Account suspension

[Tom910]

How is it possible for a Superhost with 195 reviews, all 5 Star, Zero cancellations, excellent response times, Covid protocol compliant, booking 2-4 stays every day across 3 listings to get all accounts suspended and have absolutely no idea what is causing such an error. 

And then to top it off, after spending countless hours over 3 days on phone calls, online chats, text messaging and can’t even receive a promised follow up call. And while on phone connections am not allowed to speak to a supervisor nor be given any way to contact the specialized department in charge of handling suspensions. 

Is it any wonder Airbnb is having trouble finding and retaining qualified hosts on this platform?

[Colleen253]

@Tom910 Frustrating. Just do a search on the forum for ‘listing suspended’. You’ll see you are far from alone. It’s usually in response to a guest making a complaint. Often bogus or retaliatory in nature. Have you had a disgruntled guest recently?

This is the most notorious post about being suspended.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Can-t-Trust-the-Trust-amp-Safety-Team/m-p/1232833#M29673...

[Elaine701]

@Colleen253 @Tom910 

I hadn't seen that thread before, but it's "illuminating", so thanks for re-posting it. 

You know, this is one great reason to be careful not to become too dependent on Airbnb. Their seemingly random and inexplicable actions threaten even the best of hosts. 

Airbnb generates bookings. Lots of them. Good, bad, and everything in between. It's their greatest strength. So it's easy to become entirely dependent on them. But don't do that. It's precisely why they can get away with these things.

For us, this type of behaviour makes Airbnb a rather risky platform. We need to diversify our "supply chains". The others are often even worse than Airbnb, and don't generate anywhere near the bookings, but at least they tend to be less random and unpredictable, and less likely to shoot us (and themselves) in the foot because some outsourced, faceless, clueless security rep failed to get their coffee this morning. "The devil you know".

[Sarah977]

What is with this mad proliferation of suspensions? Every day for months now, some host posts here about getting  suspended with no explanation from Airbnb.

It used to be reported here occasionally, but nothing like the onslaught that now seems to be happening.

Are there now a bunch of CS reps who get some kind of feeling of power and satisfaction out of suspending long-time hosts with hundreds of great reviews? It almost seems like that.

[Elaine701]

@Sarah977 

I don't know. I think it smells suspiciously like "getting it off my list". 

"I have to process x-number of cases today, to keep my numbers up. I don't have time to go into depth on each one, so I just check them off and move on. When hosts want to know why, I can't tell them, because it says on my cheat sheet that I'm not allowed to say, for security reasons (or perhaps I just don't have any explanation because I never really looked at it, so I'll just use that excuse)". 

Yes, I'm only speculating, but this and so many other inexplicables often have that aroma to it. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Sarah977 there was a batch of suspensions earlier this year in the UK when Airbnb were searching for any suggestion that the listing wording might encourage parties. Who knows what they are doing now.

The sad thing is it his unnecessary if they didn't just shoot from the hip.

[Tom910]

So I receive a notice from Airbnb today that my account is now out of suspension. The reason?  Just like when I received the suspension notice, no reason given. But I have to promise to follow the Standards as set forth, especially in the Authenticity Section.  So suspended for some unknown, cryptic, “privacy matters” reason which I can’t be told and now reinstated for the same reasons. Airbnb needs some serious  help in their guest and host care. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Tom910 Unless you have a review pending that Airbnb can see but you can't it is hard to imagine what the problem was given that you seem to have a full house of 5* reviews.

I wonder if @Catherine-Powell realises just how distressing this sort of behaviour is from Airbnb? Anyway for now I guess you will have to make sure you don't do again whatever it might be that you did wrong (assuming, of course, that you did something wrong)!

[Colleen253]

@Tom910 Right, "you did something wrong, but we can't tell you what it is....just don't do it again". SMH. This kind of treatment of STELLAR HOSTS WITH PROVEN TRACK RECORDS is beyond reprehensible. I HIGHLY doubt you did anything wrong, but how on earth is someone supposed to fix or improve something when they aren't even told what it is?? It's just insanity. @Catherine-Powell 

[Michael-L-0]

@Tom910 @So how long where you suspended?

[Tom910]

5 days. Peppered them constantly in writing and by phone every day. Got prior guests to do the same. 

[Tom910]

Back active again with no explanation. What a way to operate!

[Tom910]

Unbelievable 

[Inna22]

@Tom910 did they cancel all of your reservations?

[Tom910]

No. Just suspended to where listings were invisible and no new bookings possible. The reopened after 5 days with no explanation. Then awarded me Superhost again the next day!