Terrible customer service

[Declan49]

The host said they had WiFi and it's on their amenities list but it's just a hotspot on his phone so when he's not there it's not available. When I got there he says he'll get it fixed in two days, two days go by, now he says he has to get it delivered and he doesn't know when it'll be here...

Also, his hot water is not working, when I got there he says there was some "trick" to get it working. So he turns the heating on and has to run his kitchen tap to get his shower warm, only the pressure is extremely weak and when I turn the shower tap to get more pressure it just goes cold, I turn it back to the hottest side but it's cold as well. 

He actually admitted to me he has to get it fixed and that he's been taking cold showers since before I got there and that I'm the only one who's gotten any hot water at all. There doesn't seem to be hot water in the taps anymore and I tried his "trick" the other day but it was just an icy cold shower.

I'm supposed to be here for a month, I reported it to Airbnb and got passed around to a bunch of support people who have said a myriad of different things. Recently they're just kind of saying they're "reaching out" to the host, who seems to be avoiding answering or has said that there is hot water, so he's lying, as well as Airbnb seemingly not giving a rat's ass about the situation.

In the meantime I've been staying at his mom's house but she's not here and he kind of says, we'll stay for a few nights, then one more night, then maybe we can stay a few more days. It's just extremely difficult to not know how long I'll be in a place, while having to go back to his other place to get my clothes or do laundry or to get food since it's all back there and the WiFi and hot water is all here. 

It's been going on for a week so far and I'm concerned Airbnb probably will drop the ball like they usually do and I'll have no recourse to do anything, when I just kind of thought the stuff I paid for is supposed to just be there so I can get on with things.

[Declan49]

That's my big problem, actually being able to leave. I just realized the other day I needed to get out of here with or without the refund since Airbnb customer service have been so unbelievably appalling. But it's quite hard to find another cheap place nearby on such short notice, and then if I wanted to go farther away the transportation costs go way up when trying to book a day or two before. 

So I don't know what I'm supposed to do, have another return ticket booked a day or two after my arrival incase Airbnb screws me over? Book two cheap Airbnbs before I go? Or maybe I'm just an idiot like that guy said and I'm not supposed to travel at all if there's not loads of readily available alternatives if something goes wrong.

Guess I'll try taking this to the Belgian courts, not that I know the language, and will be having my cold showers and library WiFi in the meantime...

[Helen744]

@Declan49 the legal meaning of a kitchen or a bathroom has these simple things according generally to local council regulations . Consult your local city mayors or council office. It is not allowed for Airbnb to decide if the listing has or has not hotwater. Something broken needs to be fixed. Its just silly to think that its not.Any long term rental would have to go to arbitration if they did not provide hot water . Wi fi on the other hand I would expect at the very least to be available at all times in the house and to you, via a dongle at least . H

[Helen744]

Not sure where you are but keep trying airbnb and getting the host to offer a refund from when you intend to leave . If he /she says they agree on message  then this should be enough for Airbnb . Good luck H

[Helen744]

This is probably a bit cheeky but ask the host to recommend somewhere similar because the truth is your host knows their opposition .but do check it out for reviews and all the pics and WIFI and hot water . Communicate with the host. H

[Declan49]

I'm in Belgium but I might as well stay for the remaining nights because booking another place nearby on short notice is way too expensive and trying to book train tickets for anywhere far is also very expensive on short notice >⁠.⁠< the refund is not really an option without the landing spot. If I asked him somewhere similar I'm sure he wouldn't say, I feel like his prisoner honestly, caught in the spider's web.

[Helen744]

@Declan49 gosh Declan?Keep us posted and maybe keep a journal . Even prisoners have rights . Good luck . If I was you I would be interested to know his mums, opinion on what is actually happening H

[Declan49]

Well, yesterday he just says we gotta leave his mom's house right away. So back at his apartment, heading to the library and back for the WiFi sure can get exhausting and you never feel that safe connected there, and heating up water on his stove to get a lukewarm bath but it sure takes awhile.

His mom was never actually there, we were just staying there because it's nicer for him than his apartment I assume, because I'm probably a complete afterthought in his mind.

Behind on lots of stuff because of this situation and I hope I can reveal everything one day and also hope that Airbnb burns to the ground.

[Declan49]

Ok I don't know how to edit this post but I have an attempt at a gotcha for their hot water not listed claim. If you have to list hot water then you'd also have to list cold water...just running water in general. Totally absurd, you'd also have to list "doors" for example, "hey, there's no doors in the pictures and I didn't list doors as an amenity so no **bleep**ing doors for you". Or ya, no running water, I only listed bathroom or kitchen under amenities, never said there was any running water.... go buy water bottles from the shops to wash with.

There's no way you go to anyone's house for example, and they go, ya, didn't go for the boiler option, cold water 24/7 for me man, super awesome. The only way you don't find hot water in "developed" countries is when it's busted and in that case it's on them to state that, not on me to ask for it. 

Even in developing countries I assume they go chop some **bleep**ing firewood or some **bleep**, no way they just freeze their balls off is there? 

Oh well, that's my case... Maybe it's not right but I had to come up with better examples because I saw they do list **bleep**ing beds sometimes.