Help, getting railroaded by airbnb support!!?

[Wade78]

Hello all, I hope someone can shed some light or maybe help get this resolved.  

Recently I had a guest staying in 1 of my 12 listings in Puerto Rico, after 2 nights this guest sent a message at 3am asking why I was in the unit! I didn't respond as I was at my home across town asleep! 

To my surprise at 7am I see the message and respond to this guest that it couldn't have been me, as I had just woken up. I asked if everything was okay did we need to involve the police, ect.. she stopped responding to me at that point. And left the unit.

After I gave enough time to be sure she had left the unit I made entry and found that she or someone in her group had broken into our locked owners closet. At check in I explained to her that it is locked showed her that it was locked. And she did not have access. (We keep extra cleaning supplies extra sheets for turn overs and the owners personal items) (the door has a security handle on it it can only be locked by key from the outside, so if it's broken into it can not be closed) 

The guest reached out to airbnb support claiming that I was in the unit at 3am staring at her child?? 

After doing some investigation work of my own I found out that she was posting on social media that I was a pedophile and that I'm dangerous???

This guest is slandering my good name and the name of my listing, she is lieing about her whole story. 

To add some clarification I live about 15 minutes away from this particular unit. Also there is and was during this guests stay a 10pm-5am curfew that is Island wide so legaly after 10pm I could not leave my home unless I was going to a hospital for an emergency.

Some background on me, I am a law abiding citizen, back on the mainland USA I worked with law enforcement as a fugitive and assets recovery agent. 

I do not have a criminal history, no mental health issues. 

From my experience, working with law enforcement officials I believe that someone in her group broke into the owners closet and realizing that they couldn't close the door to cover up their crime, they decided to use an innocent autistic child as fuel to feed the fire of this lie.(This guest told me several times during check in that her boys are autistic) it likely was one of her boys, and had she just told me hey my kid broke into this room, sorry can you re lock it I would have understood autistic kids do things they aren't supposed to do, 3 of my nephuews are autistic I get it. 

The biggest problem I'm having here is that airbnb is saying they believe her and that I'm suspended from that listing, but not the one directly above it. 

Also the property owner is a retired police officer,  he has even sent in a character statement vouching for me. 

Yet they say I need to be removed from the listing as a co-host, for litterly doing nothing wrong. 

Part of my investigation brought some information to light her child claimed that he smelt cigarettes and that's what woke him up? To find a man who stands like me and staring at him... so he didn't identify me but a man that looked to be standing like me! First big issue here I DO NOT SMOKE CIGARETTES!  secondly there was a gentleman with her that was skinny and tall like me, who just so happened to be smoking a cigarette when they first arrived for check in! 

After further investigation we found that the listing she went to after leaving my listing had left a review stating that she was smoking in the unit after being told its a non smoking unit. 

I have been a host for about 5 years I have never had a security claim against me. 

This guest blatantly breaks the rules, and get to get away with slandering me. And I get suspended for doing no wrong. I've appealed the case with airbnb 2 times now and they continue to say I  in the wrong.

What can I do? 

[Dale711]

 Hi @Wade78 

Sorry to hear about your experience with the guest.

I see your listings are publishing and bookable.

You could flag the guest profile and report the incident as the guest opened the owner lock closet. Leave an honest review to the guest to warn the other host.

[Wade78]

Hello Dale thanks for your concern,  I did leave an honest review and I do hope know one else ends up having to deal with this women... 

I'm pushing to get a department manager or someone in the safety department that has, the ability to look at this with fresh eyes. How can airbnb justify punishing a long time host over a guest that hasn't been on the platform long, and already has multiple 3.5 or lower star reviews, showing a track record of breaking the rules. 

[Sarah977]

@Wade78  That's really awful, what this guest did. Yes, you should push to speak with someone in the Trust and Safety dept.

I saw all the properties you manage and the great reviews guests give of your attentiveness. 

You said that the homeowner wrote a letter attesting to your good character. Do you think you could get the owners of the other properties you manage to also write letters saying what an asset you are to them and their guests and that they can't believe you have been judged guilty of something simply based upon some guest's accusation, when there is zero proof that she is telling the truth.

And if you have a witness who can affirm that you were elsewhere when these events which supposedly took place, they could write a letter to that effect as well.

Then hit Airbnb with the barrage of letters and tell them if they don't reinstate you as co-host of that property, you will go to the media with the story.

[Wade78]

Hello Sarah,

I'm certain that all the owners I mange for would gladly Wright letters defending me,  if it comes to that I may reach out to them. 

I was at home asleep across town, my mother and brother whome I Co host with live in the same house, and are much lighter sleepers then I. Had I gotten up that early in the morning they would have known...

Also the guest claims she made a police report, and Gave them my name and number, yet I still have not been contacted by local authorities..... im in the Puerto Rico database due to a security guards license I had to get when I first moved down here. The police here have all of my information they shouldn't have any issues finding me to discuss any of the above mentioned things. 

The same local authorities I would have had to drive past after curfew to get to this listing.  

My brother has sent the request to speak to someone higher up the chain about this so we are waiting to hear back. I just can't understand how a business can take the word of a new guest over that of long time host. 

Like you said the reviews on all of my listings show my character.

[Sarah977]

@Wade78  If it does come down to getting letters from your other hosts, they shouldn't be in the tone of "defending" you. You haven't done anything wrong, you have been wronged. 

I was thinking along the lines of them saying what a great co-host you have been for them, and expressing outrage that a guest with poor reviews would be able to make serious allegations against you with no proof whatsoever and be believed, when you have a great track record. 

And most importantly, that if all it takes is a guest claiming that something happened, for which there is no proof, for them to  possibly be deprived of a trusted co-host, they will have to reconsider whether they want to continue to use a platform which deems long-time users with a great track record guilty without even the opportunity to present their facts.

[Wade78]

Good morning Sarah. 

Thanks for your input. 

So my co hosts, are my little brother who is the Vice president of my property management company (I'm the president of),  and our mother who is our CFO. We are a family business. 

Me getting suspended from a listing over words and no proof, makes running our business harder, im the customer service rep, the salesmen,  the in person check in guy, my family are the back end. Marketing, Financials, Maintenance.  To now have to force my brother and mother to have to handle my part of the business over words with no proof is a burden and unfair, this women's Slander and airbnbs bad decision has hurt not only my business and the way we do business but also my clients, (the owners of the home) as they only get my expertise half the time now. 

Thanks for listening Sarah, I do hope this gets resolved. The added stress is getting to me.