Does anyone else sees anything wrong with that?!?!?

Does anyone else sees anything wrong with that?!?!?

I am very sad to realize that when I make money for myself and Airbnb it’s all great but if I ever need help from Airbnb, you’ll let me down every single time… I have been hosting for over nine years now, at this moment I have 17 active listings (3 more to list any day), my overall rating at 4.97% and value of business around $400k each year. I am not that difficult person that have issues all the time. Please read my reviews. I bend backwards to satisfy my guests and have them choose my listing and/or Airbnb again. Why is that that anytime I need Airbnb‘s help with guest who disrespects my listing or violates House/Airbnb rules and brake local laws endangering my business license and what goes with it my business existence you are siding and empowering those who put our community and short term rental business in danger? 

Why when I inform Airbnb of a guests * who have violated Airbnb and house rules by bringing service dog and leaving it alone for 5 to 6 hours a time, I advised Airbnb that the same guests are bringing the third person to stay with them overnight when the legal Max occupancy limit for that unit it 2 guests. Why when I provide all the evidence of those violations and ask for enforcing penalties that I have clearly stated in my house rules and was being assured in the past by Airbnb management many times that are enforceable I get:

 

- probably a dozen different agents, calling me, and obviously not reading any of documentation already submitted directing me to all wrong departments (airbnb cover when no damages reported) or advising that i cannot charge pet fee for service dog (never asked for pet fee) etc.

 

- have a ambassador call me and tell me that he is willing to offer half of the requested amount for penalties and I have just one hour to decide if I take it or the offer of the table?!?! After all no payment for penalties for the violations was processed…

 

- Have guests who violated multiple House/Airbnb/local laws further damage my business by being allowed to post retaliatory 1 star review and review department does not believe it should be removed.

 

I get the hurtful impression that even though I was getting the middle finger into my camera from those Guests I’m all so getting the same gesture from Airbnb…

 

I have a guest who is violating rules and laws and I reported them to Airbnb looking for support and help. In exchange I get financially damaged by Airbnb not honoring my penalties stated in my house rules for those violations and what more, Airbnb decides that the one star retaliator review the guest left should stay. Am I the only one who sees something wrong with that???

 

 

With Regards,

 

Alicja *

 

*[Sensitive information removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

 

1 Reply 1
Elaine701
Level 10
Balearic Islands, Spain

@Alicja41 

 

First, you need to come to the realisation that regardless of any flowery hype, as a host, you are on your own in this business, regardless of which platforms you list on. It's just the nature of the beast.

 

Your operating strategy needs to take that into consideration at every turn. You need to protect yourself. About the best you can do is to strive to attract the best quality of guest that you can, and appear unattractive to poor quality guests.

 

And cleverly screen them before they book. There's lots of tactics that mostly work. Not always, but you can minimise the occurrence of destructive or otherwise costly guests. The few bad ones you do get, are just a cost of doing business, like anything else.

 

You also need to see your business as "hospitality", which means that the guest is always right (as far as they're concerned). Ostensibly, this means you should avoid confrontation, even if the guest is the problem. One of the most damaging things you will encounter are bad reviews. They last forever. So, avoid getting them. They'll hurt you. 

 

The guest broke house rules? Caused a bit of damage? Don't even let on that you are unhappy. Just smile, thank them, and wish them a pleasant journey home. That way, they think they got away with it, and are far more likely be to write a glowing review - not only because they think they got away with it, but guilt will play a role, and they may mistakenly believe that you'll respond in kind.

 

But you should write the truth in their review. If you had seen that from other hosts, you probably wouldn't have accepted their booking - back to the first point.

 

And don't even bother getting Airbnb involved - and certainly not "Aircover". That can quickly come back to bite you, and even cost you money. It's a cost of doing business. Review the guest and move on. 

 

Sorry, but there's how we'd like it to be, and then there's how it is. 

 

Good luck and happy hosting.

 

 

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