No refund from host illegally subletting his apartment

[Carrie389]

I’ll make this as brief as possible...we were placed in an Airbnb from March 8-April 16 while our flooded home is being repaired. The Airbnb host was paid $4,500 for a 2bd apartment. Upon arrival, the place was filthy and smelled of cigarettes and marijuana. At night you’d hear thumping loud music and people fighting. Needless to say, not a place for a two year old. We politely asked our host to let us out of the place early and he refused. As we continued to protest, he began threatening us and forced us out of the place then and there. When we went to his leasing office - we found he’s illegally subletting the place through Airbnb. And his monthly rent is $1300 and he’s charging Airbnb customers $4500. Now he refuses to refund us the money paid from the time we left through 4/16 and insurance won’t place us in another place because we can’t get the refund. So this jerk gets our money, his place back and absolutely no admonishment for his behavior. Aside from being the absolute worst version of a Karen to Airbnb and writing him a scathing review- is there anything I can do???

[Emiel1]

@Carrie389 

- Contact Airbnb about the situation

- report the listing by using the report ("flag") link on it

[Sarah977]

@Carrie389  Did you read the information for guests in the Airbnb Help site which tells guests the protocol when they arrive to find a place unacceptable?

First you need to notify the host about the issues, affording them the opportunity to rectify the situation (for a cleaning issue the host could send their cleaners back in to do a proper job).

If the host is unable or unwilling to address the issue, you contact Airbnb within 24 hrs. after check-in to report the issue and cancel the booking, and you will be refunded as long as it's legitimate.

Battling with the host about a refund is what you don't do. Hosts aren't even paid until 24 hours after check-in- until then, Airbnb has your money, not the host.

Failure to follow stated procedure can make it difficult to get a refund from Airbnb, but at this point all you can do is contact customer service and plead your case. Good luck.

P.S. No point talking to Airbnb about the illegal subletting- they don't care or keep track of those things- that's a matter between the subletter and the owner. Concentrate on the unacceptable conditions of the space itself.

I'm not sure what you mean about being "placed" in this listing. Did you not book it yourselves?

[Carrie389]

The host refused to acknowledge any of the issues with the unsanitary conditions and odors.  He got very hostile and threatening and forced us to leave. Watched us as we moved out. 
The host has his money - 80% of it for time we aren’t there. So he’s happy and we are homeless until our insurance company does something about this.

[Sarah977]

@Carrie389  How do you know the host has received the payment? When you pay, the money is received by Airbnb, not the host. A guest has no way of knowing at what point Airbnb releases the money to hosts.

In any case, you haven't indicated that you have contacted Airbnb customer service about this, nor mentioned whether you bothered to cancel. 

There's little to be done if you just insist you were wronged but don't pursue a refund through Airbnb.

You asked for advice but don't seem to be open to any.

[Carrie389]

I know he’s been paid bc Airbnb told me to resolve it with the host as he has the power to refund our money.  I have contacted Airbnb and they have told us they won’t do anything. I’ll have to pursue this with our host and his leasing office since he’s in violation of this lease.

[Sarah977]

@Carrie389  Okay, thanks for the clarification. But you shouldn't take the answer you were given by Airbnb as the last word. Be persistent- a decision is often overturned if you don't give up. (squeaky wheel gets the grease) There are many Airbnb reps who aren't properly trained and are unhelpful or give out incorrect information. Try contacting them on their Twitter account, said to be the best way to get appropriate responses.

Of course you won't get this host to agree on his own to refund- he sounds awful.

I know it's little consolation, but hosts run into the same thing- guests causing damages, having to first ask the guest to pay up -good guests fess up and offer to reimburse, they don't have to be asked- so these types of guests almost always refuse. Then the host has to try to get Airbnb to cover the damages, a lengthy and frustrating process usually resulting in no success, Airbnb claiming it was "normal wear and tear" when it quite obviously wasn't.

[Carrie389]

You are right, thank you so much for your advice!