I just realised that Airbnb Long-term hosting is not very reliable.

[Michael716]

So, I'm a "guest" (used to host as well). And today was unpleasantly reminded at how completely unreliable the current Airbnb system is for long-term rentals.

A few months ago I booked a place for two months (nov-dec) in Cyprus. It was affordable and looked nice. The host had excellent reviews.
Today I was contacted by the host saying that I would need to pay the cost of electricity for those months "as stated in the home description". 

The description was edited recently to contain said information, but it did not on the time of my booking (airbnb confirmed this).  After reaching out to Airbnb to verify this, they took it upon themselves - sadly against my specific wishes - to contact the host about this matter. And the host told them that if I did not accept her conditions she would simply cancel the arrangement. Even if it would incur serious penalties to her.  (loss of superhost status, bad review and having those dates blocked). 

Airbnb could not do anything for me to guarantee the reliability of the listing, it seems. The penalties seem strong (Except for a meager 50 dollar fine..come on, that's not going to stop anyone when it comes to several months worth of renting) but only when we pretend Airbnb is the only rental platform. It isn't. VRBO and booking.com are other platforms where I indeed found my host also renting out her other places. 

It made me feel extremely vulnerable - as you book tickets and activities and plan your life around being 100% sure that the home listing you booked will be available to you. If she cancels, I get my money back - but in no way does this mean I get a home back, as the prices for those dates now have doubled meanwhile. Worse, she can decide to cancel the listing on an even later date - up to 48 hours - without any significant penalty difference to her compared to doing it now, and with no added help or aid from Airbnb in finding a replacement. 

Basically she can just list her appartment on VRBO or booking.com for the dates that I booked, get a lot more money for it possibly and decide - after the dates were sufficiently filled - to cancel it a week before I arrive. 

The airbnb support lady was very kind and apologetic but in no way could tell me how I, the renter, would be protected or aided against this kind of blackmailing. I have to pay the electricity, or I lose the listing. Even though it's against Airbnb regulations and was not was agreed upon when I booked. 

It seems a large, gaping hole in the Airbnb platform and would make me seriously reconsider booking long-term in the future. Despite having had exclusively positive experiences so far with them, over many years. 

[Solveig0]

Sorry about your experience. I would say most hosts I've met through the Airbnb system strive to communicate clearly and set honest expectations with guests and truly try to do their best. But there's always that bad apple in every system. 

The only thing you can do is to verify with the host when booking what is included or not, if it isn't already specified in the booking. At the very least then you will have an email trail you can show to airbnb's customer service if things do go haywire.  

I hope this won't discourage you from trying to book with Airbnb again. Most of us try to create positive experiences for our guests. 

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Michael716 

I agree with you that this shouldn't happen, and you are being blackmailed for the extra costs.

It is wrong that booking terms can be changed like this and it would be illegal if applied to your booking. Your booking  is based on the terms agreed and should be adhered to. If the host changes her booking terms they should not and will not apply to you, yours are already in place and will be in force for your booking.

If you obtained the booking at a good rate, you wouldn't want to cancel it. You might instead go along with the electricity charge as long as its paid in arrears by meter and you were careful with use. At least this way you will secure the good rate. At the end of your stay you could review your options.

On these fora we often hear of guests lowballing fees with hosts, but this host imposing new terms and blackmailing guests before their stay is definitely a new one and a predicament which Airbnb have no control of it seems. The host must be very secure of her booking capability on her other platforms in this instance.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. 

[Michael716]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 I guess the only thing I can do is repay her in her own kindness. So I said I accept the cost now, but after arrival will make it clear that Airbnb has communicated with me I do not have to accept it. If she can change the rules after agreeing, so can I. Obviously I have no intention on abusing the electric usage, but I am a man of my principles and it's a) not allowed b) against what we agreed upon initially. 

I can only assume the host has priced the place low and did not think about the possibility that people will use electricity excessively in winter (Although Nov-Dec aren't so cold in Cyprus, actually some of the warmest of Europe except for the Canary Islands).  However she has over 500 reviews so I would say she should have some experience now in renting 🙂

Thanks anyway both of you - also @Solveig0 - for your kind response! Let's see how she replies.
Still, I cannot get rid of the feeling of vulnerability now - the idea she can just cancel at any time without me getting a replacement offer (at least not until the last 2 days) from Airbnb..brrr...it would be extremely costly. 

[Allison2]

In the future you may try booking.com for stays like this.

They require hosts to arrange and pay for alternative lodging if they aren't able to keep a reservation.

https://partner.booking.com/en-us/help/reservations/can-i-cancel-reservation

I host in an area with an extremely tight and expensive market, so I'd never host with them for this reason. I've never had to cancel on a guest, but it would be ruinous to cover their stay at a hotel charging $400+/night during our high season (if I could even find one).

Your plan is the most sound. You entered a contract on one set of terms. I'd proceed with my stay still operating under those terms, then take it up with Airbnb and the host at the end of your stay.

[Laura2592]

As a host, we don't accept long term rentals on AirBnB because the platform is not set up to understand/protect both parties from the various issues that come with being a landlord. Because in many jurisdictions in the US, you are a landlord after hosting for 30 days or more. You see lots of issues with guests (now legally tenants) refusing to leave the space, there is no lease to protect  the hosts and shenanigans happen on both sides. I do wish that AirBnB would spend some time trying to develop parameters that protect everyone. I am sorry this happened to you. 

[Barry-and-Lera0]

@Michael716: We have numerous long term guests (4-6 weeks) every year in peak season. Electricity is part of the nightly fee. Being charged extra for said electric is BS. You can tell her that for me. 

[Allison2]

Your cultural bias is showing.

Europeans pay a MUCH higher rate for their electricity than we do. European hosts have described how crazy the swings in costs can be from one stay to the next. If they're hosting a local who understands how dear each kW is, the stay may not be that costly. But if they host one of us Americans who run all the lights and AC at 65F, they may lose money on the stay.

Cyprus is that tiny island south of Turkey with rates higher than 25c/kW-hour

It's not wrong that the host wants to charge separately for electric - many EU hosts do. It's wrong that she's springing this on Michael with a confirmed reservation. She should change her terms for guests going forward, not retroactively.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Allison2 @Michael716 

Croatia is yellow, it means we pay double pricefor electricity than Americans, and people here work for as little as 600 US˘per month.

American overuse of AC and electricity, in general, is fascinating and so eco-unfriendly... I feel so sorry for our poor planet...

[Paul154]

Ok . It sucks. 

What are your damages?

What do you think you're entitled to?

Sorry you don't think a $50 penalty is not punitive enough to hosts (it is)

I'm not saying this host is great. But there was no "Meeting of the minds", so no agreement.

Good you learned beforehand. 

There are a million great hosts out there. I hope you can find one of them.

[John2962]

We have encountered a more serious problem with Air BnB long term rental;  we booked and paid the first month  for a 3 month rental in London.  We rented our home, bought airline tickets and are prepared to leave in 2 weeks. The host just cancelled the entire stay.  Yes, we will probably get our payment returned,  but what of our plans and our problems caused by this cancellation?  The host can cancel and pay $50 penality,  no mention of  finding and paying for alternate lodging.  In contrast, if we had cancelled,  Air BnB states we must pay the first 30 days.  Thus the host and renter are treated quite differently, From their website  "

Long Term: First month not refundable, 30 day notice for cancellation

Automatically applied to reservations of 28 nights or more"  

I pointed out to AirBnB that this conflicts with the UK's 2017 consumer protection act which clearly states,  

"Your contract terms might also be unfair if they weigh the contract significantly in their favour, eg:

by providing for excessive cancellation charges and automatic loss of all upfront payments;

by creating unbalanced rights, eg being able to cancel a contract at any time, but requiring the customer to give 3 months’ notice".   Comments??     Suggestions?

[Paul154]

@John2962 

Are you saying there are no other rentals in London to procure? 

In a large city like London, there are many other choices. I suggest you find one. 

[Michael716]

it is exactly what I am concerned about, she is not proving to be a reliable host so far and threatened to cancel if I did not accept the electricity price increase. I hope she will not cancel..pray actually, because if I would have to book something last minute it would be a 3-4x price increase for the stay over those months and basically means lost tickets and a lot of stress. 

[Elena87]

@Michael716 

How much is the electric charge compared to 3-4 x the original booking price?

If you paid way way way too low, the host evidently doesn't fancy subsidizing your stay. Airbnb won't do it either.

Pricing mistakes happen, time to get realistic. Maybe some long forgotten monthly discount bubbled to the  surface or base price automatically populated the calendar. Host appears duplicitous of course from what you say. 

Principals? ( If she can change the rules after agreeing, so can I)  eh?

[Michael716]

It's indeed about the ethics. She wrote me "as is clearly visible in the description of the property, clients pay their own electricity from october until may". Rather than:

Michael, as the price of the property is very competitive and I am concerned about people heating up the place electrically in winter could we agree that excessive usage of electricity will be covered for you yourself, let us say above 25 dollars/month? That way I can keep offering this place at a low rate rather than up the price to cover potential excessive usage.

She didn't do that. She tried to do things in a sneaky way, and the part that upset me most is that after Airbnb told her she's not allowed to do this she simply said "then I will cancel" putting the problems of her mistake and poor communication on me.