I'm frustrated and seeking advice. I am the cohost of three properties that I effectively manage for my 70 year old mother.
We have been hosting on Airbnb for just over a year. Within the first 3 months, through my management, my mother achieved Superhost status.
The properties routinely are rated 5 stars by guests and have never been deemed unclean before three weeks ago. I pay someone $20 per hour, way above the living wage here in New Orleans to clean the properties. She is that good and that responsive.
I would and have put my family in these properties when storms have knocked out the power or the AC went out at our own house.
3 weeks ago, I had a guests inform me 26 hours after checking in that she and her other guests decided not to stay at my place because of the condition of the property. She claimed that it was unclean, moldy and unsafe.
She asked for a refund. We have a strict cancellation policy.
I told her I had NEVER had anyone say this about the place and said I wish she had informed me as soon as she checked in so that I could address it. This is a customary request of my guests when they receive checkin instructions.
Again, she didn't let me know until 26 hours after checking in.
Within 90 minutes, I went to the house. It was as it always is spotless.
She sent me pictures of a broken outlet cover. I found it behind a dresser. Of wires inside a utility closet containing the HVAC unit. This is normally locked but wasn't because I had recently had it serviced and was unaware of that the guy left the closet unlocked. Still, these were inside the utility closet. Of another outlet cover that was not flush with the tile on the kitchen counter's backsplash. Of the ceiling, where there had been a repair done years ago and the paint color is slightly different in that area.
After realizing that this person clearly for whatever reason had buyer's remorse and simply wanted a refund, I contacted Airbnb for advice on how to deal with this issue.
They told me to remind her that I had a strict cancellation policy and to have her contact them. They would handle it from there.
Hours later, I get an email saying they recieved a complaint from the guest that my place was unclean and the guest provided pictures (the ones I saw and told Airbnb were bogus) and had determined that I failed to meet the host standards and were therefore refunding the guest, cancelling my reservation, and that my Superhost status would be changed.
I went through the roof.
I sent an email in reply and called immediately. It was 11 PM. I got another representative. The person who made the decision was off and would be so for the next few days.
I was told again, the guest provided documentation showing that my home was unclean. I reminded them that it was I who told the guest to call them with the bogus complaint on the instructions of their representative hours earlier.
I offered to go to the house at that hour to take pictures to show that the place was clean as it always is and that the guest took selective pictures to create the impressionthe place was unsafe and unsanitary. I was told not to and that I would be contacted the following day by a representative in follow up.
I waited most of the day and heard from no one. I then called, got a representative, and was told the same thing. I told him to allow me an hour. I would take pictures and video to give a more complete representation of the home and to show just where her pictures where selectively taken.
I did so and sent the pictures through the app and a dropbox link to the videos.
I was told that the representative would review what I sent with his Supervisor and the team of 17 other representatives. I was told I would hear back that evening with with a determination.
Again, a day later I contacted Airbnb after not hearing back as promised. I got the same representative. He told me that they had determined that I was correct that my home was safe, clean, and met the hosting standards. They would give me my cleaning fee and would not revoke the Superhost status.
I said that was appreciated but as a resolution unacceptable. I questioned, how could they conclude that I had met all of my obligations and that the guest was clearly trying to falsely create the impression that my place was unsafe and unsanitary yet not compensate me fully for my booking.
They said, because I didn't respond when the original representative called, they had to go with her determination.
I pointed out that no one called me though my mother had requested that I be listed as the point of contact for her properties. He acknowledged that the notes in the system specified this and was confused about why the original representative didn't reach out to me. I asked should she have. He said, yes.
I said, so Airbnb acknowledges that I met my host requirements, that the guest was filing a bogus claim, and that Airbnb failed to follow it's own procedures, yet I'm the one being penalized and not being paid in full? I asked, how is that fair and justified.
The representative shared with me that the guest, though she had established an account a year earlier, was just using Airbnb for the first time. I pointed out that they were taking the word of someone new to Airbnb over my alert to them of a fraud, my documented evidence of the fraud, with an acknowledgment that they failed to follow procedures in making the determination.
The representative acknowledged my point and said he would discuss it again with his Supervisor and get back with me.
The next day, I called and got the Supervisor. I was told that they had to stand by the decision of the original representative. I said, but you have determined that her decision was wrong and that she failed to follow procedures. Furthermore, you offered to pay my cleaning fees and uphold the Superhost status. I pointed out that they were being inconsistent and unfair. I was told that was the best they could do.
I said not good enough and asked to once again elevate the issue. I was told it would be and someone would reach out to me.
Again, I didn't get a call. I called and asked to speak to person to whom it was elevated. I was told he was not available but to expect a call.
I sent a message in the app asking to schedule a time because this whole thing rest on the errant decision of an Airbnb representative whose decison is being upheld because I didn't respond to a call that I Airbnb acknowledges that I actually never got.
No one ever scheduled a time.
After days passed, i went back into messages to find that the case had been closed because I failed to respond to a message for which I was not alerted. (The app alerts host for messages from guest but not from Airbnb support).
I immediately called and asked that the issue be reopened.
To this point, now 2 days later, I have yet to hear from anyone.
This is beyond frustrating. I'm at a lost for what to do. This is a loss of over $1500.
If I were wrong, I could accept it. But given the circumstances, I find this egregious.
Thank you for taking the time to read this long post.
I appreciate any advice from others on how to resolve this in my favor.
Kind regards.
