Hosting and threats by guests to host

[Lazar3]

Hi everybody,

I have been a Airbnb host for past 5 years. Now I have one UNPLEASANT SITUATION and I wanted to see did anybody had a similar situation and how was it resolved.

One of the guest wanted to cancel his reservation 2 days before arrival and since I have strict cancelation policy airbnb said to him that he will get cleaning fee back, but he will pay for apartment.

After he read that, he contact me and ask me do I know anything about that. Also he wanted full refund. I said it is a strict cancelation policy and explained him that I have lower airbnb ranking because that policy and it is set up because last minute cancelation.

Then he wanted to change to some future weekend for one day, I didn't approve that because I have weekend 2 days minimum. I offer to give him a bigger refund and told him that my apartment will be empty for those two days because it is last minute cancelation. He refuse a bigger refund and start calling me names, THREATENED me and said he is coming just to make his  THREATS true.

I reported threats to airbnb, also saying that I am not feel safe and comfortable and I want to reservation be canceled.

The only reason why I asked for cancelation was that guest started to be rude and threatened to me and he didn't follow the policy.

Airbnb cancel reservation, give all money back to guest, so I left with empty weekend and they didn't apply  strict cancelation ( I didn't got payment).

Airbnb said it is because I wanted to be reservation be canceled  ( I only ask that because guest trend me).

Final result is that guest threatened  me and got what he wanted. He received back money and he succeeded in tricking the policy (strict).

 I have been threatened, got empty weekend at apartment, didn’t got money and my strict cancelation didn’t apply.

Have anybody been in similar situation?

Best  regards

Lazar Radovanovic

[Emiel1]

"He refuse a bigger refund and start calling me names, THREATENED me and said he is coming just to make his THREATS true."

At that moment you should answer the guest to contact Airbnb, close communication and report the threats to Airbnb. Then wait. Asking for cancellation is an easy way for Airbnb to close the case. Don't give them that opportunity upfront. What Airbnb IMO should do: answer the guest: not entitled to a  refund due to cancellation policy and remove the guest from the platform because of threatening messages.

[Lazar3]

"What Airbnb IMO should do: answer the guest: not entitled to a  refund due to cancellation policy and remove the guest from the platform because of threatening messages."

Honestly I was expected that kind of reaction from Airbnb. Now I am disappointed in Airbnb.

When I reporte guest I wrote 2 pages letter explaining them situation and the only reason I asked for cancelation was that guest started to be rude and threatened to me and he didn't follow the policy.

I don't that kind of guest coming to my apartment, because he also can come and broke TV, bead or something else and then said it was like that when he come.

Airbnb also didn't give him any penalties, didn't block his account, didn't block him for messaging me.

After his reservation was canceled and money returned to him, he send me new message in which he wrote that he will now make a new reservation and come.

[Susan1028]

So sorry you had to deal with that inappropriate behavior.  Guests agree to cancellation policies when they book.  Period. They cancel a strict listing it’s their loss, unless they can prove an “extenuating circumstance” from the allowed list.

I also learned personally that Airbnb could care less about threats.  They’ll just pass it off and tell you to file a police report.

I was so glad I didn’t host that bully!

Be safe and Do what works for you.

[Lazar3]

I think that they need to cancel Reporte button, because it does not have the purpose.
We all can go and file a police report...

[Janette63]

I had a booking made by another person to the man that arrived. He stayed 3 nights and was initially no problem, so when he asked to stay longer, I agreed but it had to be in a different room (which I had been unsuccessfully trying to list with Airbnb as my first room was booked- this can be verified in my history). He stayed 6 nights but paid for 1. To get rid of him, I said another guest was arriving for his room the next day. He agreed to leave next morning. He left having broken into the main house and stolen over R50,000 worth of equipment. Turns out he is a drug addict. The man he sold my stuff to ( drug dealer) began harassing and threatening me. He knew my address, name and what I looked like. On top of his continuous calls and threats, the original guest began harassing me too- he jumped over my spiked wall to steal again but my cleaner saw him and called the police. He ran away. He began sitting outside my gate early morning, watching the house and using my Wifi. I naturally had a police case but it took a week of me fearing for my life ( he also has a gun) before the police caught him....on his way up my road again! Bottom line- DONT accept bookings from anyone who has not made the booking themselves ( spouses aside) I had absolutely no info about him. Or take ID and Car registrations if unsure. I'm annoyed that Airbnb took over 3 weeks till I was able to make another listing. Had this been done when I initially tried- none of this would have happened! But the problem was really that this man had stayed as a guest without any means of verification.