So I recently rented an Airbnb for a weekend stay. The host requested that I send her copies of all our Ids. I refused to do so because giving a complete stranger copies of not only my id but also my companions seemed risky (because of identity theft reasons and the like).
She argued with me at first, which is reasonable but tried to use her position as a real estate person to make her seem more legitimate but really it was just a way to try and intimidate me into giving in which was inappropriate. A job does define a person. You can be a doctor and lawyer or the president of the US and still be a theft. It was inappropriate.
The host and I came to a middle ground, or so I thought, when I agreed to send our names in advance and then she could Id us if she wanted based on that information.
I also informed her well in advance of our stay that she could decline our stay and we would go somewhere else.
When we arrived, late around 11:30pm after driving for hours. I told her that we would be coming late and she said we could use the lock box instead. Well she came out to meet us anyways spoke to us all for a few minutes and never asked to see our ids. I thought ok, guess she doesn’t care after all.
The next day when we have been out of the bnb since 9am and only was there to sleep literally. I get a text reminding me of the house rules which I thought was strange but shrugged off.
Fast forward to to the end of the stay. We check out two hours before we need to drive home and while on the road I get a notification saying she wrote a review so respond in kind leaving an accurate review of the space leaving out how uncomfortable she made us feel while there for the sake of common decency. That was sure a mistake.
She left a negative review on my account simply based on the fact I didn’t give her my personal information. Which is within my rights to protects especially because Airbnb has no policy that actually says I had to give her mine and my companions ids.
So i responded to the review on my account obviously upset that even after coming to an agreement she still wrote me a negative review! It wasn’t my fault she didn’t ask to see the ids when we got there. Anyways I then contacted AirBnb because the review which was solely based on me not giving her copies of my id was unfair (my legal write which did not break any of Airbnb’s policies and thus meaning I did nothing wrong) why should I be penalized with a bad review then If I did nothing wrong?
The Sunday we checked out I contacted Airbnb, and voiced my complains via message but got no response. I then called and was told the case would go under review. I explained my side and was agreed with by the person and was told I would need to wait 24 hours. I waited 48 hours and spoke to various people with Airbnb and didn’t get a response. Finally on the Tuesday night I got fed up and complained, at 7pm they told me they would move my case to another team for it to be reviewed and that they would call me with a response for the day was over. Just shortly after midnight I got a message, no call, that informed me they were going to do nothing about the review.
Airbnb should have a way to verify companions of the booking guest safely and securely like we do with our personal accounts (my account is verified and Yet in her review she claimed I may not be who I am which looks great. So apparently verifying your identity over Airbnb means absolutely nothing)
so now I am left wondering what to do? Try to re open the case? Idk if that’s possible or cancel my account and be done with Airbnb because they clearly don’t care about protecting my privacy as a guest.
