Guest breaks into wrong listing - Airbnb won’t assist

[Hugh0]

I thought I had seen it all. Over 1000 reviews of experience has shown me a thing of two. But nothing prepared me for this.

One of my 5 listings had been vacant for a few days. A guest from Booking.com was arriving that day. I asked my housekeeper to check the apartment for small things - crack open a window, check the floors etc before the guest arrived.

To our surprise, he found luggage in the apartment and stuff everywhere. A check of the tags showed the name of a guest who checked in two days previously, to an apartment in the building next door.

I checked the instructions - yep, they were given the correct instructions to 32/20 X Ave. How the hell did they get into 48/18 X Ave????!

The guest was called and messaged. Airbnb was called and messaged. No reply.

I had to cancel the Booking.com guest and refund them $489 because their apartment was “occupied”.

The next day the Airbnb guest calls and says he is in the wrong apartment. I asked how he managed to do that - he said he used the code on every keysafe on the gate of the building next door (my instructions say look for a keysafe in a mailbox) and finally one opened. He then used the key on every door on level 4 (the only thing the two apartments have in common) until a door opened.

i asked why he did not contact us when he found the apartment was nothing like the listing he booked ( no bedroom, no city views,  no huge picture window). He said he did not notice.

He then moved out because “he did not feel welcome” and refused to cancel his booking.

I  filed a claim for $489 I was out of pocked for the booking I cancelled . Airbnb refused.  Gave reasons like “potential” booking - I sent them the actual booking. They then said I should have given the arriving guest the vacant apartment - I replied that they booked for 3 days, only 2 were available. After that, Airbnb just refused.

I then asked for the guest details so I could take action against them. Airbnb refused and sent me a link to an “emergency help” page. Get this - if your life is in immediate danger you have to fill in a form of 14 questions - OMG   “Due to global data privacy laws, I will not be able to give out that information. Please have them utilize this portal for more information. www.airbnb.com/lert“

I did the honourable thing and did not throw the home invader’s stuff in the trash. It cost me $489.  Support from Airbnb - zero.  

Chesky says that Airbnb is “in the business of trust.” Show me the trust in this situation Airbnb?!?!?!

I’m sticking with Booking.com. The host holds the money, holds the security deposit, holds the ID. I’m done with NO support from Customer Support. 

[Hugh0]

Hi Emilia

the reason I did not evict the guest is that I wanted to be nice - I did not want to throw this stranger out into the street later that evening. They had already stayed two nights and the apartment was in good order so I did not sense any immediate threat to my property. 

I posted the episode because  it was highly unusual and interesting hosting story and to highlight the fact that Airbnb will not give hosts the ID that hosts like myself ask Airbnb to collect from guests when a host seeks damages from a guest above and beyond the security deposit.

The link customer support provided to get the guest information was also of note. I suggest you click on it - http://www.airbnb.com/lert

I cannot imagine having my life in imminent danger and completing the form and it’s many questions that are required in order to get help - or the guest’s ID as was suggested by customer

service.

[Susan17]

It really is no wonder that local police forces in so many jurisdictions are refusing to attend Airbnb callouts, when the company forces law enforcement agencies to jump through so many ridiculous hoops, when they're the ones seeking urgent, time-sensitive information. 

[Inna22]

@Hugh0 I have actually had A guest figure a code for another apartment and enter as well. Somehow it didn’t surprise him that he rented a dinky two bedroom basement apartment but entered into a duplex up 3 bedroom huge place with the sunroom. 
Being as experienced as you are, you should know that guests will never cease to surprise us.

What I would’ve done in your situation was rehouse the other guests in the other apartment and market it to them as an upgrade. It sounds like it was a much better place. Then move them to the original apartment but offer a little bit of a discount and to help them bring the things over. That way you would’ve only been out of small amount of  money. Alternatively, you could’ve moved the other guest to where he belonged and moved to the booking.com guests to what they have rented.

Sometimes we just have to be creative. 

[Hugh0]

Hi Inna

you are correct, guests continue to surprise. However this really surprised me, because if I set it as a challenge to find the other keysafe and then the apartment in the street that I had currently vacant most people would find it a daunting task. 

I would have moved the arriving guest to an “upgraded” apartment if the dates allowed. Unfortunately only 2 of their 3 nights were available 😞

I considered moving the unwelcome guest’s stuff to his apartment but I realised 1) it would piss him off and 2) under the new rules he could not leave a review if he never set foot in the apartment he actually booked.  A move would have triggered a payback 1 Star review.

Till Airbnb removes payback reviews I will continue to focus on Booking.com. 

 Thanks and Merry Christmas 

[Stephanie]

Hiya everyone,

I can understand the topic of this thread can raise a lot of discussion but would urge that we all take a minute to ensure we are being polite and constructive. Whilst others opinions may not be what we want to hear, as long as they are portrayed in said manner we must be respectful, as we always do in this Community Center.

Remember, if you see something you think crosses a line or doesn't meet the community guidelines, feel free to drop me a message or hit the "flag as inappropriate" message.

I'd also like to thank those that have remained calm and supportive.

Thanks