Complaint

[Jurgen0]

Has anyone had the same horrible experience with AbnB customer service?

- unresponsive to host issues with no replies for 3-4 days

- unwilling to speak to host on the phone

- in host-guest disputes always heavily biased towards guest

- stealing money from hosts by giving guests generous refunds

[Kate867]

@Jurgen0   Clearly you have had an issue with one of your guests and Airbnb took their side.  Airbnb CS are notorious for not getting back to Hosts quickly and often it takes days before they do.  I have seen many complaints about this, not only here but also on social media.  A common problem seems to be the representative that you speak with letting you know that their shift is about to end and they will be away for 48 hours or more.  I have fortunately only had to involve Airbnb on a couple of occasions, and they were really helpful.  However, what I have found is that when a guest does have an issue it is far better to be proactive and if the issue cannot be fixed quickly such as WiFi failure, heating, broken appliance etc. then you should make a suitable refund as soon as possible.  Any amenity on your listing that is either not there, faulty or broken .. out of your control or not, is a Host Violation as far as they are concerned and if the guest complains then they are more than likely to get the refund they asked for from Airbnb.  One of my problems was our WiFi failing (supplier issue) two nights before the guest was due to check out.  I immediately refunded the guest half of one night through the resolution centre and offered a refund for remaining nights if he wished to leave (he didn’t) After check out he requested a two night refund which was denied because Airbnb could see that I had already been more than reasonable.  It is absolutely essential to keep all communication on the Airbnb messages so that Airbnb can quickly and easily determine what the issues were and how they have been dealt with.

[Jurgen0]

Thanks for your advice. I had a very strange guest. Started complaining from the second he walked in. My apartment has been voted best apartment in the area several years so it's really high standard, huge and spotless. He walked around opened every single closet and started complaining that I had left a few jackets in there. Although he had about 4m of empty wardrobe he picked on the 2nd wardrobe with a few of my jackets. Any it went from there he started digging around and found an empty flower pot in the kitchen area. It's just normal stuff really. I am not a hotel so he started making up all these excuses why he wanted a full refund. In the end he occupied the flat for 4 nights and blackmailed me by refusing to return my keys. Airbnb issued a full refund immediately including all the money for the nights he stayed. They didn't even contact me to hear my side although I spoke to them 4 times. The case manager was not available. Its just a sham. I am thinking of removing the apartment all together. Airbnb is just taking the Mickley out of hosts. 

[Kate867]

@Jurgen0  That does seem unduly harsh of Airbnb so your guest must have been extremely persuasive to get that full refund.  However, take it as a learning lesson.  Keep everything on Airbnb messages, if your guest tries to communicate in any other way such as text or whattsapp.. take a screenshot and put it (it will show his number) on the thread and tell him/her that it is the only form of communication you will accept.  Most guests are good, you only hear about the bad ones and I am sorry this happened to you.  I am sure you will have many more good guests moving forward.

[Jurgen0]

Yeah. I think airbnb doesn't care for Hosts outside the US at all. It's basically a US platform for US tourists to get into nice accommodation when they visit abroad. I won't be renting to US people anymore. And most likely I will switch my apartment to VBRO platform.  Much better care for hosts. 

[Charles111]

I agree exactly. Airbnb won't repay me for damages and stained carpet that the guest tried to scrub clean and damaged the pile in the process; she also broke the window sill from the new window, and put some gooey stuff on the net curtains. The damages come to about £1,000, and last week a guest lost the house keys so I had to have the lock changed immediately and airbnb at the time said I should speak to airnbnb for a refund. I could have asked the guest there and then for repayment but now I've asked airbnb they say that they will ONLY PAY FOR THE NEW KEY, - NOT THE LOCK NOR THE FITTING OF THE NEW BARREL OF THE LOCK. How else am I to replace a lock without a fitter? Airbnb simply don't answer that question so I'm down another £90 in 6 weeks. Their excuses are a joke if not ethically criminal. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Jurgen0 I have seen nothing on this Community Centre that suggests Airbnb deals with US hosts any differently to UK hosts. Also to tar all Americans with your experience of one American seems a tad unfair. We have had some lovely Americans staying with us who were no better or worse than any other nationality.

Finally good luck with VRBO - Just a quick question - Why do you believe their support will be any better?

[Jurgen0]

I used to live in the US so I know people very well. They kind of experience this guy put me through is typical American. I have had many other guests from around the world and always 5 stars. Vro is much better for hosts because its owned by Expedia. They are a large professionally ran company with global staff and professional processes how to deal with issues. Airbnb staff are just a bunch of youngsters in Minesota sipping iced latte and laughing at hosts. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Jurgen0 Strange because the Americans I met when living in America were lovely people. Good to see you have no actual evidence for your comments but perhaps if you plan to discriminate you would be better doing so on another platform.

[Helen3]

Hi @Jurgen0 

Sorry you had this situation with your guest. Personally as a guest booking a whole listing and unless it was clearly stated that the host keeps some of their clothes at the apartment (which you don't), I would have been pretty surprised to see your clothes hanging in the wardrobe.

Having said that, it's not a reason for a refund and if this was his only complaint I would get on social media to Airbnb and publicly complain that a guest stayed for four nights and was refunded in full because you had a couple of jackets hanging up in the wardrobe. I would also call CS morning and night to ask why the guest was refunded.

Personally in your situation I would have been inclined to cancel this guest on arrival as it was clear your place wasn't a good fit. 

I haven't had an issue with Airbnb CS in six year of hosting. I don't agree that Airbnb is US centric (look at the thousands of complaints from US hosts on here). Nor do I think it's appropriate to discriminate against any guests on the basis on which country they are from.

You mention you were awarded best apartment in your area - who gave you this award - I didn't know this was a 'thing' 🙂

[Jurgen0]

Yep. I did all that. Was constantly on the phone wirh CS of Abb. The case office was always too busy or had just left the shift. What a coincidence. It quickly became clear that these Cs reps are taking the Mickey of hosts. I am still waiting for a response on why the gave a refund without speaking to me although the guy stayed for 4 nights. Anyway I had lovely experiences with people from all around the world but just US guests wrecked my experience. 

When I was loving in the US I dated a Aurbnb case office so I know very well what they think of hosts especially hoats outside of the US. They laugh about the cheap rates the hosts get and always side with US guests in a dispute. I knew that for a fact and now I had my own experience of that. 

[Jurgen0]

It's my apartment and I don't need to state that one locked wardrobe has my clothes while there is 4m wide wardrobe for guests. 

I stayed in Airbnb apartments all around the world since 2016 and there were always clothes which never bothered me. Its peoples homes so I don't expect it to look like a hotel. There are clothes books kitchen equipment. If a guest doesn't want that he should book on Booking,com