Host refusing to let me stay with paying security deposit in person, won't cancel reservation

[Charlee5]

Hello,

I'm a British student working at an internship in Paris from 1/1/19 to 27/4/19. I booked my Airbnb's back in December, and was expecting to move into the second one on 17/2/19. A couple of days ago the host messaged me saying she would require a copy of my passport and a cheque of 990 Euros for a security deposit upon my arrival. I informed her that this is against Airbnb rules but I would be happy to provide a deposit through the website. She did state in her listing that she expected a security deposit but I assumed this would be through the website, I am fairly new to the site so I didn't realise it hadn't come on the bill until this situation arose. She also neglected to tell me that she would require a cheque deposit before the booking was confirmed, this is the first time it has been mentioned.

Anyway, she is now refusing to let me stay and is telling me to cancel the listing. The problem is, as it is a long term let if I cancelled I would still have to pay the first months rent which is about £1000. I have asked her to cancel as she is the one breaking the rules and it is her that has decided I cannot stay - again, i'm happy to pay a deposit but only through Airbnb. As I assumed she has gone silent and is now ignoring my messages.

Is there any way that this reservation can be cancelled without me having to pay for anything? I don't think its fair for me to be charged for her breaking the rules and i'm now left with three weeks to try and find a new host which is going to cost me even more.

I would be grateful for any help, thank you!

[Cathie19]

Hi @Charlee5.

All sounds fishy to me.........

If the host asks for a security deposit, it is usually in the “additional costs” VERY visible to the guests and Airbnb. Any other monies are asked for via the Airbnb Resolution Centre. 

DO NOT PAY the host any monies outside the system, in case it is a scam.

DO NOT CANCEL your booking.  

Let AIRBNB contact her and investigate. 

Let Airbnb cancel without penalty to you.

If contact has been via email or text message, screen shot these for Airbnb.

MAKE IMMEDIATE contact with Airbnb and explain to them what has happened. Has she been contacting you through the Airbnbmessages site?

Asking for money under these conditions -the host is breaking the Airbnb terms of service and sounds like they should not be an Airbnb host.

Passports can be sighted on arrival. (But Paris hosts may have some special requirements I do not know about)

[Sandra856]

Hi @Charlee5 🙂

I see red flags all over! Never pay anything outside airbnb. Call airbnb ASAP. NEVER ever cancel from your side airbnb will handle it all for you. The host is not suppose to ask for money outside the system and should be banned from airbnb.

Call airbnb phone number 

United Kingdom

+44 203 318 1111

Another important thing is to keep all communication with the host within the airbnb message system. 

Best, Sandra

[Louise231]

@Charlee5as mentioned,

Make sure your messages go via airbnb inbox, if they have messaged on whats app etc then only reply on airbnb.

There is an option for you to cancel and it be the hosts issue, however first it really is best to contact airbnb and get them involved. But if you want to... There's an option to cancel where you say 'my host is asking me to' this then messages the host. They have 2 days to dissagree, if they don't dissagree then the reservation is cancelled, but the blame goes to the host.

This will only work if the host doesnt counter it in the 2 days. if they dissagree, then you'll need to go back to airbnb

Right now, you have a booking, confirmed, and you're abiding by airbnb's rules, so you have every right to turn up for your booking. If the host wants to change that, its on them, they can't force you to disregard airbnb's rules

[Helen3]

Oh dear @Charlee5

What a horrible experience and good for you for sticking to your guns.

Your host is in the wrong and has no right to ask you for a cash (cheque) deposit outside of airbnb.

As you quite rightly point out the host can do this through Airbnb. They don't actually take the money but hold your card details.

You need to call Airbnb now explain that the host is insisting on a cash deposit and has told you that if you won't do this, they no longer want to host you and want you to cancel the booking. Airbnb should make the host cancel the booking, give you a full refund and an extra 10% credit.

There is no way I would want to stay with this host after this awful behaviour.

Get Airbnb to help you find a suitable alternative.

Best of luck and do let us know how it goes.

By the ways - what sort of reviews and ratings does this host have?

[Charlee5]

Thank you everyone for the help.

I called AirBnb yesterday and they said they would get in contact with her, telling her that she is breaking the rules and that she must cancel the listing if she doesn't want me to stay. If she doesn't reply to them then Airbnb will cancel it. However, they said that if she comes back and says she's happy to host me without the cheque deposit then i have to honour the reservation and stay there. I did say i'm not comfortable with this at all and i would prefer to have the listing cancelled but apparently i've got to wait for her response. I think this is really unfair, how can I trust her not to try and charge me the money on arrival, and then i'll be stuck for somewhere to stay! Also, she has lied in her listing once again, about the location of the property. It is on the street she has tagged, but about 20 minutes down the road meaning my commute to work would be 55 minutes instead of 35, is this a possible thing I could use to get out of the reservation if it ends up that I have to stay?

@Helen3 In answer to your question she only had good reviews and was a superhost so i'm surprised at how she's treating me. As previously mentioned she did say she required a deposit in her listing so maybe everyone else that has stayed has been fine with handing over a cheque, or maybe because I wanted to stay for a long period of time (and i'm only 22) maybe she wanted to enforce the deposit whereas other times she may not have, I don't know.

[Sandra856]

@Charlee5 Ohh my, sometimes  I really don't understand costumer service. Why on earth would they say that you have to honour the reservation when you feel uncomfortable with the situation. Most people would feel akward in a situation like that and of course you should not stay at a place where the host tried to take money from you outside the system!! They should cancel and the host should take the blame AND loose her superhost status for a year. It seems (if you look around in this community) that it depends heavily on who you speak to what the outcome of a case will be. Try and call again because of course you should not stay somewhere like that. Make sure to think about how you put it. Just keep calling them until the case is solved. I'm really sorry about your situation and I'm embarrassed on how airbnb is handling this case!

Best, Sandra

[Gordon0]

@Charlee5 As you booked the stay back in December, how has it taken you so long to realize it isn't where you thought it was, as the address would have been provided immediately?

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

I have to say I would never ever accept long term tenant without security deposit in cash and certified contract.

As it is against Airbnb policy - I am not renting long term through Airbnb.

[Sandra856]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 I agree with you but that is not really the case here? Last week a guest wrote in this community that she lost her deposit 2500 dollars paid outside airbnb because she trusted the host (a superhost btw). 

[Katie201]

@Charlee5 Definitely call back frequently to make sure you get it cancelled and refunded. Getting a different CS rep might help. If a host gets caught trying to break the rules, why would a guest be forced to stay with them just because they verbally agree over the phone to CS rep that they'll stop?! Her profile should be removed for that. And just like @Branka-and-Silvia0 say, if the host only feels comfortable renting long term when the guest pays a deposit outside of Airbhb, then they should only find those tenants outside of Airbnb. Call back and demand that the host be removed for breaking rules. And please keep us updated!

[Sarah977]

@Katie201  I agree that she should call back until she gets a suitable outcome, but telling her to demand that the host be removed isn't on. That's Airbnb's call and if she starts demanding things like that, they'll be less likely to help her out.

We don't know who the host is, and while she certainly shouldn't be doing this, for all we know, she recently had guests who trashed her house and couldn't get the guest or Airbnb to pay up, so she decided to charge a security deposit in cash. Not okay, of course, but @Charlee5's concern right now is getting her reservation cancelled and finding other accomodation, not confusing the issue with demands that the host be delisted.

[Lyn3]

@Sarah977@Charlee5

Sarah, I'm thinking there may be a little confusion with the wording -  I have a feeling that Charlee  may have meant to write "cancel the booking" RATHER THAN "cancel the listing"... 

I don't think Charlee wants the host banned - do you Charlee ?

[Sarah977]

@Lyn3  If you look again at what I wrote, you'll see that I addressed my response to Katie, who stated, " Call back and demand that the host be removed for breaking rules. And please keep us updated" .

[Charlee5]

@Branka-and-Silvia0 I completely understand not wanting to do a long term let without a deposit or contract, but then tenants should either be found outside airbnb or it should be explicitly explained what would be expected before the booking is confirmed to ensure both parties are comfortable, not three weeks before the start date. I don't assume many people do, but I dont have a grand to spare, i've worked full time along my course for the past year to be able to afford an unpaid internship, I can't give that much money to someone with only their word that i'll ever see it again.

@Gordon0 I was certain that I did check the location when I was given the address, but I must have made an error somewhere. I got sidetracked with moving, and some other issues so I only focused on the first Airbnb, when I double checked the address when this situation arose is when I realised how far away the flat is. I realise it's my fault for not double checking earlier but i just wondered if a misleading map location counts as 'not as descibed'.

A general update. I called again yesterday and was told that the host had replied to Airbnb. They wouldn't tell me what she said but i'm guessing she still refused to let me stay as my case is being escalted to a 'higher department' and they will contact me at some point this weekend.