I am currently having the worst Airbnb experience ever or else I would just not use Airbnb anymore.
[Sorry for long story] I booked my 4-night stay a week ago at *** and the host is ***.
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1. After my reservation, I got sent a third party website (superhog) to submit my personal details, deposit (£200 refundable) and transaction fee (£4 non-refundable). I told Airbnb right away because the action of charging a guest outside Airbnb and storing a guest's personal details clearly violates the Airbnb policy. Although I was stupid enough to have submitted all the above.
2. The host sent me an impolite message because I have a bad review out of all those reviews. The previous host wrote this review because I found out she was only the tenant of the property but the owner, so again I reported this to Airbnb right away. That's why she got mad and left me that review. Anyway, my focus here is about the bad attitude of the host. The host even told me to cancel my reservation if I am not happy with this, but this reservation is non-refundable. Obviously she wants to keep all the money without providing any services to me.
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3. The host sent the check in instruction 3 or 2 days before my check in. However the night before my check in date, I found out the host gave me the wrong instruction because the instruction is meant to be for another property. If I didn't have a final check then I would have ended up waiting on the street. The host should have a better quality control/ less careless.
4. Upon my arrival, the lighting in the big bedroom didn't work and I couldn't connect to the Wifi. Inaccurate listings.
5. I chose to contact Airbnb directly because I don't contact the host directly base on the above experience and would like Airbnb to act as a middle person. She gave me the incorrect Wifi password twice before my arrival and finally gave me the correct password once. Afterwards, she still insisted that the incorrect password is the correct one. She also offered to send an electrician to change the light bulb (although we are unsure whether is the light bulb problem or something else), but I wasn't free until 9pm because I had other commitment. Because she has my deposit, she told me she would send a technician after 9m by charging me £200. This is absolutely insane.
6. I GOT LOCKED OUT WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE APARTMENT ON MY 3RD NIGHT BECAUSE THE HOST CHANGED THE PASSCODE OF THE APARTMENT REMOTELY. SHE EVEN HUMILIATED ME VIA THE INTERCOM NEXT TO THE APARTMENT DOOR. My luggage was inside the apartment and AIRBNB HAVE NOT BEEN HELPING AT ALL, I had no choice but to go to the police station for help. The case got logged with a proper log number. The police called the host and took me to get my stuff back, the host told the police the changed passcode via the intercom.
7. Ended at a hotel and of course had to pay myself. AND AGAIN, AIRBNB HAVE JUST PASSED MY CASE AROUND WITH DIFFERENT STAFF AND NOT GOT IT HANDLED PROPERLY. ABSOLUTELY DIFFICULT TO REACH OUT THE SUPPORT TEAM. EVERYTIME I HAVE TO EXPLAIN THE WHOLE STORY AGAIN TO THEM. SUPER FRUSTRATING.
8. After the nightmare happened yesterday, the host still messaged me to remind me the check out procedures. Again another humiliation.
I just hope that Airbnb can show my some support by refund me fully (including my deposit and the transaction fee), reimburse my extra 2-night hotel stay and ban the host completely from Airbnb platform.
**[Sensitive information removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]