Host scared of airb&b support!

[Marlea1]

Hi I'm Marlea, I'm pretty new to hosting but in a short time I've felt pretty beaten and batterd by support mostly and by guests. I bought my property for the purpose of renting on airb&b. I didn't my research and decided to setup a security cameras system on the front door back door and garage door. I let airb&b know and mentioned the cameras in house rules and one other section in my page. I didn't feel the need to blast my cameras on every description about my property but definitely disclosed them like airb&b wanted and I felt people deserve to know something like that anyway.  I started my listing with smart pricing like airb&b pressures you to do and now I believe that was a big mistake.  I have a very nice property in a central location in a Medium size city that is in high demand. My second guest was horrible... charged at a very heavy discount. But this thread is not about that Train wreck. So after many guests, refined property descriptions and houses rules later,,, I get hit with my entire schedule book except one reservation blocked 🚫 even the reservation is blocked out like shaded but I can still see it. Support emailed me and said that a resent guests complained about the camera system.  I did everything airb&b asked me to do from the beginning! Now Support said I have to put the specifics words "recording devices " when I mention the cameras!!! That's totally ridiculous! And then all of a sudden I have to recheck a  box that wasn't even there when I first started my hosting account on airb&b about security cameras record. I told airb&b in the security section about the camera right next to the part about have a firearm and letting airb&b know that as well. I don't have any guns in the property because this is the entire house listing. They told me all I needed to do was respond to the email within 72 hours, change the the wording to recording devices, take pictures of the locations of all the  Exterior camera on the house and local.  And agree to said in writing that I did all that was asked of me and they would reinstate my account. I did all that in a matter of hours. Three days later my calendar is still blocked and no farther messages from support have been sent. This is  Unacceptable! I value customer service above the actual service most times and I'm being treated like some kind a criminal or some kind of peeping tom or something! Every time I contact customer service I feel dirty like I've been lowered to some kinda scumbag. Airb&b support sent me my suspended account and blocked dates with a darn ❤  Emoji!!!!🤬😤 what is wrong with this company? I was going to suggest that some friends would invest into the new ipo on the stock exchange but now I wouldn't suggest or buy that stock if I knew it would 10× in a month!! If anyone knows what the double  Hockey sticks is going on with my account please let me know.  Support won't chat or reply to my emails anymore!

[Colleen253]

Hi @Marlea1 So sorry it's been a rough go for you. Airbnb is quite notorious for suspending listings where a guest has complained about security cameras (often in retaliation for something the host has called them on), even when said cameras have been fully and properly disclosed. They go silent while they do their 'investigation' (which usually doesn't involve the host 🙄), then suddenly the suspension is lifted. There isn't much you can do but wait.

Re "I started my listing with smart pricing like airb&b pressures you to do..." Seems like you've already figured this out, but it's worth mentioning that no host should ever do as Airbnb suggests. Always do the opposite! Airbnb's only interest is in getting bookings. They don't care about the host's bottom line.

By the way, Airbnb outsources it's CS to a call center who uses contract workers. The reps are often unfamiliar with Airbnb policy and give out a lot of misinformation. Try to avoid CS. Problem solve on your own, or with the help of the Community here.

PS, you'll start to learn what to watch out for when vetting guests, and be able to weed the baddies out, thereby improving your hosting experience overall. Here is a great post on the subject,

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Red-Flag-Questions/m-p/1452356

[Marlea1]

I've already kinda figured out that most of what airb&b suggests is bull.. I did my research on airb&b from a YouTube channel btw and I'm pretty much completely convinced that he's getting some kind of kick back from airb&b because he very rarely has anything negative to say about airb&b.  He said one of his guests started a fire at his tiny house A-frame by over heating the furnace that caused 3500 dollars in damages. He sent an estimate and two days later he got his check simple and easy. Man if it was that simple this company must really value the hosts and the customer! All his horror stories where easily solved and all is well in the land of gum drops and  🍬 candy canes that is airb&b! So yes I definitely didn't do my do diligence when jumping head over heels buying a home and putting $$$$$ into  Furnishing it so guests will feel comfortable staying as guests at my new pride and joy airb&b property. I never would have thought a company could expand and grow that fast without having a good support system for those who feed the bottom line. But boy was I wrong.. the success of airb&b is on the backs or the hosts that help each other out and provide guests with clean safe nicely appointed rooms and home for less than a good hotel would charge most times. I'm a pretty fast study so hopefully this little bump in the road will pass and I'll learn how to deal with everything myself with the help of other host on airb&b. I just wish the world would see this sham for what it is so airb&b would fix this horrible problem with customer service. I can't imagine that guests are treated much better? I mean maybe they do treat them better but I get the impression that if a guest had a serious problem that they would leave them out to dry just like the hosts. 🤮yucky.. I despise horrible customer service!! Even tho I my get treated like garbage I refuse to let the :pile_of_poo:pooping roll down hill!!.

Thanks again for your response and the kind words. I hope to repay your kindness with a new host down the line!

[Marlea1]

I've definitely learned a lot these last few months. I'm a retired teacher and I have never had a business before. I'm a pretty quick study so I will get the hang of it soon. Thank you again 💓

[Sarah977]

@Marlea1  "Every time I contact customer service I feel dirty like I've been lowered to some kinda scumbag. Airb&b support sent me my suspended account and blocked dates with a darn ❤  Emoji!!!!🤬😤 what is wrong with this company?

 Now that's a question a lot of us have wondered. Their behavior is deranged. I know it's no laughing matter, but your turns of phrase had me smiling, they are so appropriately expressive. 

Yes, hosts are always guilty until proven innocent in Airbnb land. Sometimes they won't even tell a host why they are suspended, then tell the host they'll reinstate the listing, but if the host does again what they were suspended for, they'll be permanently delisted. While still refusing to tell the host what they supposedly did wrong. You couldn't make this stuff up.

Yes, my dear, we are on our own, you really can't expect anything approaching real customer service from this company anymore. You just have to view them as a listing service and pray you never have to contact them about anything.

Try to vet your guests better, it takes some practice and knowing what red flags to watch out for in guest communication, and what questions to ask. Do watch out for guests who ask for discounts, or to make some exception to your rules for them, or the ones who haven't bothered to read your listing info, or who take 2 days to answer a message. Those are red flags and you shouldn't accept those bookings. And don't give big discounts- if they can't afford your place, let them go find something within their budget- their financial situation isn't your affair. If you want to offer discounts for weekly stays, that's up to you, but never discount because a guest asks you to.

They'll eventually lift your suspension, all you can do is be patient.

[Marlea1]

Well first off thanks for the response. This whole process has starting to effect my mental health and outside relationships to a small degree and if it gets worse I'll definitely decide to just walk away. I did have a small taste of the crazy train with my first guest when she decided to pour cooking grease or  "Accidentally" drop a half gallon container on the kitchen floor tracking it all over the  Entire house, taking over 3 hours of mopping and steam cleaning the carpet to remove the mess and  Forbreezing the whole interior of the house to remove the smell of fried chicken and catfish 🙃. I tried to charge her the 100 dollar deposit but after sending pictures of the mess to support then video, and I had to figure out how to email video smh,,,,,,, to support and still didn't get any money back I just gave up! I thought maybe it's it's because I was a new host with no reviews but I guess I thought wrong. And I figured that I had at least the power to take a deposit that I set.... guess I was wrong about that too! So now I just use the deposit as a vetting tool to weed out people that don't have the funds to replace a broken items.  I set my deposit at 200 dollars now.  But even now I thought I was kinda getting the hang out of this whole process and made the mistake of allowing 6 old friends from college In their mid to late 20s a meet up at my house to catch up and enjoy seeing each other again. I keep getting notifications on my security cameras and when I checked it they where drunk as a skunk dancing in front of my camera system calling out my name MARLEA,  MARLEA laughing reliving there old college days. 😑 when my house was pretty clean at first glance when they left but when I started cleaning I noticed they put a red towel in the washer with my brand new queen size set of sheets to hid the fact that someone barfed all over the sheets staining them yellow and now red because of the red towel 😣.. broke a window and attached hardware and the broke the backyard gate trying to take out the trash.. You can't even make this stuff, I'm not that creative lol.. I have a nack for picking the wrong direction or falling through the proverbial cracks in systems that most navigate easily unfortunately 😕.  But anyway thank you for your kind words and putting me at ease,even if it's just a little better,, it's better then support's silence. Support did email me this morning at 3am, like where the hell is support at anyway  Bangladesh or something?? They sent a apologies for not responding earlier but didn't answer any of the questions I asked in the chain of letters I sent them. Then ,  ,  ,, omg they said if you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us!! Like really????? 👍

Thank you again 💓and that heart is sent with real love😉🙏

[Colleen253]

@Marlea1 The damage deposit is rather a sham. Airbnb doesn't actually even put a hold on the guest's cc for it and they make it rather difficult to claim against it when needed. Better and less stressful to put aside a bit from every booking into a fund that you can draw from when needed. Read the host guarantee terms and conditions carefully, because when you are familiar with it and follow it to the letter, you have a much greater chance of success when claiming for damages.

https://www.airbnb.ca/help/article/2869/host-guarantee-terms-and-conditions

[Marlea1]

Yes I've been fighting with support for my claim for over a month now. When they froze my account and my damage claim had been frozen too. My account just got reinstated today thank goodness 🙏😅!! I want to thank everyone who helped me navigate through this totally ridiculous process!  And just for good  Measure,, support said they may deactivate my account if I get another complaint about security cameras even though I did everything airb&b asked for in the first place. I did mention getting my attorney to look at the policy agreement concerning security cameras and the airb&b replacement/damages agreement for hosting services. I'm not sure if that helped out but it wasn't an idle threat. I have a attorney on retainer that I haven't used in a long while so he needs to earn that money from time to time lol.  I will definitely try the Landry treatment my kids are long grown and grandchildren are having kids now hehehehe.. thank you.

[Betsy16]

Hi, I am so sorry you have had a horrible time.  I have been a Superhost with Airbnb for 7 years.  I have been so upset with CS, I finally said to one young lady if it wasn't for Host, she wouldn't have a job.  I always start out by saying if you don't know what to do, don't waste my time, let me speak to a supervisor.  

Always take pictures and videos, I have won several times, but I honestly think it is up to the case worker and if they think you are being petty they will not let you keep the security deposit.  I have also lost several cases and I did have pictures to prove everything.

If a guest does not have any reviews, ask if they are 25 yrs. of age and if not do not rent to them, unless they have a child then I do rent to them.  We are in a Spring Break destination, and I am very careful who I rent to. It is okay to have cameras, I wish we had cameras at some of the places I manage.  

[Sarah977]

@Marlea1  Don't allow guests to wash the sheets and towels. Make that a house rule and reiterate it in your house manual or put a sign on the wall next to the washing machine.

Guests will ruin your bedding, as you found out. You need to take a good look at the sheets, etc, before washing, so you can pre-treat any stains. For instance, blood comes out easily if you soak the item in cold water and pour hydrogen peroxide on the spots. If they just get thrown in a hot water wash, it sets the blood stain in so it never comes out. 

As a host, you have to learn all the laundry stain removal tricks. Most stains are removable, and you can't afford to be buying new sheets all the time.

[Marlea1]

Oops... I sent your reply to Colleen... I'll try that Landry trick it makes sense and wow sheets are crazy expensive now.. thank you Sarah my account has been reinstated today! I think I grew at least three more gray hair's stressing over this for the last 5 days.. I definitely did mention getting my lawyer to look over the policy agreement for damages and security cameras section. I don't know if that helped but that was yesterday when I pulled the lawyer card. Thanks again!! 

Is you airb&b in Mexico or New Mexico? I'm going to Mexico with my daughter in a couple of months. My son has property in Southern Colorado so just curious. Anyway thanks so much for everything 💗

[Sarah977]

@Marlea1  I am in Mexico, the country, not New Mexico. What part of Mexico are you and your daughter travelling to?

[Christine615]

Set your price for two. If you use smart pricing set the minimum at the real rate you want not the suggested low ball rate. Ignore their discounting suggestions.

price for two people then charge for each additional person. Set your max capacity at less than what you can really hold snd don’t budge when asked.

Turn Instant book off OR check the box requiring guests to be verified with a state ID. Any guest without a prior host recommendation must request permission to book.

Vett your guests. If they’re not chatty and responsive in the inbox, decline.