One week ago, the day after a guest checked out of my apartment, I walked into a disaster. Multiple items were destroyed — a shattered coffee table, a broken high-end standing fan, huge mystery stains on my sofa, and visible dents in the fridge door. The damage was extensive and clearly intentional — not a single word from the guest. He tried to hide everything and left without taking responsibility.
And guess what? This guest had a 4.9-star rating. That’s when I realized something that every host must hear:
Airbnb reviews mean nothing. You're taking a risk with every guest.
I submitted clear, detailed proof of the destruction through Airbnb’s so-called “AirCover” system — photos, documentation, everything. And for seven days now, all I’ve received is a shameful lack of action: “We’re sorry,” “We’re forwarding it to another team,” and then silence. Just like the last time, when it took over a month of stress, phone calls, and emotional burnout to receive reimbursement — if you can even call it that.
Meanwhile, if a guest complains — even for a minor delay like a check-in happening an hour late — Airbnb immediately refunds them, no investigation, no questions, no host input. The double standard is undeniable.
Let’s call this what it is: discrimination against hosts.
Without us, Airbnb is nothing. Yet we are treated as disposable, while guests are protected at all costs — even when they cause thousands in damages.
I’m done. This is my final experience with Airbnb as a host. I refuse to be part of a system that exploits the very people keeping it alive. To fellow hosts:
It’s time to speak up, push back, and demand accountability.
Airbnb’s treatment of hosts is unacceptable, abusive — and unless it changes, more of us will walk away. Enough is enough
