Escalate a complaint

[Kim376]

I want to know how to escalate a complaint,

I have a so called case manager- **, who is meant to be dealing with my complaint regarding a refund to my credit card, which is not happening.

Does anyone know where I can go from here are there any legal bodies I can approach, ombudsman, etc

[*Title and name edited]

[Damien133]

Yes I've never come across a company that deals with complaints so badly, they just fob you off and then close the message thread.  If you call them they tell you you have to send a message on the website, send you some jibberish reply that doesn't answer any of your questions and makes no sense and then close the thread again.  They refused to give me any formal complaint procedure or ombudsman details even though I repeatedly and specifically asked for them during a call that lasted half an hour.  How can a company the size of Airbnb behave like this?!?  They sent me a mentally ill alcoholic guest who after checkout proceded to move to a spare room in the house and continue living there for several days.  Initially we didn't even know she was there because she just stayed locked in the room and never came out.  When we eventually gained access with police and social services we discovered she had urinated, deficated and vomited in the room and bed.  Obvioulsy the bedding and mattress/pillows/duvet had to be thrown out and replaced and the room thoroughly cleaned as well as the other guest compensated (who unsurprisingly cancelled and checked out early).  I only claimed for the material cost of replacing the items using cheap replacements from primark, a local bed shop and ebay (about £250 total) but airbnb said that because another guest had already checked in to the original room that the problem guest was in that they could not offer me a refund "to protect the guest and the host"...  What??  That doesn't even make any sense.  We have a police report so there's no question who is to blame!  Every attempt to contact them they just fob you off and hope you will go away, which obviously makes me more determined to make sure as many people know about it as possible 😉  They're a shoddy company and they clearly do not really check out the people they are sending to your home because they really don't care if you have a problem as long as they can charge both the host and the guest a commission on the booking.  The more guests they send to a host, the more money airbnb make so they lower their basic checking standard so that anybody can basically come and then take no responsibilty if there's a problem.   I'm slowly moving back to renting to tenants instead because although I receive more money in the summer months than a basic rental, I receive less in the winter and it's really is not worth the huge amount of extra work involved when it becomes very clear that the illusion of the host guarantee and the £500 deposit I have placed on the listing are worth nothing in reality

[Barbara2005]

Dear Friends

I am also experiencing the same exact problem with payment issues and lack of responses from Airbnb. I have a host guaranteed payment that was to be made 3 weeks ago and it is not showing up in my bank account. I call every day the Airbnb hotline and also chat to their reps and they keep giving me the same silly answer asking if I checked my bank (of course!) and that senior case manager will get back to me within 24 hours (never happened). I am ready to escalate it to the CEO or anyone senior enough who can actually look at this case thoroughly. Do you have any suggestions and advice that worked? thank you.

[Andre8700]

Hi Barbara,

should we join forces and complain together Airbnb to the ombudsman? I have had the same problem with 4 different guests! 
Do you want to link in? I would love to hear how you have gone about it and try to find a way to seek compensation for this lack of professionalism and avoiding payments?

[Arun29]

Hi , As a host , I am also having same issue with abnb case manager . It appears the  case manager decision is biased and not fair . I was advised to reach out to AAA however they do not have jurisdiction in Australia . They only deal with matters  in USA . Any one has any input please advise . Cheers . 

[Alisa62]

What is AAA?

[YogyaandNitin0]

I am an airbnb super host but recently airbnb has closed my complaint without resolving it. My issues is that I have not received the payout for last guest and it’s been 2 weeks now. How do I escalate my complaint to airbnb bossses?

[Andre8700]

Hey

I have had the same problem. In fact in my case there were 4 different guests since October.

if you are able to figure out how legally we can go about it; I am eager to join forces and seek compensation. 

[Phil2754]

I have a complaint which has not been resolved fairly. Case manager is trying to close the conversation and not supporting my requests to escalate. Host did not provide lock on door leading to an unsafe environment so we moved family to a hotel having firstly agreed with the host a refund. Other people had access to our apartment and my wife was terrified. After admitting it verbally and implying admission on text he is now backtracking, saying his texts were ambiguous and we cannot provide photographic evidence and so will still charge us for the first night (despite refunding the rest of the trip). I am still in the area and could take some photographs for further evidence with support but they are trying to close the issue. Air BNB case officer saying that the host only gave us a refund to avoid an argument rather than us having any grounds. By this logic the host would have also refunded us if we had not liked the color of the sofa? I need point of escalation please. I have texts, timeline and proof of stay in another hotel

[Andre8700]

I am also having issues regarding lack of payment. Are you planning to report them to the ombudsman? Would you like to join forces?

[Andrea218]

@Andre8700 any luck reaching an ombudsman?  I finally wrote to Brian Chesky, and suddenly got a phone call, after having things dropped, from a fellow priding himself in being a top dog of sorts: "Support Ambassador form the Escalation Team". frankly, he's proven himself to be as useless as the others.   still waiting for resolution on 2 very simple matters!  grrrrrr.

[Denise424]

I too has just been confronted with a case manager who seem to be raging war on me.  I just had a guest stay for 13 of 14 nights and was refunded the entire amount without any indication this would have happened. This case manager’Teressa’ seems very angry and dismissive toward me and that’s frightening. I’ve asked to speak with her superior and she does not respond. She just close the case. I’ve got news fir her I’m not going away. I am going to get answers. 

[Andre8700]

Good evening

I am currently having a dispute with Airbnb due to lack of payment. They had not paid the previous 4 Airbnb guests I have hosted (2 in October and 2 now at the end of the year); and said that the reason being was a business verification form was not filled on time. I don’t understand why they would keep putting my property in the market if they were not willing to pay me for the excuse mentioned above. Has anyone been successful in reporting Airbnb to the UK ombudsman? If so, can you please advise how to proceed? Also, how do you escalate issues against Airbnb legally? They égide to provide me with a contact...

[Cathy947]

Hi, did you ever manage to escalate your complaint? I am a UK host and have an issue that I would like to escalate to someone impartial.

[Claudia2279]

Hi all 

I am in the same boat. I just listed a new room which I’ve spent 3 years renovating to a high standard from a derelict state. Bought an expensive £600 mattress for it. Had been slept on only 12 nights before a new guest comes along and checks out leaving the whole mattress and a duvet covered in urine. He didn’t tell me - I had to find it. Messaged him straightaway and he admitted it, apologised and offered to cover costs. I have claimed for a new mattress and duvet with receipts for both. Airbnb case manager Marie has just closed the case and said their decision is final! Even though it’s a brand new mattress, the guest has admitted urinating on it and offered to pay! How do I claim the £300 deposit? How can the call it a “Host Guarantee” when it guarantees nothing? Why isn’t there any process by which to complain about the case manager and have this escalated? I am so frustrated and angry. Not willing to drop this but how do I take it further? Write to the CEO perhaps? If anyone would like to join forces here to create some weight I’d really like to hear from you. 

[Andrea218]

@Claudia2279 @Andre8700 @Denise424 - happy to join forces. . I'm so frustrated with the endless "yes, we understand how upsetting this is to you; we will send your case to the department that can help you" ...and then the mic drop.