I am looking to find additional airbnbs to help co-host. Cur...
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I am looking to find additional airbnbs to help co-host. Currently I have been co-hosting a successful listing in Valley Spri...
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Almost 2 weeks now since I asked the questions below, as part of the thread posted by Laura, on the subject of Review Updates Inspired By Community Centre Hosts. Despite being told last Friday that a response was imminent, I've still received no answers. These are important, pertinent questions that have major implications for every host on the platform (particularly small, independent hosts, for whom Laura has specific responsibility), so I'll just have to keep re-posting until a response is forthcoming...
And finally, on behalf of every host who has been, is being, or ever will be either shafted by the broken Airbnb review system, or wiped out by rogue hosts in their markets (or both), my queries to @Laura and @Airbnb are as follows..
1) What specific steps, if any, have Airbnb taken to address the chronic issue of fake reviews/false profiles/fraudulent hosts on the platform?
2) As a result of any successful actions already taken in this regard, please share exactly how many "bad actors" have been "weeded out" since the "improved and enhanced" policies were implemented, in what markets they were most active/prevalent, and how they were dealt with? (Suspension/Delisting/Other?)
3) Please clarify whether there would be any circumstances - ever - under which Airbnb would knowingly permit a "host"/account to remain active on the platform, that had fake reviews and false profiles associated with it.
4. If "Yes" to Q3, please state the exact circumstances under which this would be permitted, and why?
5. Please state whether there are any circumstances - ever - under which Airbnb would temporarily remove a "host" that had been reported to them for fraudulent activity, delete false reviews from fake profiles on the account, and reinstate the "host" on the platform with a clean, sanitised profile, displaying only the genuine past reviews from previous guests?
And if "Yes", please clarify the exact circumstances under which that could be permitted to happen.
Hello @Susan17,
I understand you want more specifics, however at this time, this is the information we are able to share.
As you can see from my last response, we have a number of initiatives that are in place and that we are developing to tackle fake activity (and I didn't mention the 7 million listing verification, which I know you are aware of already). We have been clear that we won't tolerate it.
That being said, it is very complex and forever changing, so this is an ongoing effort.
I am working closely with various teams across the company and will share any future updates with you and other CC members, as soon as I hear.
Thanks,
Lizzie
--------------------
Thank you for the last 7 years, find out more in my Personal Update.
Looking to contact our Support Team, for details...take a look at the Community Help Guides.
This is all just lip service from Airbnb. We recently had an intensely stressful and upsetting experience where Airbnb gave us, and continues to give us, no support in what was a security breach of our home, with unauthorised people in our home (which we were alerted to by our neighbours). It was an incredibly stressful experience and is ongoing as Airbnb refuses to remove the false guest review with blatant lies and false statements, which can be proven as such by Airbnb communications and external security camera footage already provided to Airbnb.
(**Further detail of the situation is included further down*)
The guest had the audacity to leave a review rating us 1 star for everything (and overall), and stating falsely, amongst other things, that;
- we had yelled abuse at them (false - as proven by the external security camera vision we provided to Airbnb). We were calm at all times and had to ask the guest to lower their voice so as not to disturb neighbours
- that we threatened to call the police as soon as they had 'visitors' (false - we did not raise the matter of contacting police until the following day, many hours after their reservation had already been cancelled *by Airbnb*, it was late afternoon and they were still refusing to leave our home or communicate with us).
At all times we were simply calmly and kindly trying to maintain our clear ‘House Rules’, however the situation escalated solely due to the guests’ aggressive and rude behaviour and repeated breach of ‘House Rules’ when calmly reminded of our ‘house rules’, and being asked to have the unauthorised guests leave. Its also worth noting that the guests, prior to their breach of 'house rules' had, unprompted, complimented us on our 'beautiful home', and noted they were enjoying their stay.
Probably most upsettingly, the guest noted in their review that Airbnb had contacted them after the event to *apologise* to *them* for the experience. We didn't even receive a phone call from Airbnb to check if the guests had actually left our home, despite keeping Airbnb constantly informed as to the situation, and informing them that we had, ultimately, had to call police to assist us in having the guests leave.
I also had to enter into debate with Airbnb as to why we should not be out of pocket for the reservation cancellation when Airbnb wanted to refund the guest for the remaining days of their stay and deduct this from our payout!
The Airbnb representative has now simply told me that they cannot remove the review, case closed. Such a disappointing and stressful experience which has really left a bitter taste. Is this the way Airbnb supports their long-term hosts and stands by their own written policies regarding 'revenge reviews' and false, defamatory statements? A guest can delete their profile and start again any day they choose, with little loss. Airbnb expects that hosts must simply bear the long term impact of false reviews and revenge reviews.
**Further detail:
We were notified by neighbours that our guest had unauthorised/ unknown people inside our building and home due to a noise disturbance coming from our home. Unauthorised guests/ visitors are contrary to our crystal clear House Rules, and very clear messages highlighting this policy to guests *before* we accept a reservation (we really just want every guest to be a good 'match' for our home and vice versa, so they enjoy their stay). After contact from the neighbour we checked our external security camera (clearly noted in our listing) and confirmed that there were unauthorised ppl inside our home. After being asked calmly and kindly (first via Airbnb msg (unanswered), then an attempted phone call (unanswered), and then, later, via our home intercom from the building doorstep) to have the unauthorised ppl leave our home, the guest came outside and yelled at us, told us they could have anyone they wanted in our home "because they paid for it", and again allowed unauthorised ppl back inside our home a second time later the same night. They then simply refused all communication. We were left in a position where confrontational guests with unknown unauthorised people were inside our own home and they were not communicating with us at all. I was in fear for the safety of my home, and my own safety should I try to speak to the guests again.
Airbnb "support" gave us little to no assistance, only agreeing to cancel the guest reservation the following morning, after a stressful, sleepless night and at least 4-5 (!!) phone calls to Airbnb in an attempt to get help/ assistance. We’ve been around the block enough to know that Airbnb would have offered even less support had we cancelled the reservation ourselves, despite having grounds to do so. Airbnb ultimately agreed to cancel the guests' stay, and then turned every assistance to the guest.
After Airbnb cancelled the reservation (and we gave the guests, under pressure from Airbnb’s ‘customer service’ person, until 1pm to depart our home) the guests refused, by written message, to leave until Airbnb found them alternative accomodation. Ultimately, at 3pm, we advised the (non-communicating) guests via Airbnb msg that we would have to call police to assist us with their removal as they had at that time been trespassing in our home for a number of hours and would not even answer the intercom. As a woman, I was not going to enter my own home to confront two combative male guests. We did in fact have to call the police, who were thankfully very understanding and helpful in ensuring the guests left our home.
Can someone please help me figure out what to do. I don’t know how to post a conversation so i have to reply to one. I’ve been helping my boyfriend furnish his airbnb for the past month. Before the listing even went live airbnb listed the listing as fraudulent, but we literally have proof it’s not fraudulent. At this point I feel like it was racially motivated after having to send pictures of himself and he’s a dark black man.
@Heaven12 To start a new conversation, look on the first page of this Help section, scroll down, you'll see a red box that says "Start a Conversation".
As to why the listing was marked as fraudulent, you'd have to ask Airbnb what the issue is with it. The notion that it's because of your boyfriend's race is ludicrous, though. Everyone has to upload a profile photo. Are you under the impression that there aren't any black hosts? Gimme a break, their are hosts of all colors and nationalities.
There was something about the listing that set off their algorithm or it's just a tech glitch. Check back over what was submitted to make sure the address, payout info, etc, was all entered correctly.
Only Airbnb can tell you what, but fair warning, that their customer service dept. is really frustrating to deal with. Tell them it's a "Trust and Safety" issue, and if you're really lucky, someone from that dept. will have an answer for you.
I’ve figured it out, thank you. I am well aware everyone uploads a profile picture and that is not the type of picture i was referring to. After being notified that his listing was removed he was asked to take a picture of himself which could have been for a multitude of reasons, which of course wasn’t given to him. As for the notion of his race being an issue being classified as ludicrous it is absolutely not. I am well aware of how the business and social world works being both a sociology and legal student as well as a black woman. I am also very much aware of how many different races, ethnicities, and genders are present on this platform. I am also very much aware of the many claims of discrimination and legal disputes brought against airbnb. Lastly please try to be more courteous when speaking to others and using language such as “ludicrous” or “give me a break.” I have figured out next steps and will no longer be needing any help 👍🏽