I filed a claim through the dispute resolution center within the 7 to 14 days after a guest checked out of my condo on Maui. The guest checked out on December 23rd around 11 AM. A new guest arrived the same day and checked in 4-hours later. I live 3500 miles from the condo with a 4-hour time difference. My cleaning staff clean 5 to 6 condos per day. I emailed my cleaning staff if I can release the security deposit within 24-hours of checkout for the guest or if I should file a claim. The cleaning staff responded to me on Christmas Day. I filed a claim through the Airbnb Dispute Resolution Center for $98 the day after Christmas as I didn't want to ruin their Christmas for the guests who had a great vacation staying at my condo in Maui, Hawaii ---- one of the top 10 destinations in the world.
Airbnb through me under the bus. They said because the next guest checked in within 4-hours of the guest that I filed my dispute resolution too late and awarded judgment in favor of the guest who clearly violated my house rules of which they claimed to have read but clearly did not base on the evidence from my cleaning staff.
I submitted photos of the garbage that they left in the condo unit along with damaged property. Airbnb did not care to reach out to me when I contacted them multiple times. Their customer service representatives all said they were so sorry, but said there was nothing they could do about it. I wanted to speak with a live person in the dispute resolution department, but the CSR said they don't have the ability to call and only use Email to speak to Superhosts. I wonder why? Airbnb doesn't realize the amount of money they have profited off of me this year by grabbing commissions from both me and my guests who booked my condo. I have multiple properties on their platform and this is the type of treatment I get.
And yet, there rules also state that I cannot file a review for this guest because I filed a claim against them. So in other words, the Superhost has to come up with the funds on their own to remedy the problem and yet are not allowed in accordance with their rules to discuss this on a review. Shame on you Airbnb for looking out for bad guests who did not follow my house rules.
1) Why won't you call me back? Do your agents love to hide behind your computer monitors because you don't like to speak with the super hosts? What kind of company does business like this anyway?
2) Why can't I speak with an American Customer Service Representative/Agent when I call your support center who would better understand my situation?
3) Why won't you review the facts of the case before you render a decision and use common sense in your decision? Your 4-hour policy is so unfair and unreasonable. Your CSR told me that perhaps I need to have a longer period before the next guest's check-in. How dumb a recommendation is this?
4) Do you honestly think it is fair to me that because there is a 4-hour window from a guest's departure to the new guest's arrival that this is a reasonable time to file a dispute resolution (considering that there is four-hour time difference from where my condos are located)? Again, no common sense on your end Airbnb.
5) Why won't you go after the guest's security deposit that should be on hold with the guest's credit card? I have a $313 security deposit on all of my bookings, but you refuse to use it? What is the point of a security deposit if you are not going to use it on a guest who damaged my condo unit?
Any super hosts out there listening? This is the type of treatment that you get when you file a dispute with Airbnb. They do not want to help the super host remedy this problem with poor guests. I was very cordial with my guests to remedy the problem, but when they didn't want to pay for the damages, I had no choice but to go to Airbnb to dispute the resolution, but this is the type of treatment and the poor customer service one gets. Shame on you Airbnb.
Sincerely,
Maui Super Host.
