I won an appeal from deactivation due to consumer report, then was deactivated again!

[Jacob647]

Most people would probably just give up, but I won't. I had such an empowering experience and was truly proud to be a member of the Airbnb community last year when I appealed the decision to suspend my account due to a criminal history on my background check stemming from charges that had occurred when I was a minor over 15 years ago. 

March 16th 2020 I received the following reply: **

I was really proud that Airbnb cared about an inclusive community and considered rehabilitation "even if their criminal record would otherwise make them ineligible" 

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/3095/implications-of-background-checks

According to the policy reinstatement eligibily criteria included: 

The primary factors:

• The individual’s age at the time of conviction
• Number of prior convictions
• Time since last conviction

All of which seemed in line with my criminal history which was: 

1. Resulting from charges when I was a minor

2. No prior or subsequent convictions in the past 15 years

However, with that outcome, it seems that I had been screened again and the same issues popped up in the consumer report that had caused my account to be banned previously. 

There were NO new charges or changes to consumer report that were different than the one which I had appealed and won reinstatement on previously. 

However this time, after multiple calls and emails, the only response I receive is this by several Airbnb specialist: **

According to the Airbnb policy on reinstatement allows users like myself to  "demonstrate rehabilitation and live their best lives... even if their criminal record would otherwise make them ineligible.” 

This would directly contrast with the suggestion that I need to dispute the background check in order to appeal this decision. 

Furthermore, the Airbnb’s Criteria for reinstatement eligibility includes three primary factors:

• The individual’s age at the time of conviction 
• Number of prior convictions 
• Time since last conviction 

In my case: 

1. I was a minor at the time of my arrest. 

2. I had no prior convictions.

3. It's been more than 15 years since this incident that occurred (as a juvenile)  and have had not even a traffic ticket in the past 15 years since then. 

Please help me understand why its Airbnb’s stated policy to consider the appeal without the need to dispute the background check, yet when I try to appeal, the specialists have suggested this is the only way to appeal. : (

Jacob**

 **[Private conversation removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Quincy]

Hi there @Jacob647, I'm sorry to hear that this has happened. I've passed this on to the team, however, they came back to me mentioning that there was no open case. They recommended that you contact them. You can contact Airbnb by clicking on this link https://www.airbnb.com/help/contact-us

[Jacob647]

I cannot use the contact-us link you have provided.

My deactivated account's email is **

When I am logged into the deactivated account,  It will not let me create any support ticket or use the link you provided.

**[E-mail address removed due to safety reasons - Community Center Guidelines]

[Jacob647]

Hi Quincy, 

Have you had a chance to look into this issue with my deactivated account? My deactivated account's email is ** also used another email with this account**

I do think this is the last chance that I might be able to get to a resolution. 

**[E-mail address removed due to safety reasons - Community Center Guidelines]

[Quincy]

Hello @Jacob647, I'm so sorry, but I had to remove your email addresses due to safety reasons. I can't look into case specific information, however, since you've mentioned an issue with your email addresses, I think that the best thing to do is to give them a phone call on either one of the numbers below. 

 +1-415-800-5959 or +1-844-234-2500

[Jacob647]

Hi Quincy, 

I understand you may not b able to look into the case, with the email address you redacted, but Would you please pass it onto your team to look into it?

You did mention in your first reply you did not find an open case, and then I added my email address with the associated account where you could find this case. 

I have absolutely tried calling the support and emailing support for this, and the only reply I have received since May is the same canned response that I need to dispute the background check (Which I have already previously won on appeal) 

No one in the 10 or so times from this team has bothered to look into the fact that I have already won the appeal on this background check previously, and that's why I have asked for help on this forum as my last resort. 

After Emailing calling, and thoroughly reviewing every single page and resource linked to the replied on my account closure I am now here at the forum. 

Please Please Please ask your team to check the email I have provided to you in the response to see that I have been banned for the background check issue that I have already previously won my appeal on. 

The support Phone numbers and emails continue to provide the SAME reply to me. 

Just yesterday after calling the number you provided I got this same reply for the 10th time. 

 **[Private conversation removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

[Lorna170]

@Quincy   I am confused by your response to this host.  From his post, his case has been closed by Airbnb CS, so your team isn’t going to find an open case to review.  So what was your point of looking into it?  unless you can review CLOSED cases, especially ones where the OP was validated and then erroneously shut down, your actions or those of your team just feel like a pat on the head.  CS is paid to close cases quickly and with a boilerplate so sorry, case closed, life sucks for you response.  IMO.

[Jacob647]

I did forget to mention that my email address associated with the account is not this one I am using to post on the community forum, because the deactivated account is not allowed to post, or even submit a ticket from that link.I have added the email to my reply to this moderator.  I have received no response yet except since last month:

"Until an official dispute has been resolved with the consumer reporting agency, we consider our decision final. You can find more information about the consumer report process here: airbnb.com/help/article/1308

It was on that link that I found this link: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/3095/implications-of-background-checks

Where it says " Airbnb cared about an inclusive community and considered rehabilitation "even if their criminal record would otherwise make them ineligible" 

Why I thought that asking for a moderator to look into the  previous case where my account was reinstated because of this might be the only chance I may have left. 

[Quincy]

Hi @Lorna170, whilst I appreciate you sharing your thoughts here, I must disagree. There have been cases where Community Managers passing on information to the relevant team has been very helpful, and in fact helped solve particular cases. Of course, we can't ensure whether a case gets resolved or not, but in my opinion I'd rather have someone at least trying to pass information on to said team rather than nothing being done. 

[Lorna170]

@Quincy   My issue was that they (the team) came back and said that there was no open case.  It was clear from the OP that the case had been opened, closed, reopened and again closed, and that there was no currently open case for your team to investigate -- they would have had to locate and review the two closed cases.

Just my two cents.

[Kia272]

@Jacob647  I'm sorry this has happened to you, and it sounds frustrating and unfair. 

The rules vary from state to state, but I believe there's a process whereby you can have a juvenile offense/arrest record sealed. In many states it's not automatic, but there's usually a process to go through to have that done. Have you looked into that? Kia

[Jacob647]

I have looked into it, unfortunately in the state I was in they can adjudicate me as an adult so it stays on my record forever.