AIRBNB limited my account , I didn't disclose a camera I don't have?

[Steven89]

There is no loyalty with Airbnb.

I have been with them for 4-5 years. I'm pretty sure our guest complains about a front camera which I do not have. Even then why is having a front door camera facing the street illegal now? My account will not be available to rent for a week cause they are doing their "investigation".

They didn't take my word after our long phone conversation. She was actually pretty hostile and didn't help the situation, her name was Alice and very unprofessional about how she dealt with it. They are going to hold my account for another 2-3 days cause Airbnb is out of their minds, what happened to a great company in the past? At this point, I'm just another few houses for them at their disposal.

They don't care. 

[Linda108]

So you do not have a door camera and you sent pictures of your front door supporting this?  You confused me with the statement about why would you have to disclose.  I am in favor of disclosure just to assure the guest about privacy inside the home.

[Steven89]

I do not have a camera at this property cause it's a duplex. I feel like the guest might have said something which confuses me too. I'm in favor of disclosure but this is beyond my control and very upset at Airbnb at the moment. I will never, I repeat I will never do such a thing. Inside cameras in a home are beyond unethical. 5 years hosting with Airbnb and they think I have such a thing, I'm in misbelief how they treat me. 

[William1239]

It is legal to put cctv cam only in front of the door, not inside for us host to know who is coming and going. Even I have one in my listing. Yea, lately the support team are very negligent with the question that we ask they will just ignore. 

[Steven89]

This is so true, they are becoming rude as well. I just don't get what's going on with Airbnb. They make us feel like creeps and I have over 300 4.5 star ratings. It's hurt us as a community that supports their business. 

[Emilia42]

@Steven89 So do you own any type of camera on your property? What are you doing to 'prove' this?

[Maia29]

You have to disclose any security cameras whether inside or out in your house rules, listing, and description. You also have to note in those various places that the cameras are on and recording at all times. You must note where the cameras are located as well. 

I'm sorry you are going through this. I extremely disappointed with the way those departments handle these matters.

They tried to accuse me of having cameras in places that I did not have them and put my listing on hold for five days.

I managed to get the issue sorted out, however, I do NOT trust those Airbnb customer service representatives. It's as of they are just itching to deactivate listings merely for the pleasure in the control that they have over host's lives.

[Emilia42]

@Maia29 So you don't have cameras but you were accused? Does Airbnb not require proof from guests? How were you able to show CS that you don't have cameras?

[Maia29]

@Emilia42  I did have one Ring spotlight cam in the parking lot overseeing the front of the house. It was disclosed in the listings in several places.

I had a horrible guest that made up a lie in order to obtain a full refund 5 days into a 7 day stay. I contacted the Health & Safety department, and this rude customer service representative tried to claim that I said I had a doorbell camera and that since it wasn't disclosed in my listing, this "woman" deactivated my listing and we went back and forth for 5 days in emails, and with each email, she kept demanding more and more "proof".

I even took a NEW picture of the outside of my house and circled the camera in red and sent it to her. Everyday this woman had one more additional request for proof of one thing or another, and in each email, she stated that she was going to move forward in removing my listing (it was already deactivated).

I was finally forced to open up a Twitter account and I messaged Airbnb directly through Twitter. Within 24 hours, someone from the US called me and reactivated my listing immediately.

Best believe, after my listing was reactivated, I bought a Ring doorbell camera, installed it and declared it numerous times in my listing. Afterall, if they are going to accuse me of having a doorbell cam, I might as well install one.

It's only been a month since this happened and I am still SO aggravated by that woman. UGH! And of course, this lying deceitful guest is still running around my town making 3rd party reservations and I'm sure making huge messes everywhere they go. 

@Steven89  Go on Twitter and message Airbnb and request that your case be escalated. If they don't respond to your message in less than 24 hours (not the bot/canned message an actual message), then you will be forced to post something.

[Emilia42]

@Maia29 

I am aggravated for you!! That is ridiculous! The guest should have to show photo proof of a camera if they are accusing you of one. I live across the street from my listings so I have a good idea of what is going on but I am so nervous that someone is going to accuse me of cameras because I am observant. It is good to hear that your situation was resolved even though it was exaggerated to the high level in the first place. 

[Steven89]

@Emilia42 Sorry to hear, I hope I don't have to go through this. I really understand how Airbnb handles these things like we are some creeps. I have been with them for over 5 years hosting and one guest demands there shouldn't be cameras even outside. Airbnb puts a hold on my account and I literally don't have a camera anywhere on this property because of its a duplex. If one side is loud, my other guests will tell me. I just lost a weekend stay because of this deactivation. It's so upsetting, I might be selling all my homes and cashing out the equity. Airbnb has changed and so has the guests. During my 5-year experience, I had numerous damages from parties, broken sofa, broken beds, floodings robbery, nonpayment from a fake credit card, losing reservations today and other difficulties. Airbnb has no once helped me. I'm just another 5 Airbnb that isn't important to them. They will probably ban me after sending this. 

[Emilia42]

@Steven89, Just so I have this straight . . .  A guest told Airbnb that you have an outside camera. You DO NOT, so there is no proof supplied to Airbnb by the guest. Airbnb has no suspended your account based on these false, unjustified claims. Is that how it happened?

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

Hosts install cameras to prevent guests taking advantage (read: Breaking Airbnb membership regulations and Hosts' House Rules).

As more and more Hosts fit more CCTV cameras, I wonder whether Airbnb might have noticed this trend and figured out, that likely they are forcing the issue in the way that that fail to apply their own Terms of Service and the more they fail in doing this, the worse they are making the problem?

[Steven89]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 Funny thing is that I don't have a camera and I wish I had it for my last stay cause they had a party and left the place a hell hole. I had front door cameras at my townhomes and single homes because I don't trust any guests. Airbnb needs to regulate its guests more not us. They literally let people with no reviews and no photobook my property. If I can cancel I get penalized. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 · Accepted solution]

@Steven89 

This is just a vicious circle. Lying guests who don't provide evidence, inflict commercial harm on Airbnb Hosts, who are victimised by the very platform they serve, so in fact CCTV cameras become required by necessity for the collection of evidence. !!

As @Emilia42 stated:

I am so nervous that someone is going to accuse me of cameras because I am observant.

...being observant serves nobody unfortunately. In this litigious situation only evidence serves. CCTV cameras are just another layer of defence against guests and their deceitful tricks.

Even if you don't have cameras like in @Steven89 case, and consequently get accused of having such, law states you're innocent until proven guilty, however in taking the guests' word only that there are CCTV cameras, Airbnb chose to punish Hosts until evidence is sought! Are Airbnb sending an investigation team out or just collecting photographic evidence ?!

We do not yet have CCTV cameras, but as we live on site, and too are observant, we might fall foul to these such accusations. Perhaps an advisory note to all Hosts might be to 'disclose CCTV cameras on site' and state acceptable places they cover - even if they do not exist, and as a deterrent to possible unruly guests. Alternatively, just get CCTV fitted.