We're done with hosting on AirBNB

Mick-and-Mar0
Level 2
México D.F., MX

We're done with hosting on AirBNB

Hey everyone! Count us in between the people who are leaving AirBNB.

 

We've been Superhosts for more than a year, but the stress and the money are simply not worth it. Our worst review was a 3 star review, which came from a guest from NYC, who complained about the noise one of our neighbors was doing while installing a new toilet in his apartment. The noise started past 10:00 a.m., and we didn't know of it in advance, so we were unable to warn our guest about it. The guest checked out of the apartment abruptly, even tough the security staff at our building assured us that the noise didn't last longer than 15 minutes. Fortunately, we left this guest a honest review, which in her case, was a harsh review. Evidently, we received the same from her (except for the "honest" part, of course). We have learned the hard way to review guests as honestly as possible.

 

On another occasion, a guest returned at night to our apartment, while being drunk. He wasn't able to open the building's main entrance with the key we gave him, which worked perfectly fine, but wasn't "drunk proof". We ended up calling the building's security staff at 4 a.m., to ask them to open the door for our drunken buddy.

 

We've had wonderful guests, but honestly, for us, 1 bad review eclipses 30 good ones, and the AirBNB algorithm seems to "think" the same.

 

Anyhow, we've decided to quit, and rent our properties the old way, not having to worry about whether we can provide some guest a paper clip, in a timely manner, to change the SIM card on his IPhone (we don't live in the properties we rent, btw, and any adult should be able to solve something as simple as this, by himself, considering our property is located in the middle of every kind of store you can imagine).

 

On one of our properties we have bookings until the end of April, and we've already blocked May and the upcoming months after it, so we don't receive any more bookings. On our other property, our last booking is in August, but we're considering canceling it, so we can get out of AirBNB as soon as possible. Only a sense of responsibility is stopping us from doing it. What do you think we should do?

 

Best to all, folks!

 

- Mick & Mar

21 Replies 21
Laurie277
Level 2
Ashland, OR

I have been a host on Airbnb for many years and discovered this year that Airbnb is not honoring my minimum nightly.  In addition, they are taking 3% of my cleaning fee. Is anyone else seeing this on their reservations?

@Laurie277 

You are answering an old conversation.

 

cooy your message on anew post of the Community Center as your question sums great and could interest other host

 

 

.
Annie
Jason647
Level 2
Sydney, Australia

Yeah same here.  After 10 years of successful hosting with being superhost off/on we've finally called it quits.  Why you may ask?  All the following has happened to us:

 

1) Had guest steal from us multiple times either accidently or on purpose.  We've had tv rokus/remotes disappear, extra keys not returned, pillows, towels, umbrellas, usb/unersal chargers/cables stolen and more.

 

2) Had guest damage our space, from spilled wine food on carpet, cheeto hands on curtains, pee/period/other stains, curling iron burn marks, cigarettes burns (even with no smoking allowed), broken amenities like breaking coffee machines/dishes/losing keys etc.  Biggest one was someone who stayed attending a mardi gras parade who did an orange tan and got literally everywhere in space, we had to replace all curtains, linen and mattress + repaint because the orange marks would not come off

 

3) Had guest not follow basic house rules (like taking off shoes while indoors), sneak in extra guest not booked (common)

 

4) Destroy our washing machine by putting wrong soap/cleaning their shoes/having a spoon from kitchen end up in washer?

 

5) Those annoying 'Oh our stay was wonderful' followed up with a 4-star review because 'nobody is perfect' right (according to them)

 

6) People losing their key or not following in app lockbox intructions, waking us up at 1am with doorbells (common) oh and then more bad reviews because we 'didn't wake up fast enough for them'

 

7) Guest making my wife feel uncomfortable by creepily asking 'are you home alone/only one here' on a late check in

 

😎 Guest lieing in reviews because we didn't accommodate something for them

 

9) Guest asking for full refunds for no showing or cancellation the day before (common)

 

10) Had our space completely trashed a few times with excessive amounts of bottles/cans after parties/large gathering they weren't suppose to have in first place (ontop of noise complaints from neighbours)

 

And more...

 

Yeah suffice to say we've had enough, definitely not worth it, especially with the lack of support Airbnb gives to host.  We're done, i would wish airbnb hosting on my worse enemy.

 

 

Bhumika
Community Manager
Community Manager
Toronto, Canada

Hey @Jason647 ,

We are sorry to hear that it has not been smooth sailing!

Is there any recent guest experience you need help with? 

 

Can’t find what you’re searching for? start a conversation

-----

 

Please follow the Community Guidelines

HAHAHA.  I bet you didn't help at all.  Did you Bum-eeeka?

Did you get reimbursed fully for the damages and thefts? 

Andrew1991
Level 2
Charlotte, NC

6 years, 4 doors, 18,000+ nights rented on a 30 day basis.  It all fell apart in July of 2023 when the algorithm changed and we were no longer provided any leads.  We have one unit we still have left to revert back to LTR.  The rest already has been.  It was lucrative and worthwhile while it lasted.  Now I have a 12x24 building in my back yard full of furniture and housewares I no longer need but can't bring myself to "dispose" of for almost free.  

 

Had some interns who broke the microwave handle, busted a cabinet above the refrigerator off the wall, stole a Roku USB device and something else.  Aircover was an absolute nightmare to deal with.  Barely got half of what it cost me to fix this stuff back and I ended up helping the guy I hired for 8 hours to keep the cost down which was lost on these degenerate useless dark complected people.  Draw your own conclusions but it is always the same group who ruins everything and feels entitled to do so.  Facts. I'm done.