Bad host did not return deposit and lied to Airbnb who did not help

[Anu33]

This is more a warning to guests about this host since there’s nowhere else to post this and Airbnb have now turned a blind eye. 

Be very careful if staying in an apartment in Copenhagen with the host [name hidden]. She is asking people to pay her a significant deposit outside of the Airbnb website. I made the mistake of trusting her and doing this, yes I am aware Airbnb's website says not to do it....my mistake and stupidity. Since she is a super host I trusted her and she told me she's done it before. I paid her $2500 since she said she has very expensive furniture. I stayed in the apartment for a month for work after staying at another Airbnb for 3 months in Copenhagen. The week after I moved out, I got a series of texts from her claiming breakages to glassware, breaks to the plug in the bathroom sink, stains on the walls and doors and she accused me of having other people stay.  I do not recall breaking glasses but since it was a chip maybe it happened unintentionally. I definitely did not break the plug in the sink and the marks on the walls and door could have been from blue dye from my jeans. This went on for 2 months after I moved out. In that time, she apologised for the accusations of having others there saying she found out it was a different apartment. She did not check her facts prior and should have before laying blame on anyone. She delayed getting me quotes for the other claimed damages etc and now says I will not get anything back since its causing  over $2500 for all these repairs.  I ended up taking it to Airbnb who finally came back and said they cant do anything since I paid her outside of the website. What shocks me is Airbnb are still allowing her to list her apartment and potentially do this to other people.  She even went as far as lying to the Airbnb customer support claiming it was me who wanted to pay her a deposit outside of the website. She then apparently retracted this once I submitted email proof of her asking me.  I have full proof of all our communications of my attempts to get my deposit back and happy to submit that to anyone who needs it.  I will not be using Airbnb again and certainly will not stay at any apartment from this host (Maria Sonne).

I am very professional and was staying in Copenhagen on a 4 month work assignment, so I would not be so stupid to lie about everything that happened, risking my reputation and potentially my job.

*[Personal information hidden for privacy reasons – inline with the Community Center Guidelines.]

[Gordon0]

@Anu33 By your own admission you did something you shouldn't have, subsequently you have no recourse. The host's name will undoubtedly be removed from your post as it breaches data protection protocols. Sorry for your financial losses, but they could have so easily have been avoided.  

[Sarah977]

@Anu33  I usually agree with @Gordon0  But I read your reviews and they say you were a very clean and welcome guest (altho is the host who did this to you the same Maria who wrote a review saying you were a great guest? If so, I don't understand why she would give that review and then accuse you of damaging things, that makes no sense), so I think, while you admit you could have done some of that damage, it certainly doesn't sound like $2500 worth (BTW, how do you get blue dye from jeans on the walls and door?)

But you paid her cash, which you knew wasn't allowed on Airbnb, so unfortunately you're stuck with losing your $. And I'm not sure what you thought Airbnb would do about it- unless you have some proof that you paid her $2500, it's just your word against hers.

[Anu33]

Thanks for the responses. Absolutely agree with both posts here. Not here to try and defend myself. I made a silly mistake I won’t make again. I really wanted to warn folks. It was handled poorly by both the host and Airbnb. 

[Sarah977]

@Anu33  By the way, although you still see the place listed, Airbnb may very well have contacted her and told her she's not allowed to charge outside the platform. You'd never know that, because Airbnb won't share that kind of information.

[Anu33]

Yes good point. I hope so, so others don’t face this situation also. 

[Lizzie]

Hello @Anu33,

Good to meet you. I am sorry to hear about your recent experience with your host. 

As mentioned here, inline with our Community Center Guidelines, for privacy reasons I have has to remove the name of the person you mention here. I know you are sharing this here to help protect others in our community and I really thank you for looking out for others.

I want you to know I have also flagged what you have mentioned here to our Support Team, as well.

I hope you had a good stay aside from the way that it ended and I hope your next trip goes well.

Thanks,

Lizzie