Airbnb customer service mistake: urgent.

Abigail0
Level 3
Toronto, Canada

Airbnb customer service mistake: urgent.

On March 2nd I had a rogue guest in my family home who held a party for 30 people, spilled beer on our brand new oiled white oak floors, stole an expensive portable speaker, smoked cigarettes, cigars and joints on my deck, vomited on an expensive antique quilt and brought in huge, rented speakers which they used to blast the house until neighbours threatened to call the police. My trusty cleaning lady had to shut down the party at 1.00 am because I was out of town enjoying a night away with my husband and 9 year old. 

 

My house rules state: no evening guests beyond a maximum of 10, no smoking and no excessive noise after 11. I have ample documentation that these rules were broken.

 

I initiated a conversation with Mark, my guest, and he admitted in writing to having 20 guests (there were more), blowing the rented speakers he'd brought to my house and borrowing mine, and to letting things get generally out of control, with uninvited guests being allowed in. I started a case with the Resolution Centre that same day. (March 3rd).

 

Things went wrong with Airbnb from Day 1 of this process. Weeks went by with endless calls and messages, and this was just to try to 'Involve Airbnb' because the interface wasn't working properly and I was unable to hit the correct button. Eventually I was assigned two case managers: Mark, for Trust and Safety, and Jack for my property claim. Jack asked for: 

 

 - a police report

 - a receipt for the replacement speaker

 - a quote for repairing my floor

 - a photo of the stolen speaker in my house as proof of ownership.

 

I provided all these in a timely fashion. The quote for the floor stated $1600 to fix it. Jack said Airbnb would only pay $300. He mistakenly though the flooring company had said it was $600. I responded numerous times to his messages - he'd started to just repeat himself, in a curt and insulting tone, with a cut and paste email that he sent repeatedly, without reading or understanding my message to him. He ignored my messages and started to threaten to close my case without resolving it, if I didn't agree to his offer within 72 hours. This was on April 11th. I responded straight away, saying that I could not click that link and accept his offer, because I didn't agree to the offer and wanted him to read my messages and address my concern, before I agreed to anything. 

 

I was being bullied and coerced into signing a resolution agreement I had excellent reason not to agree with.

 

The next I heard, this Airbnb employee had closed my case. I was not reimbursed for my stolen speaker, or the beer-damaged floor. Other employees - including the Trust and Safety employee, (also called Mark), assured me the case was still open and they were trying to work with Jack to encourage him to keep the conversation with me open. Things became very bizarre, and very untrustworthy; it was implied that this employee was allowed to simply take matters into his own hands, flout Airbnb's resolution process by arbitrarily closing a claim that was open and had all the paperwork submitted and accepted, and essentially take up about 15 hours of my time on numerous phone calls, emails and messages (including literally 3-4 hours on hold, on several phone calls) and then shut the door in my face. I was told that there was simply nothing to be done; Jack could do as he pleased, and I was the victim. Airbnb thought it was OK to simply close off my case, give me nothing for my stolen and damaged goods, and 'disengage' (i.e. break its promises and refuse to discuss further). 

 

Note: I had replied to Jack's message and complied with everything required by Airbnb. Essentially, at this point the company has 'gone rogue' on me and broken its Terms of Service and its customer service committment to me. 

 

I run 6 Airbnb properties and frankly, this is not going to stop here. I will do all it takes, to ensure that these unethical and illegal practices - and supporting the activities of unprofessional rogue employees who try to cut off contact in the middle of a Resolution proceedure - are publicized and stopped. My family and I have suffered a lot of anxiety and stress as our efforts at resolution are met with such incredible rudeness lack of cooperation. Simplye human values such as respect and honesty are lacking here: it is not OK. It's also not legal to ask a customer to click a link to an offer they don't agree with, then remove the entire offer.

 

If, as Airbnb users, you have any advice for me on how to proceed, I would find that very useful. 

 

 

31 Replies 31
Lifan0
Level 2
New Jersey, United States

I feel very sorry that it happens to you. I just had a much smaller case but in the essence about the same issue.  I would like know how it ends and what actions Airbnb can actually take. 

Pete28
Level 10
Seattle, WA

I have read enough of these cases to know that you will be lucky to get anything beyond their original offer. The process seems to be a black box in which any claimed is halved.

 

I would never rent out an entire unit, I only rent out a mother in law with us next door and even then it goes wrong enough to worry me. Extra guests, canabis, noise, garbage.

 

I would also avoid local guests - I assume they must be to have found 30 people to party with ?

Right now, Pete, my problem is even getting the amount promised. They promised it, then seem to have reneged on this based on their (incorrect) estimation of the time it took me to respond to the offer.

I believe that is the standard practice. They offer a single take it or leave it resolution, and if you don't take it then no negotiation. If you get bored read these forums and you will see a pattern

 

- need for report, receipts, photos, police within 24hrs

- endless attempts to contact Airbnb ignored

- offer based on some fraction of actual claim

- offer withdrawn if not accepted 

 

Someone needs to sneak out the Airbnb resolution handbook...

@Pete28

 

I would love to see that, there must be one as it would need to cover issues that are not dealt with in the Host Guarantee wording. Preactice and Wordings being so different.

David

This was the story, yes. 

Today the update is: I've been offered a much higher sum, out of the blue. $2029 was offered, with the same link to click, but no mention of a cut-off date. I've accepted it. 

You might take this case to your local media as an example of airbnb gone bad, that might get you a different response, and many hosts say if you approach airbnb via twitter or FB they are more responsive.

I did resort to this, Mark. I posted my story (as worded, above) on the Airbnb Facebook page. I also wrote to CEO Brian Chesky, via Facebook Messenger. 

 

These two lines of contact, plus posting here (and all of your extremely supportive and helpful responses to me) seem to have done the trick.

 

I'm left feeling like I won a fight but had to sink low, in order to achieve that. It's a hollow feeling. I'm reapprasing Airbnb as a result of this unpleasant, unhealthy experience.

David126
Level 10
Como, CO

The ususal way to cover such costs is an adequate security deposit, not something ABB offers.

 

I am not sure it is a mistake, seems standard procedure judging from the many similar cases I have seen.

 

I have seen success by involving the media.

David

Airbnb appears to have 'gone rogue' in that, unlike any other company I can think of - especially one I'm doing such huge transactions with - they seem to think it's OK to make a mistake, then 'disengage' (their word) which essentially means, trample all over the truth and then refuse to discuss it.

Thanks David. 

What I find unethical, was the coercive nature of 'reply by this time or we go completely silent and shut you out'. No company should deal with its customers in that way. 

Both parties assume risk when a guest stays in a home; Airbnb assumes risk with each and every transaction. Running away from my claim was a way to try to shrug me off; I make a lot of money for Airbnb annually - and to be treated that way makes me very sad.

Kelly149
Level 10
Austin, TX

It has come up in other threads that the new system requires a police report for all claims over $300. Utterly absurd since local police have much better things to do than write up a report for spilled beer, damaged couches/mattresses & extra guests.

Yet again the only answer is swift removal of a problem guest at the first notice of a problem. ABB will not reimburse hosts for problem guests so our only recourse is being hyper vigilant and sending them packing before the beer is spilled and the stereo is stolen.

Ounce of Prevention better than a Pound of Cure (& please carry your own insurance)

IF you actually know who your guest is (collected an ID) then I'm sure your insurance company will work on collecting directly from the guest and/or ABB.

Good luck on getting ABB to do the right thing

Airbnb asked for a police report and I sent it to them. 

If I claim on our household insurance for just $600, my premiums will go up and within a couple of years I'll have lost even more money. Prevention: I was out of town but my basement tenants alerted my 'eyes' in town; we did get the guests out as soon as the problem was realized. The only way to have known sooner would have been to have not left the house at all.