My son has been banned, but we can't understand the reason.

[Anthony1251]

My son (a third year university student) has been banned from Airbnb for "soliciting third party services" we are at a loss to understand why. He is studying film at university, and for his third year project he has to produce a short film, for this he needs locations to film, it can't be at relatives homes etc as he needs to prove he can get all the proper permission. For his film he needs an outside (seaside) location and an interior location (near the sea). He has got an outside location and been approved for filming there so he started to approach the owners of a few Airbnb's to see if they would give their permission for a group of six students to film in their properties. He wasn't asking for a reduction to the price of the properties, in fact the group are more than happy to pay the full price to film for a few days. I am struggling to understand this ban, it has seriously affected his ability to create a final year project. Can someone help?

[Anthony1251]

@Anonymous who else is supposed to fight his corner when Airbnb have banned him and won't reply to his emails asking for an explanation as to why he was banned? He didn't "whine" to me, we were having a conversation and he happened to mention it, I thought that it was a ridiculous thing for Airbnb to do with no explanation, that's why I came here, I mean this community board is called "help" so I was hoping someone might be able to help, obviously not.

[Sarah977]

Why does anyone have to fight in his corner? He's an adult. This is between him and Airbnb, no one can reinstate his account but Airbnb.

As far as receiving help, you've had quite a few responses trying to explain to you why he would have been banned. That was the topic of your post, that you didn't understand, so we explained it to you. 

Seems we all wasted our time since you obviously didn't appreciate it.

[Lorna170]

@Anthony1251   I understand your frustration.  However, this Board is not comprised of Air employees, but other Air hosts.  So we can offer suggestions, but cannot "fix" the fact that your son has been banned.  Air has notoriously bad service when responding to banned guests.

I would suggest that your son speak to a local rental agent in the area where he would like to find a house.  That agent may be able to find a homeowner who is willing to hire out their house for the film.  Otherwise, he needs to speak to the professor, show him what happened when he approached Air hosts, and find out what his options are.  I wish him luck.

Personally, I would never accept a rental for a film in my house under any circumstances.

[Anthony1251]

@Lorna170 thank you for taking the time to reply with a possible reasoned answer, it is much appreciated.

[Anonymous]

@Anthony1251  Are you supposed to fight your son's corner if he gets kicked out of a pub for smoking a joint? Barred from Starbuck's for refusing to wear a mask? It doesn't really matter whether you feel it's fair or not - these are all private companies, and doing business with them is not a civil right - especially when you're trying to use the business for a different purpose than it offered.

From an Airbnb host's perspective, what your son did was the equivalent of going to a licensed massage therapist and politely asking if he could have a Happy Ending. The honesty of the disclosure doesn't negate its impropriety, and your son will do a lot better in life if he figures that out now rather than have angry helicopter parents trying to fight a lost cause on behalf of his own miscalculations.

[Anthony1251]

I now understand why he has been banned, it would seem that the majority of the "hosts" who reply to an innocent question just take it as a chance to be mildly abusive. Thanks to everyone that replied, you are a brilliant advert for Airbnb and should be proud of yourselves. 

[Sarah977]

@Anthony1251  Many hosts replied to you, in no way abusively, simply giving an explanation of what you said you didn't understand. Some even offered alternatives for where your son might look to find his filming location. You thanked no one for taking the time to explain, instead pushing back at every response. 

You evidently didn't want an answer to your " innocent question", you wanted your outrage on behalf of your son to be agreed with.

[Helen350]

I'm wincing on your behalf @Anthony1251 , and am also disgusted at the sarcasm, ridicule, and yes, mild abusive you have received here.  Of course there's  nothing wrong in making enquiries for your son, I think the culture has changed in that respect since I was a student 40 years ago! We wouldn't have been seen dead having our parents speak for us... but times have changed! - You are getting 'thumbs ups' from fellow Brits, myself & London host Paul!

Interestingly, a young lady Instant booked one of my private rooms in my own house last week. On questioning, being during lockdown, she said she was a Filmmaker, coming here to the Lake District to make a film! BUT she said it would be outside, out & about. I had to contact customer services to get them to cancel, on the grounds that she did not appear to be doing essential work here, and could make a film in her own area, possibly? I did not flag her, just cancelled so I was not breaking lockdown rules by hosting non doctor, nurse etc. anyway, SHE has not been banned, her profile is still up! But she was using my place just to sleep I guess, and I let my spare rooms, so the house trashing party scenario was never likely....

I DO agree it could all be down to the algorithm   - since the notorious shootings in Airbnb mansions in USA, they've been attempting to clamp down...

It IS odd, tho'... as Airbnb has a reputation for NOT kicking off the platform serial home abusers, presumably because they want the money they bring..?

And I absolutely agree, your so asked NICELY, What more could he have done? And I do think the ban was over the top, a 'Please don't try this again, it's not allowed' would have been the sensible, decent way.   But as others have said, Airbnb are notorious in refusing to explain bans. And sadly, Andrew's comment about porn films was not as outrageous as you may think; the archieves here tell of poor hosts who've had to deal with the carnage such things have left in their beloved homes. So maybe some host did think 'a likely story' at his honesty, and flag him.

[Anthony1251]

Thank you so much @Helen350 your support is really appreciated.

I realise many guests are far from ideal, and are far to willing to deceive, I also know that many hosts will have horror stories, but then you very rarely hear about good experiences do you?

I only asked the question in the first place because he is unable to due to the ban and he's getting no luck from Airbnb.

My son scoured their terms and conditions, and couldn't find any reason which is why I asked.

Again thank you.

[Paul1255]

Massive thumbs up from me to @Anthony1251  🙂 

@Helen350  I agree with you on the sarcasm, ridicule and mild abuse. It’s unfortunately not uncommon on the community centre- and not a representation of the wider hosting community.

I imagine some first-time posters are put off using the cc and Airbnb by the unpleasant reception they receive when they post- which for some reason goes unnoticed by the community managers.

[Clare167]

Hello @@Anthony1251  . I  am sorry for the situation your son finds himself in, and sorry too that there is sometimes a lack of courtesy on these boards; I think that sometimes people don't realise the impact that words and tone can have, and they don't intend to be rude. I was trying to direct-message you about your son's issue, but the app won't let me. By all means, message me if you would like.

[Robbie54]

@Helen350 I wonder if you'd be so disgusted if the op was obese? Hypocrisy springs to mind. 

[Helen350]

JOKE @Robbie54 ! - Remember our long tradition of British seaside postcards!

(And more to the point, I was dissing IMAGINARY people, not real ones in my previously humerous post.)

[Robbie54]

@Helen350 your "humerous" post was criticised by many hosts and was banned. And our "tradition of British seaside postcards" are thankfully long gone. This is 2021, not 1951. 

[Helen350]

Off topic @Robbie54 . My comments in THIS post are to support Anthony, whose son was being needlessly ridiculed. I winced. What I posted  elsewhere & why is irrelevant. Please stop stirring up trouble on THIS thread. Use it to support A ntony