Disappointed in Airbnb

Farah1
Level 10
Seattle, WA

Disappointed in Airbnb

I have been hosting for 4 years and always maintain a positive/good relationship with Airbnb.

Unfortunately, Airbnb made me feel disappointed with the way they handle a recent issue that occurred.

 

For the FIRST time in 4 YEARS of hosting, I needed to ask my guests to leave and vacate the property.

 

I have an entire unit listing that is located on the lower level of my private house. I knocked on the door to say hi and found out there were 2 unauthorized guests. As I mentioned in my other post, I gave a 10pm curfew ONLY for that night and sent a reminder that it is against the house rules to bring unauthorized guests. Since then, they became SUPER rude to me... I mean it, not only rude but EXTREMELY rude. They tried to make me feel guilty for not allowing them to do that which is inappropriate because it is not a surprise, it is their responsibility to read and understand the house rules (this was an IB by the way - I resend the house rules right away once the reservation was confirmed and she said she agreed) and it is REQUIRED by Airbnb for guests to agree and follow house rules.

 

On the 2nd day, I sent a message to check on them. She said that her BIGGEST ISSUE is because I am not allowing her having unauthorized guests (max. occupancy is 4 and she already has 4 and she wants to bring 2 extra = 6 = exceeding max. occupancy).

She said that she is in town to visit her family, so I *should* have told her that the extra 2 will not be an unauthorized guest.... Hmmm interesting! I only have 2 comments for that 1. Did they or did they not in the reservation? Not. So, that means they are unauthorized. 2. She NEVER communicated this to me prior to her arrival (that she wants to have the additional 2 people come hang out at the unit).

So, basically, she is saying that the ONLY way I CAN make her have a good stay is if I BREAK MY OWN RULES by letting her have extra unauthorized guests.

 

I called Airbnb and was being *harassed* by one of the case manager. She *threatened* me saying either I give this guest a refund (for breaking my rules!) or she will let this guest leaves me a review (which of course she will leave me a bad review for not getting what she wants).

 

I was shocked and VERY DISAPPOINTED. I feel that I was treated inappropriately. I have been hosting MORE THAN 1,500 TRIPS in the 4 years! I am contributing to this forum to help others and the community. This case manager is favoring the guest. Rewarding the guest with $ because she wants to break house rules. I could not comprehend that... why? Because it does not make any sense nor ethical at all!

 

At the end, I spoke with a different case manager. At that point, I have been on the phone for HOURS and have been telling the same story to at least 10 people in Airbnb. I was hurt, I was sad, I was disappointed, I was exhausted.

I have a strict cancellation policy and house rules for a reason. A policy is a policy. I have my dignity and integrity in living my life and hosting. I will never take anything that is not my rights nor take advantage of others. Though Airbnb and the guest decided to make me be the one to be punished (loss payout) for no mistakes.

They vacate the premises around 8pm the 2nd night of their stay. I only get paid for the 1st night even though they use the unit until 8pm the 2nd night and I got compensated NOTHING for it.

 

What Airbnb case manager said:

- They rent an entire unit, so MAYBE they ASSUME they can do this > NO! It is in the house rules

- It is maybe just during the day > NO! The first night it happened in the evening and it does not matter what time, no means no and a policy is a policy

It is very *INTERESTING* to see Airbnb promoting and allowing people to break their own policy and bend house rules.

 

It is FAR AWAY from "fair". I have always been having a good faith and want to keep the positive attitude and relationship with Airbnb, but they disappoint me so greatly. I am being punished for following the policy and being compliance and a responsible host. The guest is being rewarded for breaking house rules and pressuring me to agree that she can break house rules.

 

127 Replies 127

@Karen-and-Brian0

Oh dear... but maybe she simply didn't scroll far enough.

 

My problem is that Google has been doing some changes, so that my address appeared somewhere completely different than where I live. Also, depending on whether and how you add the addition of the aptm no. there are 4 variations!!!!

After another guest not checking the pics and info I sent him separately thru the app but using the app and arriving at the wrong place, I tweeted ABB. They were really fast about it and fixed the problem (I'll still ask my present guest what their map says though!).

 

I keep adding stuff to my pre-arrival messages.... AND pre-booking, to counter laziness, stupidity, and app insufficiency it's starting to not be funny anymore!

@Karen-and-Brian0

I have a future and a few past bookings on airbnb.  The itinerary is not there on the app after booking, the only thing showing is the house manual if you have one.  

@Marit-Anne0 That's good to know. Maybe I should put the directions in my House Manual then. I don't use the app. I find it difficult to work with & everything is so tiny on my phone. A function of age, no doubt. 😉 Karen

@Karen-and-Brian0

I never use the app to book, but I use the app when I travel because the phone is always there in my handbag and the laptop is not.  I suppose other travellers do the same.  And I am probably much older than you :)))

Hey @Karen-and-Brian0 -

I don't like using the app myself, but when I send guests info I work in tandem with my laptop.

My laptop is for all text-relateds, like a saved or typed message, then on my phone app I'll shoot out the 4 arrival pictures. Then back to laptop and end it off with the arrival time text. It's super that way!

 

What type of pictures do you send your guests?

Andrea9
Level 10
Amsterdam, Netherlands

@Vicky4

Hail to Google Street View. Then I edit them either in Photoshop or in image Preview mode.

That way they can see what they'll be encountering, what your door looks like, which doorbell....

 

I'm also a super fan of selective screen shots, so any texts I composed for emails or whatever can easily be turned into a picture on my laptop with this function (operative is SELECTIVE and not total screen shot!). Assume this isn't just possible on Macs.

 

 

Selective-screen-shot *is* possible on Macs, my dear @Andrea9... SHIFT-CMD-4, then click-drag to the area you wanna screen shot, then let go of mouse button. A screenshot of that area will appear on your desktop. 🙂

 

Just had to insert my sarcastic $.02! ☺️

Andrea9
Level 10
Amsterdam, Netherlands

@Jann3

My comment was 

"Assume this ISN'T just possible on Macs."

I had been wondering about what non-Macs do 😉

 

I'm a Mac user and that screenhot selecter is one of my favorite and most used features!

 

That's another $0.21 from my side, so we can now splurge $0.42!!!

OMG! @Andrea9, my bad! Oh my! Proof one needs to FULLY read before responding! 😳

@Karen-and-Brian0 itinerary meaning the address, payment detail, house rules, check-in/out time? She must have it in her email if she bothers to check her email.

@Farah1 Yes, I was sure she had it somewhere - she didn't bother to read anything. 😕 Karen

@Andrea9 I agree! How to proceed with posting on host voice?

Andrea9
Level 10
Amsterdam, Netherlands

@Farah1

 

CC Dashboard top right under Discussion.

The postings there are meant as supplications and feedback to Airbnb as to what is terrible, should be changed. Less as problem solvers ("What should I do?").

If you get 20 thumbs up in a week, it's bumped up as 'popular', then stays to gather more reactions and hopefully be taken into consideration by ABB. The Host Voice is said to be monitored more closely than CC.

 

When you've posted, just send the link here, and I'm sure all of us here will give it our thumbs up support!

Marit-Anne0
Level 10
Bergen, Norway

@Farah1

I just got this pm message from Lizzie yesterday with a list of faq on IB.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/Answers-to-your-top-Instant-Book-questions/m-p/455171

It very clearly says that you can cancel if the guests break your house rules or you are uncomfortable with the guests. As far as I can see, both are present here.  I do think you should try again, throwing this in their face and make a reference to the CC.

For what it is worth, I say in my pre-booking message "please read the full listing before booking and the house manual after booking". Most of my guests are not so young though, so probably not using a phone for booking. But they would use a senior friendly thing like an IPad. Would someone please be able to check what it all looks like using an IPad ?

In my novice days I did have a similar experience with airbnb CS, very threatening, left me very shaky.  I now have a thicker airbnb skin 🙂