Goodbye

[Peter1354]

So Long

Four months ago, after our hosting and guest account was suspended for no reason, we decided we would close our Airbnb. The suspension was the last straw in a long list of issues we’ve had with Airbnb since becoming a hosts in 2018.

Last week our home sold, we closed two of the three listings with Airbnb and at the end of Jan 2022 we will close the last listing. 

Our desire to start an Airbnb was due to having been guests with Airbnb. We, however, had no idea how different (poor) the treatment would be from ‘guest’ to ‘host’. Hosts are mere products and anyone who thinks Airbnb values your hard work, dedication and devotion is sadly mistaken.

Proof is in the “overall rating” which shows the disdain Airbnb has for hosts, or products. Products are replaceable and the rating system is designed to lower scores over time. No matter how hard we work, we are left exposed to the ‘whim’ of a guest based on the lies told by Airbnb.

We opened our Airbnb based on experience with Airbnb and we’re closing it for the same reason.

[Peter1354]

@Elaine701 

Thank you for your message.

We are done. What I described was the tip of the iceberg when it comes to hosting with Airbnb, just the tip. I like you, Airbnb were less than half our bookings, most came right through our website.

We are done.

We're moving to Portugal where we will retire which will make your neck of the woods very close. What island are you on? I have been to Minorca a few times and stayed just outside Mahon.

Once again thank you for your message.

Peter

[Elaine701]

@Peter1354 

Thanks. Well, it's just my twenty-two cents. 🤨

If you're getting out, you're getting out. Good on you. If that's what you need to do. 

My message isn't just for you. It's also for those like you, who actually care and take pride in their offerings, but are faced with the obtuse reality of booking platforms. They're not philanthropic. It's all just P/L to them.

Still, Airbnb takes the cake in terms of its "interventions". The others are rather benign, choosing not to bother responding, or just not doing anything. Airbnb too often adds injury to insult in their incompetent intervention processes. And that's something that hosts need to be wary of when using the platform. IMO, Airbnb would be better off (like the others), just going lame with the whole host support process, including the imaginary "security deposit" and "host guarantee". It's setting expectations they simply can't deliver on. And often damages hosts. Unnecessarily. 

Again, the single best protection is prevention. And that's not a core competence of Airbnb... naturally, as it could adversely affect revenues. But it's still possible to be happily successful, if you stay alert and don't depend on Airbnb to save you. They can't and won't. 

We're on Mallorca. In the Campo 😎

[Dewayne10]

I 100% agree with you. But my question is, lets say someone was horse playing in your home and breaks a TV. You ask them to pay and they refuse. What do you do if you do not contact airbnb support?

[Ted307]

I send a payment request through the resolution center. It is pretty automated. I have never emailed or spoken to a customer service person using that process. If the renter refuses to pay for something expensive I would have to decide if it was worth making a claim on my insurance, which is cheaper due to the high deductible. Most of the damages have been small, under $100, and all have been paid without quibble. Immediately take photos, have your receipts to take photos of those also, and send in using the resolution center, before the next guest checks in.

[Elaine701]

@Dewayne10 

I don't accept guests who are likely to behave that way. 

[Elaine701]

@Dewayne10 

... just to clarify... 

If someone breaks something, I'd ask them to pay for it. If they refuse, they refuse and you can file a lawsuit or whatever. 

It's the very same process used in the imaginary "host guarantee". The result is also the same, but with one difference; tactfully asking the guest directly to pay for damages doesn't carry the same risk of getting Airbnb involved, such as lower ratings, suspension or delisting.

[Alina878]

This is great advise! Could you share some of your vetting key questions.

[Elaine701]

@Alina878 

For those who have no history or profile:

"Hello <name> and thank you for your interest in Villa Son Gat. 

We want our guests to be happy with their choice to stay at the Villa, and as you seen to be new and have no history or profile on Airbnb, perhaps you could tell me a more about yourself and the others that will be staying at the Villa, and verify how many persons and beds you require. And perhaps a few words describing the nature of your visit to Mallorca. 

Many thanks for you interest. I look forward to your reply. 

Elaine

Response a:

"Hi Elaine, We're a family of 6. Me, my husband, my daughter and her husband, and their two children. We are taking a break from the cold here in the north, and just want to relax. "

^^^ this is good, and believable, especially if consistent with the booking details. 

Other type of replies:

"Hi. We're professionals, and we're gonna be working a little. I think there's just two us, but might be more. I dunno".

"I'll be arriving on Tuesday at 8:00. Can I get in then? It's just me [booking an 8 person Villa]. If you can't do it at 8:00, how about 12? Do you have a pool? (Didn't read the listing)".

^^^^ both of above are red flags. Need to ask more questions...

"Oh, what profession? Are you attending a, seminar? Can you tell me the age ranges of those staying at the Villa? "

"Just out of curiosity, why would you book an 8 person Villa for just yourself? You can get a one bedroom apartment on the beach for less than half that price".

... stuff like that. The answers can speak volumes about who you're dealing with.

Look for inconsistencies.

First, if they can't say how many people, or their answer is different from what they booked, I usually scare them away. 

Next, if I get a 3 page resume of their life, this is usually a desperate diversion. They don't want to tell you what they're up to, but will tell you how great they are.

Or conversely, appeal to your empathetic side, saying that they're in some sort of hard luck and need a break (this will quickly become >your< problem). Or if they get angry or aggressive... Bye bye. 

Or if the type of guest suddenly changes, and they miraculously become a family or reluctantly admitted, a bunch of 20 year olds... 

You get it... I need not explain further. 

[Richard531]

I'm sorry to come into such a dreary conversation and be so chipper. . . 

But I think Airbnb is fantastic.  And they do it while being SO MASSIVE.  And for their size (and the speed with which they managed to scale) they are as good as any company can possibly be.  It's impossible to put into words just how difficult it had to have been to pull off what they've done.  They've permanently disrupted the lodging game.  They created thousands of host millionaires in the process and provided hundreds of millions of nights of stays for millions of delighted guests.  

They are the furthest thing from perfect.  And it sucks they lost a great host today.  

But if you're creating a great space, you interact with your guests quickly, and you delight them (in the form of great reviews) then there's but one major platform in this line of work.  It's Airbnb.

[Elaine701]

@Richard531 

How long have you been hosting on Airbnb? I think you'll find that any Airbnb "millionaires" were likely millionaires before Airbnb. Have you become a "millionaire" because of Airbnb? I doubt it. 

Airbnb generates bookings. They're good at that. The best. The main reason for that is the market perception they've created. It all appears sort of hip and trendy. Like Apple, for example. And likewise profitable. 

But one should not go "fan blind". In reality, it's just another booking platform. It claims to be different, but most of those differentiators are merely illusions. Quite demonstrably. 

Don't expect anything else or become too dependent. If you do, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment. Or shock. Or even failure. 

Watch your back. 

[Allie228]

I hear you. We have sold two of our houses and looking to sell more.  Airbnb has lost their soul and it is sad. 

[Sandra126]

If CS was better (it used to be) many of airbnbs problems would be gone. Such as not telling hosts what the issue is. Kafka indeed. 

[Huma0]

@Sandra126 

Yes, in the first couple of years that I started hosting (from 2016) I actually experienced great customer support, with every issue resolved quickly and efficiently. This may have been because

A. I usually got through to the call centre in Ireland, where the staff were very well trained and helpful, but I never get through to them anymore. Do they still exist? Now, it's pot luck. I've recently dealt with some well trained and effect reps, but more often, they seem to have no idea what they're talking about and/or pass you on from one case manager to the next (always someone who's going to immediately be out of the office for a few days) and prompt you to close the case before you've even received a response.

B. At least some policies were not so guest centric, e.g. it used to be possible to have the review AND ratings removed if the guest was clearly lying/breaking rules/causing damage and leaving a retaliatory review in response.

Those days are long gone.

[Susan990]

@Peter1354  Thank you Peter for sharing your story.  You hit on a key point which I would like to elaborate upon.  You said " the ABB rating system is designed to lower scores over time".  Bingo. I recall BC stating in his lengthy essay a year ago to this platform, and I quote as I recall it "  to succeed you must exceed expectations".  That is when the review questions were reworded and changed top to bottom.  The first question is -  did your stay exceed expectations? or meet expectations?  I then recall Hosts posting their experiences and reporting that a regular repeating guest couple answered that it meet expectations because they stayed there every year!   That answer is a 4.The score that review  generated threatened the Host's Super Host status.  A result which did not inform the public of the truth of the stay at the property.   Crazy stupid stuff.  But did that get fixed? NO.