As a host do you feel protected by the service?

[Elizaveta18]

Hi dear hosts.

I’m writing it because enough is enough. We are tired of this disgusting policy where you will never find a help or normal proper answers, not a typical bots replies. 

Unfortunately we work with a people and all situations are different and surely not the same. So Airbnb’ agents have to be involved directly and properly in the conflicts what they of course don’t do. Already 3 times we were scammed by them. No refunds for broken things, double standards for review policy, no protection for a host when you max pleased a guests. It’s a huge disappointment.

To know I’m a person for whom the reputation is not just a word, I’m doing everything with all my heart.

Honestly we have no motivation anymore, because of this disgrace. But I’m curious to know do you have the same problems with their “help”, “support” and “careless’.

Thanks.

[Robin4]

@Elizaveta18 

Elizaveta, I am sorry that you have got less than satisfactory service from Airbnb support. I know the job is hard enough as it is when all goes well, and the frustration is quadrupled where there is no back-up when things don't go so well.

Support has deteriorated considerably over the past few years but, the major impact came when Airbnb let 1200 employees go in 2020 because of the effects of Covid. Those staff have not been replaced and support is now principally outsourced to support agencies who play the numbers game. The more tickets they can close the more they get paid, so the emphasis is on closing cases, not solving them. 

Now that in itself is not the core of the problem, we as hosts should not expect support from Airbnb, they should solely be a booking agency and it should be up to us as property owners and business operators to properly cover our risks.....not expect Airbnb to do it! 

But the problem is years ago Airbnb did do it......they made a big thing out of telling us they had our backs covered, they set up a framework of support and in the main tried to make it work. Now they don't, they will look for any loophole to avoid responsibility and these outsourced support staff are hampered by a lack of training and trying to work within an outdated set of guidelines that the company no longer believes in!

If the company revamped their support responsibilities and simply said, we send you guests, how you handle them is your business not ours......fine! Everyone would know where they stood and covered themselves appropriately. 

Airbnb are trying to have a foot in both camps and, it's not working.

Elizaveta the only thing you should expect from Airbnb is guest information and hosting payment support. 

I have a choice, do I throw my hands in the air when something goes wrong and walk away from Airbnb, or do I accept the risk and also accept the rewards that come with it!  As long as Airbnb keeps sending me guests, I will accept them and the money that comes with them , and if something goes wrong.......I have allowed for that, I just put it right and get on with hosting! 

I won't say that Airbnb are the best of a bad bunch, but also, I won't say they are worse than anyone else, every platform has it's issues, success lies in the way we as hosts deal with them!

Cheers........Rob 

[Elizaveta18]

Thanks Rob, you are a very motivated person.

Yea, I know how it’s complicated the situation now for everybody and my point is that before was better (early beginning).

Just until the company charges a fees from a hosts and guests they have to  provide a good service for both sides.

[Elaine701]

@Elizaveta18 

You should never rely on Airbnb for anything except bookings and reviews. These are the only two things Airbnb is very good at. Better than any other platform. All the rest is simply fluff.

[Elizaveta18]

Thanks Elaine.

But even the reviews are fake now. Once they deleted a good guest’ feedback for us because we wrote to him a bad. Now to pleased the guests and not spoiled their holidays we canceled their booking because they didn’t like design (lol). And of course they wrote a bad review for us. Great, when you loose 3 weeks booking, good sum of money and as a bonus spoiled reputation. And the support did nothing, it’s okey for them. Let’s support a conflicts on this platform.

[Elaine701]

@Elizaveta18 

Yes, well, not all reviews are going to be good ones, and you can't rely on Airbnb to remove the "fake" ones.

You'll get reviews. It's solely >your< problem to make sure you get honest ones.. And good ones too.

You may need to short-circuit the system, and take a few fists to the chin to avoid the "fake" reviews, but preventing thise who are unsuitable for your offering from booking in the first place is really your only defence. 

Ask questions. Lots of them. Beware, not everyone has honourable intentions, and will not always be honest, and some may be honest, but aren't really suitable. I also would prefer they did, but wishful thinking won't solve the problem. 

Don't be afraid to scare them away. There's another (hopefully better) booking around the corner. It's Airbnbs greatest strength. 

[Elizaveta18]

Yes you are right!

That’s why I try to leave a honest reviews too, unfortunately for a good feedback many hosts are writing “a good comments” when literally it’s not.  I don’t like this Cabala system when we are just a slaves to the guests because we need to be a super host.  So we have to be quit.

Surely we have to be a professional but… many people don’t understand what they rent and the main idea of service.

Until Airbnb supports this sh*t and this behavior we have no rights. Hello middle age.

[Fred13]

     You are approaching Airbnb  emotionally,  it is a cold-blooded machine, thus  destined to disappointment. 

     To many of us now it is simple: Airbnb brings us the bookings, takes care of payments and has a review system. We only expect that, nothing else.

[Elizaveta18]

Hi, unfortunately the review system is fake and I’m not interested in this disgusting service where this bloody machine doesn’t protect you or your property.