I have had two bad guest bookings that convince me Airbnb only care about their money and the guest. The first, two guys that left excretment on my sheets and linen, smoked in bed although the place had strict outside in a particular area outlined for smoking. We warned them during their stay about the smoking so they knew they would not get a good review, then the excretement which they couldn’t have missed (they had access to a washing machine but decided to sleep in it instead I guess). So I held off giving them a review as that is my tactic for a dirty guest as let’s face it the review system is a joke! They will just book under the other guys name next time, then once they have blown that, through a friend. Who can prove that the person who arrives is the same person on “their” picture. Unfortunately, he gave me a review so I had to then review him. Surprise surprise it was a negative review, but very carefully worded. Just because they are dirty, disrespectful doesn’t mean they are stupid! I made a damages claim as I had prof and they paid, but really no amount of money covers the trauma of seeing someone’s bedtime activities. So although they damaged my place, their review apparently was fair. Are you joking Airbnb?
Recently, I had a couple that were local, they got drunk the first night, we arrived back from a wedding at 11pm and the guy was half naked walking back and forwards in front of our garage completely wasted, then becoming really loud past midnight. I have two house rules, one on smoking outside but not to affect others and two, quiet time from10.30pm, lower voices and tv to normal talking level. Rule one broken day 1, day 2 they start vomiting outside in my garden at 3pm. I sent a very polite text messages to be quiet. It took all day for them to respond and apologise. Next 48hrs ok. The place started to smell, so we asked if the rubbish they put outside can go into the big bins we provide. The place still smelt. A new guest for next door arrived with 3 kids and they just kept smoking, so the family could not leave their door open. After a worrying sleep that our new guests would leave due to the likelihood that noise and smoking would continue we told them to leave with a refund of remaining days. Day 5 of 14 day booking. Surprise to us they are allowed to leave a review even though they broke our house rules, we have proof of this through text messgae and their acknowledgement that they did it! What a joke! On entering the property the source of the smell was vomit that they wipe up using my towels and a residual spray across the bathroom door, shower hob, vanity, bin and toilet base. Of course those towels were ruined. I decided that it was too much of a risk to take their bond as they live locally and may come with their friends and damage our cars or some other malicious activity, so how sad that I actually fear making a claim in case there is retribution.
Airbnb are so concerned with being socially and politically hip (help the refugees, pay cleaners the right money - which is another joke as I am the slave labour cleaning my own places as u can’t charge the actual true cleaning cost or Airbnb would be unviable for me). Ive reported their review as they said I sent them rude messages, Airbnb have my text messages but I don’t have any confidence it will be taken down.
To top it all off the case manager was trying to convince me to allow them to stay, i firmly stated I had made the decision, she came back with their reasons, that they just woke up (I gave them till 4 pm to check out, from a 9am notification to leave), they had no money to book another place (although money to get drunk and the rest) , that the house rules were not clear ( they r in the site and in a info book first page in the studio) basically had to shout her down with my one right to get not nice people out - Broken house rules.
I really think that the growth of Airbnb places is a short lived industry inAustralia, people will get tired of cleaning up after dirty people who can then leave a dishonest review or just a carefully worded review with a very low star so your average ratings plummet.
Airbnb need to take notice of hosts like me with over 200 reviews and over 90% up to 100% 5 stars across my 3 studios. My reputation is proven but no a no review guest who looks nothing like her picture can give me a dishonest review, I provide the prof of them breaking house rules yet their review is still on my site.
Airbnb get off your ‘Hip’ horse and start providing protection for your established hosts!