(ALERT) - 1st AirBnb experience gone wrong, watch out for scams like this

Ena13
Level 4
London, United Kingdom

(ALERT) - 1st AirBnb experience gone wrong, watch out for scams like this

Hello fellow AirBnb Hosts,

 

I started renting my spare room about 4 months ago, and I must say, my first experience was a catastrophe

My guest reached out and said he is interested in renting the room for 2 weeks, but he would like to book for 1 night just to see whether he is comfortable in the house. Being a rookie, I though that's fair - and agreed to it! Soon after he settled in he said he loves the room and is going to stay the next 2 weeks, BUT then proceed to let me know that he is waiting for his funds to be transferred to his UK account since he just moved to London from the USA. This was supposed to happen tomorrow when he was going to book the rest of his stay. Since this was my first guest I wanted to make this experience positive for both of us so I agreed to it - silly me. Red light should've gone ON when he proposed paying in cash for his entire stay - I of course, respectfully declined.

 

Long story short - after being way too understanding about his booking "habits" for a week (only booked for 2 nights at the time), he then failed to make a booking for the following night. And the one after that. We have talked, and every time we did he said he is just about to make a booking. But he didn't..

 

Unfortunately, this became a source of stress and I have politely asked him to make the rest of the bookings on that day, or I'll have to ask him to leave, as I don't feel comfortable in my own home anymore. He managed to book for the next 4 nights as he didn't have anywhere else to go. We kept the atmosphere positive, and were respectful towards each other, and even had enjoyable conversations afterwards, so I thought "great, didn't turn out that bad after all". 

 

He checked out and 5 days after he left a 1* review AND a 3* which I would be ok with if I have deserved it. But we went above and beyond to make him feel comfortable in our home. I personally washed his clothes, we bought a new iron as he ironed his clothes every day and our old one broke, he participated in my boyfriends surprise party and hung out with our friends and family, we even paid him back AirBnb fees for his last booking, I reduced cleaning fees after 2nd booking to £0  because we felt sorry for the guy and wanted to help out etc.

 

I was so disappointed in him, but even more in AirBnb support which, provided with ALL the evidence about the case, didn't want to do anything about the review.

 

Every guest afterwards was lovely and enjoyable and we loved hosting them, and have left a 5* review and said they are going to come back! 🙂 

 

Even though it was a negative experience I am happy that this was the first AirBnb experience I've had as I learned SO MUCH from it!

Just wanted to put it out there for all of you to be cautious of guests like this! If they want to come by and "check out the room" for 1 night and then book the rest - my friendly advice is don't do it!

 

Best wishes to all of you,

Ena

28 Replies 28
Linda108
Level 10
La Quinta, CA

Hosting lessons come at various times during the hosting career, but especially at the beginning.  Thanks for sharing.  The Air BNB rules and procedures are usually for the protection of both the host and the guest so it is always best to stick with them.  Early in my hosting career, as I also have a private room listing, my "be a good host" was based on how I treat my family and friends but I quickly learned this is different and I reinforce boundaries and refer guests to Air BNB regarding any financial transactions.  

 

As to the review, this guest treated you like a "friend" not a host.  Wonder if he has  many friends 😛   In turn you went into the "friend zone" as well.  I like to be friendly but not a friend even though I have had some really super great guests.  

 

You cannot expect Air BNB to remove any review because of lying is not against their Content Policy.  You can respond to the public review if you wish.

Ena13
Level 4
London, United Kingdom

@Linda108 you are absolutely right, boundaries must exist for people to respect you and your home. 🙂

After talking to Airbnb support what I learned is that Review would be removed if I had a proof of him offering cash instead of using the platform (I couldn't as this was said in person), in case I did provide this, review would've been removed.

That's correct, @Ena13 .  You can easily read the whole policy in the Help Center.  Just use search term content.  It applies to hosts as well.

@Ena13 

 

So basically if you could prove it would upset Airbnb’s income stream they’d remove that free loaders review of you otherwise you can lump it.

 

Welcome to Airbnb’s way of doing business.

Ena13
Level 4
London, United Kingdom

@Cormac0 Exactly. I understand the strictness of reviewing and all, for the sake if guests, but people, be human! How was I supposed to know he was going to suggest cash, not like I had time to prepare my camera to secure the evidence! Just ridiculous isn't it..

David--Bubba0
Level 2
Taos Ski Valley, NM

I would consider allowing strangers to rent a room in my home while I was there high risk (you already found that out). You are giving a stranger a key to your home and an agreement allowing them access and to come and go. You learned it can be tense or feel like you were taken advantage or worse physical harm.  My suggestion would be more careful vetting of potential Guests above what little vetting Airbnb does such as insisting on a pre-stay conversation to judge your comfort level, additional ID and more detailed contact info and what ever other personal info Airbnb allows you to get.
"Trust your gut" is not a cliché it is accurate. If you don't feel good about a Guest do not accept their reservation, Airbnb counts canceling reservations heavily against Hosts. Follow Airbnb's rules regarding Guests exactly and that is all the support you can count on from them. Conduct all Guest communication through their email system, even if that person is in the next room, important for many reasons and they collect all your money. Do not make concessions regarding your Guests payments.  I have been surprised with Airbnb's taking the Guests side over their Owners more often than not. I find them puzzling in lack of empathy or support for Hosts dealing with difficult Guests who feel entitled to abuse or even punish Hosts because they gave us money and we did not meet 100%+ of their expectations of us, considering they need people who own homes to become Hosts or they would not have anything to sell their Guests. Follow their rules and you future should be ok.

David McKown

@David0 Bubba those are very good points, especially over taking Guests side more often, while both sides should be equally important. Guest should feel comfortable in the place, but host should feel comfortable with a guest as well. Luckily, after this one I have met some amazing people through AirBnb-ing, and that makes it all worth it 🙂

 

Ena

Wei-and-Ting0
Level 10
Victoria, Australia

For anyone starting out, it's a good idea to limit you maximum stay to just 1 or 2 days until you get the hang of things.

@Wei-and-Ting0  Limiting stays to one or two nights doesn't work in many places. I live in a tourist beach town where people come for a one to 2 week holiday. Most of my guests book for at least a week, many for 10 days. If I had a one or 2 night maximum, I wouldn't have gotten many, if any, bookings- it's not the kind of place people come to for a night or 2.

What you suggest would work where people are often just passing through, or may just stop in a for a few days. I know many hosts bookings are made up majorly of one-nighters, but that's not true across the board.

However, I'd definitely advise new hosts not to take long-term, i.e. more than a week or two, bookings.

Kira32
Level 10
Canary Islands, Spain

@Ena13 

 

Omg it's so lame that he even gave you a 3☆. What a leach!!!!! The more we give the less apriciative some can be.

 

Nowadays I don't even block dates anymore for guests when they say they want to stay longer. If they really want to stay, they'll have to book right away or it will maybe booked by someone else. 

 

Kira♡

Ena13
Level 4
London, United Kingdom

@Kira32 

 

I know! So frustrating!! He gave me a really bad 1* review and followed up with another 3* review saying nice things... After that experience, I'm definitely more cautious.

 

Yeah, that's a smart idea, he literally used to send me few texts a day to remind me to block the dates!

 

Ena

my advise - guest should book on air bnb for the time they plan on staying . If they don't like the first night or not comfortable then they can ask Air BNB to cancel the rest of their stay and refund the payment. no one should allow anyone to check out the place for one night and then decide if they want to stay . 

I accepted a booking from someone with no reviews and had just joined in the same month of July.  He also asked to “come by and checkout the room”!  A day later he arrives with a young lady and a infant child and tells me the room is for them.  Well her check out was 11 am this morning and she is still here!  The story I’m told is that she is leaving on a flight in the morning and the person booked the incorrect dates.  Needless to say she been here four days already and baby cries incessantly and disturbs another guest across the hall.  He has mentioned it in indirect ways of course “oh this is the baby who keeps making all the noise”.  But I’m comping her tonight and will be personally escorting her into a Lyft at 4am which I’m paying for of course.  I notified Customer Support and they are monitoring the outcome.  Be careful hosts there are those who use Airbnb to scam free stays on a repeated basis.  I also had another young man book 3 days and struggle for the next month to book for nights he already used the room.  Eventually my patience ran out and I put him OUT!

@Dolores-and-Courtney0 

 

Get them out the door by saying sorry this room is reserved for someone else.

 

Always warn them that if they don't book the room will be occupied by someone else.

 

Or say, someone else is interested in the room so please book or leave. 

 

They need to book for more days before checkout or LEAVE!!!!! 

 

Never leave your guest hanging out in your house when they should already be checked out. Tell them to leave the keys and maybe if you have time they can pickup they're luggage later but never let them having your keys after check out! !!

 

They can not take a shower afterwards or occupy the room. Only pickup!

 

Don't be ashamed to charge them for luggage drop off or pickup! 

 

In order to let them stay after checkout, they have to book for another night. If they don't book right away then don't let them stay.  

 

Hang on there!

 

Kira♡