’t have energy to Handel daily booking but long term . 
Sadly last year has more and more guest bringing in Unknow people without telling. 
By luck I checked cameras now and then, and caught it. 
and requesting him to cancel . 
‘without knowing , it became “ alteration accept? “ NOT BY HOST. Lol. I also emailed / communicated with over 5 Airbnb support and they all understand my policy and trying to help on this condition. 
‘but then: it was “alteration” and refund to guest the un used. Showed up in my email. 
please , please be aware, my policy is very clearly written in front. By booking here, no refunds if guest broke house rules. ( They do have 24 hours to cancel with refund if my property did not meet what we listed. )And they must vacant from their own act and responsible for their lost of un-used days.  
Please NOTE: I canceled two other request from this guest’s request. Because he told me I will not need to worry from him. Lol. It turned out not true. 
so, I called up Airbnb, all I got is they are going to getting back to me. Week went by, I am totally sad to see that Airbnb took side. And I understand not all Airbnb support will take side. 
I also had experience that ‘the guest will keep calling to find one Airbnb do what they want. Until I get Superviser to tell all Airbnb staffs make a not on that trouble guest. Yes, the lies from that guest. And that put it to stop . This time, I am not going to help Airbnb running their business. It is Airbnb need to learn, not my job to keep calling them to get fact straight. 
I thought it is important to let hosts know this. 
fact: Airbnb has no right to change alteration without a call or email or note to host. 
will Airbnb correct their own staff’s mistakes? Who know? The staff from Airbnb told me she is agree with me over the phone. But, hey. It is Airbnb’s web site, they are free to change new rules without telling host. They have mostly oversea staffs working at mid night to morning. While host is resting. 
be aware! 
it happens in 2018. And now at 2021 Jan. 16. So, it will happen again. 
‘this time, I am not interested to call Airbnb again to wishing my time for no result. I am letting host know, and I will take all the time in this year to make Airbnb pay their mistakes. The law said I have the full year to deal with it. 
‘it is Covid-19. Airbnb is hurting but using good host to please new guest is not acceptable!

I appreciate any feedback. But, I also prefer hearing host’s opinions in USA residence. Because, I believe different area has different stander. And single house is not the same as apartment style business. 
warm regards. 

[Alexandra316]

@Karla128 If you want to cut a guest's stay short due to rule breaking, you have to refund them. That's Airbnb's policy. You can either keep the guest and make it work and keep your money (talk to them about it and ask them to follow the rules or just grin and bear it) or you can cancel the reservation and they get refunded. You don't get to kick them out and keep the money. You can put whatever you want in your house rules, but if it's not in line with Airbnb's policies, chances are things aren't going to go your way when customer service gets involved. Heck, even if your rules are in line with Airbnb's rules, hosts are often left out in the cold.

[Karla128]

@Alexsandra316

No, you missed the point. 

[Karla128]

If you believe host is trying to kick guest out from little things. Then you are so wrong. 

I had a couple had fight in here and even had to call police. If that happened.  Host is not responsible to pay or lose the rent from guest's behavior. 

Is Canada allow such behavior? When guest broke house rules, and host has to lose rent and keeping let guest stay? 

Fact: I did that allowing guest stay. But , two weeks goes by. More drama plus repeated house rules broken by guest. So, when guest didn't even apologize on airbnb platform . I will no longer tolerate. And not going to support such behavior.  

You can welcome him. Not me. And I did nothing wrong. But providing all as what we offering. Please make your common before read my house rules. Don't use your house rules as if it is mine. Please

[Alexandra316]

@Karla128 It's really hard to understand what you're saying.

Of course you can ask a guest to leave: that's totally your right. But you can't ask a guest to leave then keep the money for the rest of their stay, regardless of your rules or cancellation policy. At the beginning of your post, you said you asked the guest to cancel the rest of their stay due to their rule breaking (I think?). If that's not what you were trying to do, maybe try explaining it again?

[Karla128]

@Alexandra316 

I mentioned at start. I prefer commons from USA residents.  And I own apartment not a house. 

Are you aware of that? 

Appreciate your time! Good night!

[Helen3]

No need to be rude to your fellow hosts who are trying to help you. @Karla128 

Airbnb's main T&Cs relating to your issue apply to all hosts globally so seems a little odd to only want replies from US hosts. 😁

[Karla128]

@Helen3 

Sorry that you see me as rude. 

I found hard to communicate with host has different type hosing ,and not read my note that mentioned. I do long tern only. It is different business set up. 

I welcome opinions. But not willing to write pages to explain different business set up. It is just it is. If I offend any host from it. Or can not relate to it. No issues. 

I talk straight. No underline on my words. 

It is my believes. In life. Also. 

Thanks for pointing that out. 

Now I made myself more clear to all host . I hope. 

Good night. 

[Alexandra316]

@Karla128 It's not an opinion, and your location and type of hosting aren't relevant in this case. The terms and conditions you sign up for with Airbnb say that if you choose to end a reservation early, the guest will be refunded. You could host a yurt in the desert or a whole apartment building in downtown LA: it doesn't matter.  

Your rudeness on here and via direct message are troubling. I hope you don't talk to your guests the same way you speak to other hosts. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Karla128 I think you are demonstrating that Airbnb (and it's rules) are not a good fit for your business model. I would worry though that US law may not permit you to eject tenants and keep their money no matter what platform you sue to find tenants.

[Karla128]

My point is : Airbnb made alteration without asking me. And it looks like the reason is , the one who did that is also from oversea, so they don’t read all details or checking into the fact, evidence to agree with guest as out siders. 
‘the point is, the guest has the freedoms to cancel the booking under the term agreement. 
‘the guest has the freedom to leave too. 
‘the guest does not have the right to bring stranger and dog to tread our health and maybe more. 
I , as host, don’t mind the booking sitting until it runs out. And if the guest want to stay, he will have to pay our fine as signed agreement in front. If he doesn’t , I can not force him. But I do have the right refuse to service his behaviors at Covid-19. 
in Califonia, if I service in Resturant , we will be losing license. In rental. It is state law to following to wear mask. And it is safety. Security law, we don’t need to letting stranger in my property. 
and those who can not Handel my property rules, can book your home, not here. I have other tenant living here too. None of them are happy to see a stranger without photo ID and dog hanging around in our property. 
point: is Airbnb has right to make alteration without knowing the full fact and issues? 

[Sarah977]

@Karla128  There are many Airbnb policies which could be construed as unfair to hosts. But if you choose to use the platform, you are subject to those policies, which include guests being able to cancel the remainder of their booking and receive refunds according to the policy for that type of booking. That a guest defied your house rules or is disrespectful of other tenants doesn't affect that.

As others have said, Airbnb isn't the best platform for your business model- it really isn't set up appropriately for long term bookings. You are essentially a landlord of an apartment building, rather than a host, and landlords need to have more autonomy in deciding whether to evict a guest, fine them, etc, than Airbnb allows for.

[Karla128]

@Sarah977 

Thanks, Sara. 

Glad to hear your common. 

Let me dig more details on my property. 

I lives in here. It is actually not just apartment.  I have also business, store front at ground floor. 

All tenants has to following all local laws and covid-19 requirements to run business. 

I started just rent one unit from airbnb as a test. Then opening more units when tenant moved out one by one. Didn't had issues on first 4 years. Until airbnb also keep changing their policy to host. Yes, host gets less support already. And many left airbnb .  I too, use other links to making better choice.  

But, when airbnb can change booking to alteration completed behind my back. 

That is not legal act from airbnb in my view. I searched if such things happening but me? And found there was one in 2018. From another host. 

So, I thought it is time to be here to let USA hosts aware it. 

Lol

So, host in USA might need to be aware the truth. 

Because airbnb just announced what they will offering to host for long term policy. And if airbnb making promises at one side. Then few staffs going to do what they want without adjusted to new policy of airbnb. 

That is red flag to all host in USA. 

Airbnb also trying hard to promote host to rent long tern for covid-19 to those used to run short tern. 

It is great for host to try. But if we get bad tenant. My experience is : almost no staffs can help in urgent condition. I went through it already. 

Call police. Hire guard , all that. And had to hire 3 guard. Because I have a big property with few main entry/ exsit for fire safety too. 

At the end, airbnb does not honor that cost at all. 

Hope all host be ready for handling urgent case. 

Here is fact at least 6 staffs are fully taking time read policy and checked evidence to agree with me. Just one get away without checking with me and went ahead made alteration without a words.

So far no airbnb getting back to me what they are going to do about their error.  

[Sarah977]

@Karla128 "Airbnb also trying hard to promote host to rent long tern for covid-19 to those used to run short tern. "

And this is exactly why I said that it isn't a good platform for long term bookings- while Airbnb is now encouraging long term bookings, they haven't altered any of their policies to provide the safeguards needed for you to rent long term and be protected. 

Clueless Airbnb reps make faulty decisions and are quite often uninformed about their own company policies, this is nothing new and according to host and guest posts here, it's been getting even worse. That's the reality- much as we would expect it to be different. Which doesn't mean we shouldn't stand up for ourselves when we encounter this, but also be realistic that this is what we are dealing with.

Whether you live in the building and run a storefront business there in addition to renting out rooms is immaterial. The type of rental business you have means you need to either have your own website you rent through, or find other sites more appropriate to long term furnished rentals. You need to be able to require references, work history, a real security deposit, charge first and last month's rent when someone moves in (if that is legal where you live), impose fines if necessary, and set your own refund policies. None of which jives with Airbnb's platform policies.