Goodbye, AirBNB!

Danielle476
Level 10
Toronto, Canada

Goodbye, AirBNB!

After two years of successful hosting and over 300+ stays, I'm calling it quits.  I wish I could have hosted longer, but the lack of support and assistance is costing me dearly.  I've had AirBNB refund four reservations now that were completely ineligible; one of which they assured me in writing that they would not refund...then did the same day without any notification whatsoever.  No e-mail, nothing.  Thousands of dollars that were not covered by the EC clause refunded without my permission or knowledge.

Today I received a letter from my condo board's lawyers stating a guest I hosted on June 23rd threw a party, had guests acting belligerently in the lobby, harassing my concierge & being so disruptive that the police had to be called to remove my guest's friends.  This is a guest that I already have an open claim for as she smoked in my home and damaged some furniture.  (She had great reviews but I suppose that means nothing these days.)  Thankfully my building allows AirBNBs but I was still fined $900 for the disruption and noise bothering neighbours.  I had to call AirBNB three times today to have the $900 added to the existing claim, but I have zero hope that I will ever see that money or the money I requested originally.  I also feel terribly about putting my neighbours through any sort of trouble, they don't deserve to be disrupted in their own homes.

It's just not worth the trouble - it's costing me money to host now that I have no protection when it comes to guests who choose not to follow the rules.  I've enjoyed learning from all of you here and appreciate your advice & counsel over the last two years!  I wish you all the best in your hosting journeys.  I'd love to keep participating here as I enjoy helping newcomers, so I'm sure we'll see each other around.  🙂 Stay safe and healthy!

38 Replies 38
Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

@Danielle476 You must be one cool person in 'real life', meaning not just in this forum. That will serve you well in the next 'chapter'. and after all that is what oftentimes hosting boils down to - a chapter, and sooner or later we have to turn the page and we are on the next one. Just like that. The best to you @Danielle476 . 

Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

@Danielle476 The parties are my biggest pet peeve in the cause of most evil on Airbnb in my opinion. The amount of effort I put in to make sure those are not happening and the number that still slip by me and I have to deal with is astounding. I do have bigger homes so I guess in a way I’m asking for it but it is victim blaming. I should be able to open my doors to a big group and it shouldn’t equate to breaking every one of my house rules. Airbnb needs to do more to change some peoples thinking that Airbnb equals party. As some have mentioned here, real security deposit, better ID verification should be A really easy first step. You were so fortunate to you have a  condo board That allows Airbnb‘s and yet here you are not being able to continue. Perhaps you can come back after taking a break? Some of the tools I use that have been really helpful are Party Squasher and noise monitor. By the way if anybody needs one I can sell it really cheap because I had to close a couple of my properties :-). These expensive tools can help you stop the party within the first couple of minutes. As far as your refunds, please get in touch with Legalbnb. It is a Chicago-based law farm specializing in similar issues. 

My husband and I were thinking of getting a device that monitors for sound because although we have a granny suite in the basement of our AirBnb we would like to go away for winter and have someone else mind the property. Something like Party Squasher would be useful. We're in Michigan. We'd be interested in buying one of yours if you still have one to sell.

 

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

" I should be able to open my doors to a big group and it shouldn’t equate to breaking every one of my house rules. Airbnb needs to do more to change some peoples thinking that Airbnb equals party. 

 

    You should be able to, but best not to.  Keep in  mind @Inna22,  Airbnb is no more than a reservation conduit, as is VRBO, etc or going direct; how they book is irrelevant. Besides,  asking Airbnb to try to prevent something, when the host could (or best) do so, and thus further empowering them to get even more involve in the social engineering department.

    The upshot is that your model is a high-risk one by the fact you allow 16 people to bunch up in one place, in a major American city and in a nice place with delicate furnishings vs.  a military-type bomb shelter with industrial-grade, bolted-down benches and bunk beds and MPs at the ready to throw a net over  anyone getting out of hand. Ok, maybe my military version is not quite necessary, but probably close. 🙂

Your correct as is usual @Fred13 , the free for all that happens once you open your doors unattended is more likely than not nowadays that Spoiled POS Punk Bratz of all types have money,  credit cards and internet access. 

 

Trust isn't implied, its earned!   Written over a supply Sgt's window in Katterback Germany back in 1980 when I went to pick up my issue gear, "In God we trust, all others must sign hand receipts".  President Reagan's "Trust but Verify" also seems apropos!   Put these two together and you get something like this. 

 

"Unless your god, I will need a court certified promissory note or close order audible/ visual confirmation of compliance with the house rules or your not staying at my place!"

 

Stay well, JR

Cormac0
Level 10
Kraków, Poland

@Danielle476 

 

In my opinion, if one does not control turnover/Cash of a business your not running your own business full stop, Airbnb takes circa 20% of your turnover for this crap. 

 

While i think the STR business is a great idea its being completely mismanaged for the benefits

of Airbnb, hosts while owning and managing the primary assets of this business, are treated like indentured servants.

 

I pulled my listing about two years ago and I've made considerable more money on long term rental then I did in my year and half experiment with Airbnb with considerably less work.

 

The cynics amongst us and I've only come across one will lecture us on the ruthlessness of business while completely ignoring the fact that laws have been enacted to make business a level playing field, Airbnb is not a level playing field and its exploiting hosts at every opportunity, a quick read of the terms and condition are all that is required too form this view.

 

One contributor stands out for his obvious professional experience in the hospital field and his cogent, concise and practical advice in this community Andrew is the person I'm referring too and he has a very dim view of the review process as do I, its a whip to beat our own back with.

 

So inconclusion I wish you well and remember there are many more opportunities  out in the big wide world and I can for see a time and it won't be long when host start leaving Airbnb in droves.

 

I suggest that Brian Chesky step down as CEO and Head of community as Airbnb needs a new broom fast.

@Cormac0 , "In my opinion, if one does not control turnover/Cash of a business your not running your own business full stop, Airbnb takes circa 20% of your turnover for this crap.".  That's sort of true but listing professional services and situations through third parties is nothing new for many small businesses that are completely legit and wish to expand their sphere of influence past their local Phone Directory.  Think about how many small hotels, motels, cruise lines, museums and side shows got on the map because they listed with travel agencies like AAA even before the internet was invented, Airbnb is just another form of them and most small lodging providers need them to compete unless they can hang a Best Western Sign in front of our homes (Think about those franchise costs!!!!!). 

 

There are very few ways Cormac from Poland or @Gabriela185 from Bulgaria will ever find Bearpath Lodging in Munnsville NY if they want to take their kid to see Colgate University on a college tour much less @Inna22 from Chicago.  The price we must pay for much more profit in the long term is less percentage of profit in each short run.  And as always, we really need to depend more on ourselves than paid non partners but thats not new either.  Stay well Cormac, JR 

@Melodie-And-John0 

 

Firstly, I'm not from Poland, I'm from the Republic of Ireland, my properties in Poland are part of my pension portfolio, I've had these apartments for circa 16 years!

 

I like to thank you for given me an insight of Return of Investment and Internal Rate of Return not forgetting Net Present Value.

 

I pulled my listing from Airbnb because receiving four months income in two and having ten month practically empty does not make good business sense, not to mention the nonsense about running your own Business with a third party (Airbnb) holding the income and having final say over ones terms and conditions.

 

I keep my hand in on this site to keep up to date on the STR business, but having run my own business and being a consultants on others, I can tell you in no uncertain terms Airbnb is not just a listing site and they get away with claiming to be because most on the people on here are mom & pop operations no disrespect to them but in my opinion 80% of them are being taken for a ride.

 

I got slapped and lectured by some hosts that have very successful Airbnb operation and in one case lectured on my business acumen by another, of course they feel they can do this because they got lucky with their Airbnb location and long may it last, but this has blinded them to the realities of how expensive and uncompromising Airbnb is...

 

 

 

 I like having guests from everywhere and I don't advertise anywhere, it works well and I don't pay credit card processing fees either.  I meant no disrespect @Cormac0 in Krakow Poland that is really from from Ireland.   My point was that ma and pa's around me in Munnsville and surrounding communities where I actually live that are like me that dont list with a broker of some type only get scraps that fall off the table into their lap.  Some are fine with that but I can't afford to have most of my rentables empty unless there is a big thing happening locally.   I prefer the normal 60%+ rented numbers over their 15 to 20% and even with the somewhat large costs of using Airbnb, we have been able to turn a healthy profit.  I don't look at them as partners actually, we have a parasitic relationship that relies on us both doing our part (they haven't exactly been living up to their part lately but I suspect they will repair that or go out of business).  

Gabriela185
Level 2
Sofia, Bulgaria

The same situation. My guest had party at home. They broke the window and had blood on the walls and on the bed lines. No body wanna pay for that. Also they broke some of the rules at home like to smoke shisha and burn a little bit the table. They don`t answer the phone i can not find them. Airbnb don`t give me any answer and its like that from two weeks. I had hopes but when i read your post now i am feeling terible! 

Melodie-And-John0
Level 10
Munnsville, NY

Im kinda new here (3 years on Airbnb with about 350 reviews) but the times have changed in that short time for travelers, hosts and the company that is the booking mother-ship to both of us.  Guest and host demographics have strayed from the storybook perfect parasite/ host model (both existing relatively perfectly without hurting each other) to one that requires a far greater amount of diligence and oversight by both guest and host (but at least the host if they wish to stay in business).  Guests were actually some of the first folks to suffer from remote hosting sickness, if something was wrong with the space, there was nobody there to immediately deal with the issues (then folks added local  co-hosts and other response tools to listing). Remotely controlling host functions may not work in this new mixing pot so well (cause there is no Co-guest to stop stupid in its tracks) and could lead to some serious issues exactly like @Danielle476  has experienced. 

 

@Inna22 has a sensor/ detector in some of her spaces (thats an interesting solution Inna!), I have two boilogically powered sensors, Melodie and I!!!  Its both a deterrent to those that take a few minutes to read that "Hosts live on premises" and a promise of immediate feedback from a grumpy old man at any hour my detector goes off for those that either can't/ won't read or think I'm kidding when it says "No Parties ever or loud noises after 10PM".   In 400+ bookings, I can count on less than one hand the amount of times I had to start knocking on doors!

 

The fact is, Airbnb was never actually anything more than a 3rd party booking/ billing service and really never could protect your business from skeazy, sleazy or untrustworthy guests and they really can't now that there are even more of them playing the system.  Danielle's choice to pull out of the STR with Airbnb might be the right choice for many if not most offsite host situations with the new dynamics at play (other than maybe Bird Island like @Fred13 where there is no escape short of swimming without the host at the helm of your boat ride back to the mainland!) .  Good luck to all in these shifting sands!   JR

@Melodie-And-John0 Bird Island is like 'Hotel California', you can check in but you can't ever leave (of your own accord that is). 

Ryan156
Level 2
San Jose, CA

Shameful. I can relate 100%. I am about to post a new experience i just had with Airbnb. They refunded a 6 week stay to guest because the guest's car was vandalized in the city. Not even on our premises. They quoted a line in their policy that talked about terrorism, etc. So now it appears if a guest has a bad experience anywhere in a city where they are renting an Airbnb....the guest can back out of their reservation and landlord is left in the cold. 

@Ryan156  That's one of the most outrageous things I've ever heard of Airbnb doing. I would fight that to the death if it were me and go to the media with the story.

Airbnb appears to be entirely losing their mind. 

Lydia371
Level 2
Vancouver, Canada

Hi all,

 

I am glad that I found this and read through some of the posts for the first time.  I was feeling frustrated as well from dealing with a last couple of really bad guests.  Disregard house rules, party when it stated on my listing there's no party.  I thought that was my bad luck and I didn't screen people careful enough.  


I am going to try some of the techniques that you have shared here.  I am also in a dispute with a guest who trashed our place and stayed an extra night without paying, still waiting for response from Airbnb and has no luck. 

 

Thanks again