At present, I have a squatter who made an Instant Book reservation at my waterfront marina listing in a premier part of Los Angeles.
The guest is verified. Upon his reservation and checkin, I found his recent reviews "overstayed, would not pay for additional nights, baricated the front door, burnt curtains and smoked indoors'. I am a former super host, would have been more proative in screening this guest prior to having keys delivered to him had I not one-month-new twins in my arms. Airbnb was meant to be my only form of income during the last 3 months of preganancy, as I am not permitted to work in the United States. To date, I have lost thousands of dollars due to property oversupply in my neighborhood (since profiting mid 2017, my feasibility was looking so good until I started this up again end 2018). My hope, to support new life as a family of 3, shattered.
"Oliver" booked 3 nights. He was delivered the key by another guest who had been staying in my personal home for the last week. He dropped the key downstairs to Oliver. He mentioned there were 3 people in the vehicle, and that Oliver had a brother just released from prison, who he would see settle back into society. A woman in the vehicle, supposedly his wife. Oliver made a reservation as 1-guest, deceitfully avoiding the extra fee that is payable for additional guests beyond 1.
He continued to text and call my guest who was staying in my home, over the next couple of days. I sent Oliver many messages on Airbnb, very clearly stating that I am the host (landlord) and all communication to be recorded in message on Airbnb; to cease contacting my friend (guest) who had dropped the keys as he has/d nothing to do with my listing/business. My requests and messages were ignored.
My guest would update me several times daily that Oliver was claling him at all hours in the evening. Oliver managed to lock the bathroom door from the inside and did not notify me until 5.30pm (afterhours) and I attempted to have a locksmith attend. He then notified my guest in the morning that the door was miraculously unlocked once again. My guest was becoming unsettled for assuming a title of mediator between Oliver and myself.
Oliver requested via my guest, to stay additional night after the 10am checkout. Due to the checkout, the reservation had closed and I was instructed by Airbnb Support Staff to request money from Oliver for the additional evening. I did so. He took an entire day of following up, to pay a minimal tariff... much stress as I did not trust this deceitful and from the onset, sexist hulk of a man.
After 3 evenings that followed suit, added stress, delayed payment due to all manner of excuses, I finally succumb to ask Oliver to leave my property. In writing, on Airbnb. He had requested a quote for an entire month, which I provided a quote for 1 week (I had received enquiries to book by lovely, repeat guests over Christmas). Oliver managed to alter the money request for the week, to 3 extra nights only and the sum of money that he chose to pay for those 3 nights at his own accord. I did not Accept his change, however received an auto email from Airbnb advising that the payout was received and the guest was still onboard another 3 nights.
After the first of those 3 nights, I advised Oliver he was not welcome to stay any longer. I asked again that he leave. No response. I reimbursed majority of what he had paid for those 3 nights (I could pay only the maximum of the guest's initial reservation; so he received 218 of 275) I explained this to Oliver. He became irrate and threatening. He threatened my guest on WhatsApp.
I attended my unit with the spare key, it seemed Oliver and co were out. I photographed a passport belonging to someone from France with an Arab background, 'Habib'. I photographed a bag of drugs on my dining table (violation #3 of my house rules). I took hostage a custard tart from the refrigerator and returned home. On 2hours of sleep, the hostage situation was humorous for a moment.. though I should have left his cake where it was. The man with vocals like King Kong became enraged learning that I had entered the property.
They changed the entire lock barrel on my door. They instigated that they had left my listing to Airbnb staff and my guest. I attended my unit the next day as I was flat out exhausted from twin infants and this whole situation and my own guest becoming annoyed at me(?) that this Oliver continued to harrass him and now threatening. My guest checked out and after 10 nights of his staying at my home and being so helpful with my baby girls, he left rather annoyed by the whole situation. Despite my every effort to have this Oliver leave, and cease contacting my guest. I lost my guest (income) and a new friend.
I attended to find my unit locks changed. I called a locksmith who could not attend until the next morning. I waited. We attended, I walked back and forth between 2 properties to retrieve my credit card for payment of $350 to change the lock barrel. As the locksmith begun at the front door, a heavy banging on teh door from the inside, Oliver "What You Want" like an oagre, the hulk, King Kong. A barbarian. Locksmith and I immediately walked outside to discuss the situation. He eventually left, after giving me a hug and telling me not to cry again.. that my baby girls are the most important thing and that all would be okay. Easy to say as you drive away from a rather impossible situation for a single mother, raped earlier in the year and learned of twin pregancy 17weeks later. Give up on startup. Give up on reconnecting with soul mate after 6months away from 'home'. Try to find a means to earn an income to support impending delivery and life as three, instead of one selfless girl. There is no more risk taking on startups. No more sacrificing living and lifestyle to invest own savings into startups. No VISA for work. No family. No friends or support network. Alone. Absolutely, entirely alone.
Guest has now overstayed without payment for 6 nights at a cost of $110 per evening. Usual nightly tariff $175 (would have otherwise offset my living expenses in the unit next door, same cost per night, no other form of income). A new reservation for 5 evenings was cancelled due to Oliver's situation.
I had the Sheriffs attend. I advised the condo management of my wrongdoing with Airbnb'ing my unit and my apology for this, that it was the only method I knew to fund my life, pregnant and in the early months of twins in the world. Not a single sympathy from management - which was fine, we are all entitled to do say and feel as we want and the woman at the office had no care about any of it. I gave my notice to vacate my monthly lease.
I now have a squatter in the unit. A long Host Guarantee Insurance Claim awaiting final numbers and receipts as I will receive them. A loss of the only means to earn an income and a home on the other side of the fence costing $800 a week to maintain. I am scared, yes. I have an ex convict, liar and dangerous African man in a unit I have my name assigned to, who has made serious threats to harm me if I go near my unit. He expressed his devastation to the Sheriff about his custard tart going amiss... (to which one deputy laughed).
Airbnb have assigned to several case managers and several safety case managers, with no more support than attempted phone calls with an irrate guest - a guest who cares nothing about Airbnb and whose card assigned to his account is undoubtedly empty. I have very much been alone in this situation. The sheriff have provided me a strategy and voer the next days hope to see that come to fruition (See, we are hopeful that Oliver and co. will simply leave my unit after the Rental Furniture is removed today).
My $6000 security bond will likely be retained by management due to loss of income and inability to pay the monthly rent, caused by Oliver.
I have no inceom and nothing in my account to feed myself. Fortunately my baby girls have formula. I have not eaten for days or been to the grocery store for nutritious food in weeks. I don't know what to do anymore.
