Hi everybody,
I have been hosting for 4 years now. When I started, my apartment was advised in 3 sites, but over time I gave up of 2 of them and stayed with Airbnb. Meanwhile the growth of Airbnb was enormous and the quality of the guests is decreasing, at least this is my feeling. Nevertheless I've been recommending Airbnb to everybody, until the following happened to me:
I had a family of guests – a young couple with their one year son – who stayed in my apartment for 40 days. I was first contacted by her but did not accept immediately, so they used a different profile and used the instant booking. I accept instant booking only from recommended guests, that was their case, and they are also hosts. So I thought it would be OK. I personally welcome them (despite their more than one day late arrival) and did the usual tour of the house. I was available during all their stay, they did not complaint about anything. On their last day the key was delivered to my daughter with a smile but without allowing her entrance (you will next understand why). All of it can be easily checked on our correspondence by Airbnb system.
But when I entered the apartment after their departure, I found used baby's diapers in my kitchen and food sticked on the walls. The bath tub looked like it was last time cleaned in the time of Discoveries, there was an area full of objects usually placed elsewhere (piles of chairs, cleaning products, heaters, toys). My water vacuum cleaner misused (without water), all the beds were used, all the closets for bed linen and towels were in a mess.
They wrote their review immediately, but I was completely pissed of and delayed mine until last moment. I had more to think about, like preparing the place for the next guest – a mother and her 14 years daughter -, who stayed for 6 days. It was an extra effort, but of course the place was spotless as always when they arrived. This guest wrote a 5 stars review and I did the same for her.
I wrote my reviews for both guests on the same day. I was naive enough to give to the couple a positive review, low rate, but still positive, considering that they had water my plants and they were hosts as well. Then I was taken by surprise and knew about their's review: Overall 1, Cleanliness 1, Accuracy 4, Value 3, Communication 5, Arrival 5, Location 4. On their public comment they seriously accuse me of unthinkable things, like danger of fire, clutter, lack of cleanliness, and there is more writing in their private comments to Airbnb.
So now I had a very negative review as first comment appearing to future guests. And the good review from the second guest was not appearing in my public page, only in my private dashboard. Then I called Airbnb centre in Lisbon, I was puzzled and wanted to know what could happen next. I was told that there was nothing to worry about, my average overall rate is still 4,5, even after a 1 star review; and the other issue maybe was something with my browser.
Soon after I had a third guest who also rated me 5 stars, his comment is public - but the second one is still disappeared.
Unfortunately there was more to come. Recently I received an e-mail from a case manager at Airbnb. It seems that, after looking over some documentation submitted by my guests, they are entitled to a partial refund of $1,854 or €1,571 (approximately the amount I got for one entire month), and this amount will be deducted from my future reservations. All based on my violation of Host standards policy!
From this point on, all I got from Airbnb was automated replies to my questions. According to the contract that we both – host and guest - have signed with Airbnb, unless I was mistaken for the past 4 years, if something was not according to guests expectations, they should have told me. I would in first place correct the situation, or if that correction was still not acceptable for them, they could cancel the reservation and stay somewhere else. Or we could adjust a lower price for the stay. To Airbnb it does not matter. It does not matter either the fact that they exposed their baby to danger (according to them) for 40 days. Or that there is another review from the next guest, written BEFORE their's review was public, and that this second review is hidden as part of my punishment. It does not matter either that I want to know what I am accused of, what kind of evidence was produced and when was it produced, in order to prevent future issues with other guests. Nothing matters. There is a decision, and it will stick. There is nothing I can do, except maybe cancel my 2 coming reservations (which will barely cover half of that amount), leave Airbnb for ever and start from the beginning somewhere else.
This can happen. Just forget about my case and suppose there is a long time host who helped the growth of the Airbnb community. This host has a license from local authorities, pays his duties and taxes, and he is average overall very well rated. Out of nowhere comes a guest that produces fake evidence and ruins it all? And Airbnb supports this guest and does not ear a word from the host? I do not think it is fair. I think that Airbnb is about guest and host, about sharing experiences, not only about money, not only about getting satisfied guests no matter what.
