Hi all -
Wondering if anyone else has had the pleasure of a guest fabricating 'issues' to get a refund via Airbnb, then also file a complaint with Fair Trading (NSW, Australia)? I'm baffled...I manage my own home, I live in our home when not rented, and take great pride in cleanliness, ammenities, responsiveness, etc - all the things which contribute to creating an amazing guest experience. I've had a guest claim my home is 'infested with vermin' (which is far from true, 2-3 dead cockroaches over the course of 4 days, absolute waterfront after a flood, in Australia, hardly warrants a claim of infestation of vermin IMO). She claimed a bleached streak in a light grey bedsheet was stained & not clean (I use a professional laundry, is it only my sheets this happens to?). She stopped communicating with me & rather chose to only communicate with support to then state the electronic lock stopped working, claiming it took Airbnb 24 hours to track me down for a response (truth is it took support that long to even inform me)...despite a handwritten welcome note with my mobile number (and of course our digital guidebook and house listing containing all contact details). Further - it became clear the guest had removed the batteries from the lock, it worked just fine once I gave instructions to check the brand new batteries I'd just installed the day of their arrival. I was immediately responsive to all queries, offered to come to the house myself or for my cleaner to pop by to help. When my cleaner turned up, to change the sheet and to vacuum the 2 dead cockroaches (vacuum, broom, and duster/pan readily available in home) she refused any help beyond changing the sheets - then claims to Airbnb that I was unwilling and failed to resolve her issues. Another complaint was that a second tv only had internet access, when ironically my listing doesn't even show a second tv in our home & certainly doesn't seem fair to persecute me for internet vs cable access IMO.
Sorry for the long story ... but Airbnb refunded 50% of the accomodation fee. Guests remained in the home for all 4 nights of their booking (it couldn't be that bad then, right?). I have now received a complaint via Fair Trading NSW. I was stunned and extremely unhappy with Airbnb's decision to refund them, given my track record of cleanliness, providing documentation of regular pest control treatments as any typical homeowner does, apologising and sympathising, my cleaner turning up and not seeing any evidence of the claimed infestation, etc, etc. The complaint via Fair Trading says they want a 50% refund, and states Airbnb promised them a 50% refund, that Airbnb pays 41% of it and that 'the host' pays the remaining 9%. Anyone ever heard of that? Airbnb has been unresponsive to me since their decision to make the refund. I can see that the mystery 9% is the sum of the cleaning fee and the guest booking fee, which is my experience is not refunded by Airbnb in these situations.
Has anyone else had this experience? Any experiences you can share, any advice or guidance? Trying to remain 'cool' in sorting out the issue at hand...and unfortunately I reckon I'll no longer host w/ Airbnb...enough is enough (too many other terrible experiences of Airbnb not backing logic and generally anything I've said/done as a host).
I can't see any parts of the Code of Conduct for NSW Short Term Rentals that I've not upheld.
Any/all thoughts, support, advice welcome. Thanks, Community! 😉
