Oh Boy Do I Have Something To Share!
I have TWO wonderful Places (a Cottage and a Cabin) in Big Bear, California. We live 2 1/2 hours away. I am a proud Super-host and very dedicated to the happiness and comfort of my guests. Here is an incident where Air BnB has TOTALLY abandoned me. When someone requests to rent your place, the ID on that person just shows an initial. NOT the guests picture. On 9/20-9/22 that happened to me. I accepted the guest off of a black and white initial and when his picture came up AFTER I accepted, it was a tatted up guy (that's fine) but he was sticking up his thick middle finger right into the camera (NOT fine). I did not like that energy of this disrespect so I called Air BnB about my concern. The Air BnB girl (<Horrible advisor!) poo-pooed me and told me that I would lose my Super-host status if I canceled him and have to pay a hundred dollar fee. Go ahead take the money but I work very hard to maintain the Super-host status. So, against my better judgement, I relented. My instincts were right! That guest about ruined my 1940's cabin. He brought a big dog and left behind Dog Urine spots all over my kitchen and front room carpets, (he left his dog in my cabin when he and his girlfriend took off) , Trash bags wet with liquid were left, spilling over FULL, and they ruined the set of sheets and towels and my bathroom rug with FECAL matter, Blood, Body Fluids, Make-up (dark red lipstick smears) and some Fallen off Eyelashes (and eyeliner smears) from the bedroom to the bathroom. I DID NOT WANT THAT GUEST IN MY CABIN IN THE FIRST PLACE **bleep** IT! I Called Air BnB and reported the guests and sent in pictures and all I got was "this is rare, it doesn't happen often,...sorry." The Linens had to go to a professional cleaners, and I had to pay $300.00 to have the carpets professionally cleaned. I believe Air BnB favored the Guest and I have been told by others that this is what they do. I am loyal to Air BnB. I have TWO Wonderful Places that are booked back-to-back, I am dedicated to the care of my two little cabins there in the mountains and as a SUPER-host, I felt very VERY abandoned by Air BnB. Now... I don't complain about things without offering a solution. THIS is what have worked for me:
AS SOON as I saw this guys choice of picture, I didn't want him. Guests have the right and the choice to pick a place to stay so HOSTS should have at the right and the choice to pick a guest! I feel that Air BnB should require a legitimate picture with the file of a guest when they apply to stay in a hosts place. I have gotten pictures of donuts, a landscape, a poem, an emoji...I don't like that. IF I would have seen a picture first, I then would have had MY choice rather to accept or not. How this could have been handled in my specific situation that would have worked for me is: Allow me to cancel the guest with the middle finger up in the camera and to then "punish" me, if you HAVE TO, block off the time so it won't get re-booked by someone else. I would have jumped at that. I'd rather have the place empty than to have guests like THAT that violate my environment like this guest so dis-respectfully did. I felt forced, threatened and powerless to over-ride myself AND my instincts and allow this guest to stay in my cabin when I knew better. This guest was a nightmare and there was absolutely NO Support in any way from Air BnB about it. I am very VERY mad at you right now Air BnB.
