Safety concerns

[Angie562]

Dear AirBNB community, 

I have been an AirBNB host for over 5 years. I am a Superhost and an AirBNB Plus host.  I recently had a concerning situation and would like other hosts feedback.  

The situation: 
The guest made a reservation for 1 person.  He arrived at 11pm and I made sure he was able to enter.  He hurriedly said 'I'll be right back' and left the door of the unit and the gate door wide open and didn't return for the next 20 minutes.  I closed and locked both doors.  

He had a lady friend over and had loud relations all day and night.  I had already informed him that I would be working from home, but  rather than communicating over the app, called my cell phone to request a lighter (at which point I reminded him that there is no smoking in the unit) and later called my cell phone to ask if the wine in the room was for guests. 

I asked him if there was someone besides him in the unit and he said 'yes, my girlfriend', so I asked him to please modify the reservation to 2 people.

He then stated that another lady friend would be coming over and I declined, stating that was not allowed by my house rules.   He got upset and threatened to leave.  He then knocked on my door.  I was afraid so I did not open the door and I texted neighbors and friends to standby in case of an altercation.  I also immediately messaged Airbnb.  I waited hours for a response, phoned AirBNB, and still was unable to get assistance.  I messaged with a customer service representative that I was concerned about safety and that I am not comfortable continuing the reservation and was told that the reservation is still active and I must continue the reservation.   Meanwhile, I messaged the guest asking if he knocked on the door and if he needed something to please let me know through the app.  He responded saying that he wanted to say goodbye because he was leaving.  

Subsequently, the guest messaged saying that he forgot something and was coming back and would be staying the night.  I responded that I could meet him outside with his belongings but that I had already changed the code and could not accept him back due to inability to follow house rules.  Airbnb refused to cancel the reservation for me, so I placed a request to modify the reservation.  

I am a woman who lives alone and was genuinely scared for my safety based on the angry response from the guest when I declined to allow additional guests.   I felt AirBNB provided me no protection and it felt like I had just found a guest on Craigslist and had no support for a difficult situation. 

What experience have others had?  

[Nick]

I've already sent it on Friday, just in case you haven't seen it yet @Angie562 

[Angie562]

Thank you, Nick.  I just saw your message.  The ambassador did reach out and we set up a time to talk by phone, but he never called.  Can you assist?  Meanwhile, my listing is still hidden.  Thank you.  

[Nick]

Hi @Angie562 I saw your message, followed back on this for you and replied yesterday, in our Direct Messages conversation. You probably wrote this before, but just in case, could you please check those messages (both mine in the DM and Customer Supports's on the app/desktop) as they have been in contact with you again regarding this. Thank you! 

[Angie562]

Hi Nick,

After I posted this message, the representative did apologize for missing our scheduled meeting and set up another for this evening.  That meeting time has also now passed and I have not received a call.  

[Angie562]

I finally received a call to discuss the situation.  I learned that at this time, AirBNB has no policy in place to help cancel a reservation for a host who feels unsafe.  I asked the representative to escalate the concern to the CEO and consider having such a policy to protect hosts who feel unsafe rather than stating that the host is obligated to continue the reservation.  I certainly hope this happens.  

[Sarah977]

@Nick I hope you will convey to the appropriate people how entirely unacceptable it is for Angie, or any other  host, to be told they will get a scheduled phone call, not once, but twice, and then not follow through. Apologizing isn't a substitute for respect.

And when they finally do call, they tell her that Airbnb can't cancel a booking for a situation where the host feels unsafe??? Yet they will suspend a host's listing the moment a guest calls to claim they feel unsafe???

For all the company's rhetoric about non-discrimination, they discriminate against hosts on a daily basis.

[Angie562]

@Sarah977   The representative was kind and helpful and stated that he was on the CEO escalation team or something to that effect.  If I remember correctly, he agreed that the customer service experience I had should have been handled differently.  But yes, there is no policy in place to assist a host in canceling a reservation if they feel unsafe.  There also is no policy in place to hide any review from the guest in question.  It won’t matter for me since I will no longer be hosting on this platform but for someone who would be, I think that could affect Superhost status etc.  

[Jonathan6]

@Angie562, you have to always consider your safety and I think you need to rethink the way you are hosting.  You do not need to directly interact with your guests, you can use a keysafe or keypad entry system.  You can have cameras (as long as you advise the guests and have the ability for them to disable), but exterior cameras are fine and would help you document the situation of who/how many are arriving.

I am a bit confused about your post.  Do you not allow more than 1 guest?  I accommodate up to 6 guests.  If guest arrives and has 6 instead of 5, I don't make an issue about it, what is the point.  If a guest is unruly or breaks the rules, I don't contact ABB but the authorities. 

Hosting has it's good and bad aspects, you have over 100 reviews, so you must have experienced all kinds of issues.  Be prepared and be safe.

[Mark116]

@Jonathan6  Some hosts charge more after a certain baseline.  We started charging extra after the 2nd guest, so for us, it is important that the correct number be entered.  Also, some cities now require that STR hosts keep some type of log of the names of all the guests..our city does, although I find it is hard to get guests to go in and give the names of everyone in their party, very hard. 

[Colleen253]

@Mark116 I have had a hard time getting this info as well, and I believe it’s because Airbnb already collects this info from the guest at booking. Sometimes, confusion or exasperation ensues when I chase the info, because the guest ‘already gave Airbnb that info, why is it needed again?’ They have no clue Airbnb withholds it from hosts. Super frustrating. 

[Emilia42]

@Colleen253 You probably already know this but I only discovered it a few months ago ... .

when a guest adds people to the reservation during the booking process those guests show up on the itinerary when you click the guest count. Of course, it means that the e-mail address entered has to correspond to an existing Airbnb account or the additional guests have to follow through on Airbnb prompts and create an account. 

[Colleen253]

@Emilia42 The problem is if you require last names as well, as an Airbnb profile doesn’t give you that. 

it’s just so spotty anyway. I find many times that only half the guests have been added with their profiles, and even when they are, you get something like this:

 

[Angie562]

@Jonathan6   The unit is on my property and attached by a locked door to my house.  There is a gate to enter the property and then separate doors for the unit and for my house.  Both the gate and the AirBNB door have a keypad lock for self entry.  If I am home, and especially if the guest is arriving late, I make sure they get in ok before going to sleep.  

The unit 1 bedroom with attached bathroom, that allows a maximum of 2 guests.  I don't allow additional visitors unless cleared by me.  This has not been a problem in the past when guests have requested for a friend or family member to drop by.  But this guest made me uncomfortable and I did not feel comfortable allowing additional visitors.  

As you mention, I have hosted more than 100 guests and have never had such a problem.  I don't allow direct booking and I only accept guests with good reviews.  I deviated from my normal this time and accepted a guest without reviews.  I learned my lesson.  

Thanks for the tips. 

[Sarah977]

@Jonathan6    "You do not need to directly interact with your guests..." may not be a matter of her "rethinking how you're hosting". 

Most hosts who live in close proximity to their guests, especially if it's not a completely separate building, find it preferable to directly engage with their guests. It's quite uncomfortable to have a guest in your home who is just some anonymous entity you never see except from afar, and never speak to.

[Angie562]

@Sarah977 

You nailed it.  That’s exactly my situation.  You can’t see my listing anymore because I have removed it.  I will no longer be hosting on AirBNB after my next already scheduled reservation.  The whole experience was so uncomfortable and it’s not worth putting myself at risk when I don’t feel protected, but rather even more exposed by AirBNB insisting that I continue a reservation when I feel unsafe.