Guest breaks into wrong listing - Airbnb won’t assist

Hugh0
Level 10
Sydney, Australia

Guest breaks into wrong listing - Airbnb won’t assist

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. 

34 Replies 34
Elena87
Level 10
СПБ, Russia

@Hugh0 

 

I'd say you hyperbolize to state the guest broke in.

 

No doubt the guest was an absolute prime plonker, but I think you have to take responsibility for weak controls.

 

You are playing leapfrog over a unicorn if one code opens another box, and one key opens another door.

I'm not surprised airbnb rejected your claim on who was to blame, although I'm not surprised they jerked you around first.

 

Make a few changes, and it won't be able to occur again. 

 

 

Broke in, entered without permission, unauthorised access, squatted....take your pick. The meaning is the same. 

 

Weak controls? I never imagined someone hunting through 15 key safes at the wrong building and using the keys to try 8 different apartment doors till they found a match. It was random, not weak.

 

The fact is the guest occupied two apartments and Airbnb did not support the claim - but no surprise there - they never do.

 

You have a lovely day - must be great to be so wise. 

 

 

@Hugh0 

 

When the unsuspected happens that exposes the flaws in a system, that's why people brainstorm looking for potential problems.

 

I had a discussion with my business partner about windows being left open on the first floor of our business premises and pointed out this was a potential fire hazard! which he found hilarious only a few days later the fire brigade was called to put out a fire in the next-door building because a local oike had flicked a cigarette butt trough their first-floor window!

 

So I completely agree with @Elena87  you need to do some brainstorming on your systems as they are not fit for purpose.

 

Look on the bright side he could have cleaned out your whole apartment and if you had guest staying in that location all their procession as well.

 

Back to the drawing board. 

 

I'll see your "must be great to be so wise"

 

and raise it to "must be unfortunate to be so foolish"

 

Using your analogy, you better keep windows closed in a different building up the street from your premises to protect yourself from fire. 

 

Since 2011, over 3500 guests have successfully retrieved keys from key safes outside my properties and let themselves into the apartment they have booked . I think our process and procedures are sound. 

 

This single act was random and either malicious or unbelievably stupid.  Either way, I did not throw the person out. 

 

It was agreed the security deposit was to be paid to me - so the guest was found to be at fault - however Airbnb won’t give me the guest details to pursue the balance. They only give guest details In case of “imminent risk of death or serious physical injury”....after you complete the form while under the threat of imminent risk of death or serious physical injury.

 

I will update my rules to say guests authorise Airbnb to release their ID and address on demand so any matter can be pursued privately.

 

I  see you have 36 reviews and charge $37 per night.  Back to the drawing board?  Hahahaha 

 

His listing is from Poland. Poland rates are much lower than other countries. If your security was sound, you wouldn’t have had a breach. 

Rates are much lower in Poland and has not received a review in years. His strong comments are weighed in light of his experience. 

 

My post was not about “breach of security”. It was about Airbnb response when the unexpected happens. 

 

Thanks for your input 

Helen3
Level 10
Bristol, United Kingdom

Wow @Hugh0 you come on here to complain about a guest and then are rude to both the hosts who responded - because you didn't like what they had to say......

 

Quite honestly this is not a 'pissing contest' and it doesn't matter how many reviews a fellow host has or what they charge. Everyone here is entitled to express an opinion without being put down by hosts like yourself.

 

If you don't want advice - then why post?

 

To me I can't understand why when you found out about the error, you didn't ask the guest who was in the wrong place to leave and  move into the correct apartment. In that way you wouldn't have lost out financially. Simple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You were also unpleasa

 

 

What does that say about you?

 

 

 

@Cormac0 

Hello Helen. 

 

Your simplistic take on the situation ignores the fact that the guest did not respond to myself or Airbnb when the luggage was discovered. They stayed a third night before replying. They then moved out and did not cancel to free up the listing.

 

If someone wants to reply with black and white gospel recommendations to start again then their experience is relevant. 

 

The rest of your venting is hypocritical so ignored. 

@Hugh0  What does the number of reviews another host has and what they charge have to do with the validity of their opinion? For all you or anyone else knows, a host may get most of their bookings through other platforms, or have tons of hospitality experience having nothing to do with STR sites. And what in the world does the cost of someone's listing have to do with anything?

Hugh0
Level 10
Sydney, Australia

My original post was on the response by Airbnb to an unusual situation, one where they agreed the guest was at fault but refused to provide the guests details for appropriate follow up.

 

This has solicited comments on my process and procedures.....unsolicited but not unwelcome. However,  to authoritatively instruct someone to “return to the drawing board” , i.e, scrap their highly successful practices of many years requires commensurate experience to give credibility. This experience was demonstratively lacking.

 

Good day. 

@Hugh0 

 

Yes, Hugh, I'm a poor man LOL,  but you deserve some credit that you were not overwhelmed by a complete sense of embarrassment to allow such a scenario arise in the first place and then commit it to paper!

I can also see you come from the management school of fix the blame fast, rather than as Helen, I and others have pointed out reviewing the obvious chasm in your guest's security might be more prudent.

 

Since you got personal, I can’t help but wonder how old you actually are? And do you own the properties you manage?

 

I would like to take this opportunity to thank @Sarah977 , @Helen3 , @Colleen253  for coming to my defence, Thank you.

 

Postscript: while my business partner found it amusing that I would think of such a thing the windows were closed.

 

Hello Cormac....again.

 

I’m not interested in whether you are poor. I’m only interested in your Airbnb hosting experience to see if it gives credibility to justify your strong comments. Unfortunately it does not. 

 

Your comments were highly personal and not welcome.  This reply is even more personal and non-sequiter. 

 

All the best to you. 

@Hugh0 

 

You're last post only confirm my suspicion you're a school boy inhabiting a man's body, grow up and learn some manners!, I not going list my property portfolio or experience in the letting market at your whim.

 

You dropped the ball now take ownership of it...

 

 

 

Cormac - surely you have better things to do? It’s Christmas - it’s the time of year for Elves not Trolls.

 

A brief review of your posting history shows a history of insults and petty fights.  

 

Hope things improve for you in 2020.