Air BnB Complaint

Valle0
Level 1
Eindhoven, Netherlands

Air BnB Complaint

Dear AirBnB,

With this letter we are writing to express our frustrations with your service after our host cancelled on us last minute. First, we will explain the situation, and second we will outline our demands for how you should remedy this situation. Evidence of communications will be attached.

The account in question belongs to Valle ** connected to Facebook with the e-mail address [email addresss removed] [personal information removed]. To confirm the account we will also tell you that the payment that this complaint concerns was over PayPal and through the same e-mail address.

The booking was for two nights in Fribourg, Switzerland with the following booking number ** and was made a couple weeks ago with much discussion with the host including confirming details such as arriving time the night before via WhatsApp.  At 2 in the morning we received the following the message (roughly translated from French)

“I’m really sorry to bother you, but we have a big problem in the apartment. The current client in the apartment is making a lot of trouble with the permanent roommates. They threatened to call the police if I didn’t make the guest leave. I now must quit AirBnB and I’m very sorry but I have no other choice but to cancel the reservation. I tried to negotiate with them that you could be the last clients, but they were not willing to listen. …”

We saw this message at 8AM in the morning just before we left for a rideshare from Germany. It was really bad timing, but we are not necessarily upset with the host because we know that AirBnB has local people offering their space. HOWEVER, we are extremely disappointed in the service provided by your company in resolving this issue. We called immediately and spoke to a representative called Angelia W. who promised us that AirBnB would do their best to solve this situation, but first we needed to look by ourselves for a new host. Although we were really strapped for time we tried to send some messages, but this was without success. Angelina provided us with a list of other hosts, but these were mostly in the area of Fribourg (state) and not actually in the city. Important to mention that we don’t have a car, and are not easily mobile. We then had to leave, and no longer had internet or phone as we had changed countries. In our email we received a message from 12:15 our time from Angelina saying that she was leaving her shift but a colleague would take over and help us. We were never contacted after that.

Upon arriving in Fribourg, Switzerland we tried to call but all the centers were so busy that we spent at least 2 hours trying to contact someone who could tell us what AirBnB could do for us.

We ended up going to a hotel.

To resolve this issue we want you to pay our hotel bill for the two nights, and reimburse the reservation money not as a AirBnB coupon.  Furthermore, we do not understand why we got reimbursed for 33€ eventhough the booking was 34€. (also seen in the attachment)

As a last side note, we have been a traveling expat for the last 5 years using AirBnb. My girlfriend’s profile (Karin **) was partly used as well. Furthermore, we always had good experiences with the service and recommended AirBnB to other travelers.

We hope this issue can be settled to our satisfaction. Considering that we lost 1 day of vacation, more than 150€ more on lodgment than we wanted to spent, as well as the possibility to cook.  Keep in mind that Switzerland is one of the most expensive countries of the world especially last minute on a weekend in August. This last argument was one of the main reasons why we chose your service and we think that the service charges hosts and guests pay should cover these situations.  

 

Sincerely,

Valenting ** and Karin **

12 Replies 12
Sandra126
Level 10
Daylesford, Australia

@Valle0,

I am sorry that you have had this stressful experience, but this is a host forum and we have no ability to give anything but advice. You will need to take this through Airbnb.

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

Do let us know what AirBnB do and say.

David
Marcia48
Level 2
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Me too just had a very very bad experience with Airbnb regarding the cancelation of a reservation, but in my case I was the host. It seems that Airbnb got too big and simply cannot handle these situations efficently. My guest decided they did not wanna stay in the house and although I do have strict policy cancelation Airbnb decided to let the guest leave without paying me what I had asked for. Very frustrating. Good luck! 

Susan319
Level 2
New York, NY

A very similar situation just happened to me, I ended up spending 24h time looking for an alternative, missing a work day and deadline, not to mention my sibling's time.  I also ended up paying hotel and double the money for last minute reservation at a different flat.  Quite a disaster!  Please advice me on how you took that complaint further, as I would like to do the same!!

Courtney34
Level 1
Ohakune, New Zealand

I'm extremely frustrated with the air BnB help centre, the level of service is shocking, my concerns arnt been addressed, my emails aren't been responded to, and chat centre discontinue my chats without even replying, I'm not been listened to, I'v been a host now for over a year having 60 odd sussesful bookings, and now I'm been ignored and it's extremely upsetting,

My guest canceled two hours before arrival, I have a strict cancelation policy, air BnB contacted me asking me if I would like to give a refund, I responded saying I didn't require them to make the refund due to the guest cancelling two hours before arrival,

Air BnB emailed me four days later stating that they had refunded the guest and the case was closed,

i emailed a further 6 times only to be told the case was closed and there decision was final

i tired opening a new case only to be ignored

i contacted 

How can I get the help I need from a help centre that won't help me? Or who can I contact to help me address theses problems?

I feel your frustration!  I too am having a horrible time with airbnb customer service.  It seems like they are not protecting the superhost anymore, it´s about the money money.

I have a guest who absolutely in the clinical term mentally ill on some level and very agressive.  I legitimately do not feel safe with him in my home.  Airbnb was not helpful over the phone.  I asked to speak to someone higher up who could help me with my situation and was promised a call back within an hour.  It is more than 3 hrs later.  I told them these guests have to leave that I do not feel safe after his insane threat while I was simply trying to help them with a problem that was their own fault. 

Airbnb is allowing them to stay another night and have refunded them for the remainder of the 4 nights they had booked.  I have had all types of guests, but I take threats seriously.  Now they are in my unit and who knows what they will do to it out of spite.  Also, the person who booked the unit is not the same person as on the profile.  This is not the first time airbnb judged on the side of the guest without taking me seriously even though Iam a superhost with amazing reviews.  I am considering closing my account with them.  There are other platform I can use where I at least have the right to ask people to leave my home immediately if I feel threatened.  This is absurd and HORRIBLE customer service.  My patience with airbnb is running out.  They just say they cannot do anything but reimburse their money and leave me screwed after being verbally abused in my home.  This is not acceptable. 

I am going to write to the headquaters.  If need be, my next vacation will be to their office.  I am not going to continue hosting on this platform with how they are going downhill so fast in the customer service departments.

I booked a unit that was listed at €38 but got billed for € 39 per night. When asked Airbnb for refund over 21 night or for clarification, they just don't respond. How can I get legal action on this? Adrian 

Julian91
Level 1
San Francisco, CA

You should be refunded completely for the costs reserving the cancelled room on Air BnB. However, everything else is on you in terms of cost including the new hotel. Air BnB is not a regulated government body as it is more of a quasi-legal for profit sharing system. Anyway, good luck!

Jason322
Level 1
Elgin, IL

I am also frustrated with AirBnB. Twice they have also cancelled my resv. One resv last year they cancelled last minute saying there was a fire. Maybe that could have happened. I gave them another chance. Then this week after I paid for the resv in full, the host came back asking for $642 more because they didn't update their prices.  I don't think so. AirBnB sends me a letter like they were doing me a favor refunded my payment with service fees because the host uped his prices. when I called, AirBnB basicly told me a host can do what he wants so what kind of confidence doeas anyone have in booking any property with AirBnB??? BEWARE!

Mariah24
Level 2
Prescott, AZ

When I first signed up with Airbnb to become a host almost 3 yrs ago things were great c/s was amazing...I worked very hard to become a SUPERHOST and a FIVE STAR Rating...I love being with Airbnb...Today I feel different...I have had nothing but problems...I referred a person to Airbnb as a Host and she has had nothing but problems...Today I had a customer sign in to make reservations at my studio but she does not understand the billing and I called into Airbnb and ask the lady to call this person to explain it to her, she said she would, I've called Airbnb twice now and almost 3 hrs later still no call to her!!!  I am losing patience with Airbnb...They won't give you anyone else to talk to...It has become beyond satisfactory ...A REAL DISAPOINMENT ALL THE WAY AROUND ...SEEMS IT'S JUST A SIMPLE JOKE TO THES CALL CENTERS!  

Hazel155
Level 2
Davenport, FL

I THINK AIR BNB DOESN'T CARE ABOUT ITS CUSTOMERS. SO MANY TIMES MY SECURITY AND SAFETY AND HEALTH WERE COMPROMISED, THEY NEVER SEEMED TO CARE. ALL THEY WANT IS OUR MONEY AND EVEN THAT AS JUST AS MERE CONNECTOR - THEY DON'T MANAGE THE PROBLEMS, ISSUES AND COMPLAINTS OF CUSTOMERS WELL. THEY DONT' TRY TO SOLVE ISSUES, BUT JUST CUT AND PASTE STANDARD REPLIES TO PEOPLE'S EMAILS. HOW SAD. I THINK THIS MAY SIGNAL THE END OF AIRBNB. CUSTOMER SERVICE IS ALREADY GONE. ALL THEY WANT IS MONEY. NO SERVICE INDUSTRY WILL LAST THIS WAY BECAUSE SERVICE IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. NOT JUST MAKING A QUICK AND EASY FAST BUCK.