if someone could help me with this
My name is Martin, and I am taking a claim for the rental made with the date 15/03/22, which is taken very carefully by MGJ (Airbnb agent).
I send you this letter in order to structure the sequence of unfortunate events that I am going through, not only because of the scam I suffered from the owner “W” (https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/578003743565946755?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=673d8180-7...) but also because of the lack of protection that your company Airbnb is doing with me.
As I already mentioned in my claim, on 15/03/22 I booked to stay in the listing that is located at 300 Bellair Street, Kensington, VIC 3031 Australia
(https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/578003743565946755?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=673d8180-7...), that I found it on the website, so I contacted the owner who calls himself with Airbnb user “W”.
First of all, I let it be known that I rent a place to a person who does not show his/her identity, and who uses an unusual pseudonym, but the trust and trajectory that Airbnb has, made me trust that everything would be in order, but it wasn’t, neither at that time and still not today.
When I had to check-in, someone contacted me by phone, since the platform allows this type of communication, and informed me that the house that was exhibited and promoted on Airbnb was not available and that I had to go to a different place. Since I already had my day planned to go to the place that I booked on the website, and not another, I decided not to attend the first night because they did the confirmation of the booking too late that night.
I insist, the change was not mine, but was imposed on me, in a different direction than the one I had planned, so I had to reorganize my agenda for the unilateral and abusive change of the owner. So, the next day, and already organized my agenda, I decided to be present at the address that had been indicated to me - again, just to make clear that is a different location than the one I booked and paid for it. I mention that all the communication was by phone, no person ever showed their identity, which generates some fear in me. You can imagine, that from a platform, with the security that I should have, they advertise a room for rent, but unexpectedly they force me to go to another place, unknown to me and to third parties, it generates distrust more than justified in my person and my safety. Once I arrived at the place, which I was granted a code to enter, it is that the place was not of the quality or the type that I had hired. When I accessed the Airbnb app, I could choose from a variety of places to stay, and if I had seen this in the app, I would not have chosen it voluntarily, so for obvious reasons I do not want to pay for something that I have not chosen, to which must be added the bad conditions of the place, the lack of confidence that generated everything I was living and the fear generated by the way in which I was this person was driving.
Later, and following the policies of your company, since you provide that first of all I must reach an understanding with the owner, is that this person texted me after my intent of cancelation that it would be a reimbursement, so I agreed and waited. Later the owner of the house stopped answering my messages, so I decided to make the claim on the website (and then by a phone call) you can trace all my massage from that day on.
The person who has received my claim told me that my claim is extemporaneous, that I should have accessed the claim of the application first, but I must make it clear that I have followed the procedure stipulated by you. First, I thought I reached an agreement with the owner, he said that he was going to return the money for my accommodation, the problem now is that he does not want to fulfill what he promised (for the second time) and before his new breach I contacted you to let you know what happened, that is why my claim is not extemporaneous but quite the opposite, it is timely and according to the steps that you assure to follow.
In any case, it has to be the website that must evaluate the safety of the people with whom you hire to offer the housing. How can it be that I don't know the identity of the person I hired? I only know it as “W”, a fictitious name. On the other hand, I have been told that this person has contacted me through a phone that is not registered with Airbnb, and that such a situation would be detrimental to my claim. Again, it is not in my hands to control that the owner communicates by the registered phone, in any case, it should be the Airbnb application that controls this situation. I add, the person who attends my claim asks me for certain evidence, such as photographs, conversations, etc., in order to prove the identity of the owner. Again, they are revictimizing, not only do I have to experience an uncomfortable, insecure, and economically harmful moment but also now I must adopt a detective position so that the company can understand my claim. From my side, I can only prove that there is a contractual link, and you can have it accredited in the Airbnb database where it appears I have contracted with the company. Secondly, the damage I have suffered is also accredited since I have paid what is required by you and I can contribute it with the bank statements if you require. In this way, and so far, only I have been the party that has followed all the procedures as it is.
That is how you were the ones in charge of ensuring the good fulfillment of what you offered, and the owner of the apartment was in charge of delivering the accommodation offered in conditions, neither of the two situations has happened. It has come to the ridicule of requiring me to go to the second dwelling (where this "W" person wanted me to stay) to ENTER the property and take photos of the place to prove that it was different from the one that I booked. Again, the company exposes me unnecessarily.
So far that's all I can say. I want to put an end to this problem so that this person cannot harm other people again, as well as the good reputation that his company has. For all the above I wish to be repaired the damages I have suffered - no more nor less-
I appreciate all the effort that MGJ (Airbnb agent) has done so far, but I believe it's time to go further with my claim since I haven’t got any intention of solving this issue from any of you.
Kind regards.
Martin
**[Reservation number hidden - Community Center Guidelines]
