Bed bug infestation in Paris AirBNB

[Anna1482]

I recently rented a studio apartment for a fortnight to bridge the gap whilst moving from one apartment to another in Paris (I am a Headteacher of a Bilingual school there).  Unfortunately a week into my stay, I came out in bites all over my body - but in particular my back, arms and legs. My doctor confirmed that it was an infestation of bed bugs ( punaises de lit) and I asked to leave the apartment with immediate effect.  I (wrongly) assumed that AirBNB would take responsibility and re-house me. However, they refused saying they couldn't as I would potentially contaminate their other properties.

So I asked if they would reimburse me if I went to a hotel: they said they could make no guarantees but to keep the receipts. After my first night in a hotel at close to €200 for the night + a laundry bill (all my clothes had to be washed at the laundrette to eliminate the bugs) + a medical bill for cream, anti-histamine and spray to fumigate my clothes and luggage + taxi costs to move from the AirBNB to a hotel, I needed some reassurance that I would be recompensated for the extra costs (I had four more nights ahead of me too).  They gave no such reassurance. In fact, they continued telling me to save my receipts (as I spent my second night in a hotel at a similar price) and again said they'd 'see what they could do'. 

I showed the bed bugs at the AirBNB to my host as I leaving the apartment but she is now claiming she never saw any. In fact she had many theories about my spots. First she said, I had brought them with me from 'my own country' - I had already told her that I just lived up the road and was staying there as I was moving house and, for the record my apartment in the 16 arrondisment was happily free of bed bugs for the 3 years that I lived there. Then she said, it was my own fault as I'd slept with the window open. Then it was ticks.....anything other than what it actually was (and was positively identified by my doctor) - bed bugs.

AirBNB have reluctantly reimbursed me for some of my expenses but have refused to pay me back my first week at the apartment claiming that I had no bites the first week. The Centre for Disease Control clearly states that bites can take up to 14 days to appear. They have taken no notice of this fact. They have also charged me with the 'cleaning' of the property (something that I thought could only be a joke).

I would like a full reimbursement of my two week stay at this apartment to go some way towards the horror of my experience, the days I had to take off work (I work with small children and for health and safety reasons could not be in contact with them), my enormous expenses and because it is only right that if you are promoting properties to rent, that they abide by basic rules and standards of hygiene and cleanliness.

bed bug bites on my legs

bed bug bites on my arms

bed bug found on my clothing

[Anna1482]

I am confirming nothing of the sort as I never, ever claimed to have told the hotel. If you had taken the time to read my post carefully, I simply said that I acted 'responsibly' (going to the doctor's, fumigating and laundering my clothes and then, and only then, did I check into the hotel). Having followed the doctor's orders to the letter, I did what was required to prevent any further contamination and checked in extremely late that night. As I have said above, contamination of bed bugs (via human contact) is virtually impossible. However, my luggage and clothing were a liability and I dealt with those in the way that I was advised prior to going to a hotel (I bought APAR spray and fumigated my cases and washed my clothes at the laundrette at 90°C). I believe I did everything in my power to prevent any further contamination before spending the night at the hotel. 

[Anna1482]

I was under the impression that I was 'talking' to people at the help centre - employees of AirBNB - when I wrote my original post above (I think I made that clear in my response to Ali when I said: "...I was under the impression that your 'Level 10' badge referred to your level of expertise in answering/solving problems for people like me who have had poor experiences with AirBNB..."). I have now spoken dozens of times on the 'phone, by email about my situation to AirBNB employees and, exasperated that I was making so little progress, I turned to their Community help page. 

There is no conflicting information - I simply gave a basic outline of my story in my original post and as people started to comment, I fleshed out the details.  I cannot be held responsible for the host not giving her side of the story! She has as much right to air her views as I do. 

It seems a surprise (since you are a host) that you can be so flippant about the regularity with which people complain about bed bugs on this site.  Not all claims are false (as you imply)....maybe if you had bites all over your body (picture attached) you may be a little more understanding and less quick to judge other people.

[Cormac0]

Welcome Anna, to Airbnb it's like the wild west for both Guest and Hosts alike.

[Karen2915]

I won’t be using AirBNB again. I almost slept in a room (still posted to AirBNB) with a huge bed bug infestation. A lady in the facility had slept there a couple of days and told me don’t stay here; I have all these bites. She showed me and she was COVERED in bites. I didn’t bring in my luggage but had my pet carriers with me and she showed me many many bugs in the room, on a bedside table, and in the bed. They were NOT tiny as hosts appear to state on this board that they aren’t bed bugs if they aren’t minuscule. Instead, bed bugs can be as large as an apple seed. I know that is what they were. The host first said they could be “mosquitoes.” I got a refund but I feel for the woman who stayed there since AirBNB refused to help her since her English wasn’t strong and told her to call AirBNB Mexico, and she couldn’t get through. AirBNB is a true public health and claims disaster. I won’t be staying in one, or reserving one, ever again.