NO MORE AIRBNB HOSTING - AIRBNB IS BIASED, UNFAIR & HOSTILE

[Mohammad63]

So I recently had this incident which now after reading other reviews from the community seems like I am not the only one. 

The guest had booked my studio apartment months in advance and just 2 days before the arrival date, he messaged me to ask if the apartment is 1 bedroom for which I replied confirming that its a Studio what he booked and not a 1 bed. He sounded upset and it appeared to me that he booked in without checking the listing properly. 

Now on the day of check-in he was given the access at around noon time and that time he didn't complain of anything. After 8 hours suddenly he messaged me with a long list of problems pretending that my apartment is the worst place on this earth and complains such as 'what is iron board doing in such a small apartment'  and 'why there is clothes drying rack in the balcony!'. Of course with a typical complain of apartment not being cleaned or there is a small mark on the wall. 

I immediately replied explaining that the apartment was thoroughly cleaned just 2 hours before his arrival and that the issues he is reporting are bogus. In the past 2 months there were several guests who stayed at my place and NO ONE raised a single complain. On the contrary I got five STARS!!!!!

Then he finally reached out to Airbnb and I was happy at that point thinking that Airbnb will do justice, understand this bogus complaint and will close this matter amicably. 

For 4 days the Guest didn’t reply to Airbnb with the video he was claiming to send and in the end I got a message from Airbnb support that they have closed the case and issued a FULL refund to the guest because I violated the terms of cleanliness??!!! SERIOUSLY!!!! They offered to give me a night payout only. 

It was right after the new year period and the HIGHEST season in the whole year that covers major revenue through the year. 

I wrote back to Airbnb and even tried calling them several times but no one was responding or speaking on the phone and all I was told that 'someone will get back to me shortly'. 

It was a clear disrespect towards the host who is using their platform for several years and hosted hundreds of guests in the with a good rating. Not just that, they didn’t even hear me out or considered my explanation. The case was with Airbnb for 4 days and they took this long to decide and my property was stuck with the guest for 4 days and I was paid for 1 day only?

I am a very understanding person and if there was a genuine reason I would have happily accepted the decision but this was COMPLETELY UNFAIR and the fact that they didn’t even bother to listen me out or allowed to be submit my explanation. 

It now looks so easy that anyone who has booked on a strict condition and later wants to cancel penalty free, can just make a complain about cleaning and make a fuss to get the cancellation done with a full refund. 

I find Airbnb no longer a trust worthy platform and I have decided to remove ALL my listings from the platform and dealing with the guests directly and by using other RELIABLE platforms that do justice with both sides. 

Now that I have read many other stories such as mine on the community, I am glad that I am making the right decision after learning I was one of the I'll treated host. 

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Mohammad63

Unfortunately AirBnB takes the guest side on the basis that as a host we need the revenue and are unlikely to stop using the platform. The guest is always right.

THe only positive thing to take away is if you ever get a guest (from any booking platform) giving you a list of complaints - ask them to leave immediately as the place is clearly not for them. Give them a full refund and you won't be stressed out by the guest's behaviour nor by the booking platform.

[Mohammad63]

We need the revenue as a host but clearly Airbnb is not the only platform we want to use to secure our revenue. If they want to keep a name in the market they must be fair with both sides. 

Your suggestion is correct and this we usally ask the guest at the time of check-in if all is ok, and in this case the guest took the posession, stayed there the whole day and at night suddenly came up with all these complaints. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Mohammad63

I am sorry it happened to you, this is unfair and understandably you are upset. I would also be 😞

I've read a lot os similar stories and that's why I have a flexible cancellation policy, whoever wants to cancel he is free to do it, I don't need unhappy guests, retaliation reviews, extenuating circumstances, their lies and all this scenario. I rather lose the money because my place is empty then to host a liar for free.

[Mohammad63]

If only Airbnb also understands the way you do, this will be a better place. 

Your suggestion is practical but everyone's situation is different. If its only a matter of loss of revenue then it was understood, but when you have heavy cost attached to it with a property in the main Downtown of Dubai and where the booking is done months in advance, leaving the property empty on a high season week is clearly a heavy loss. I would have cared less if this was any other day or the property didn't have so much costs tagged to it. 

Its upsetting that when you choose a platform and put your trust in them and they treat to back like this. 

Just like when we cancel the booking for guest, they penalise us heavy but in situations like this there is no fair trial. 

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

@Mohammad63

I totally understand you and can only imagine how much costs you have in downtown Dubai , of course, it is not comparable with Zagreb .

I've heard VRBO and some other booking websites have more upscale guests while Airbnb is more for a young crowd. It's worth trying.

[Mohammad63]

Thanks for the info. I will surely look out for these and other platforms. 

[Serghei3]

As an owner of a Holiday Home Company in Dubai, i have faced exactly same cases and Airbnb is not fixing the issues at all. It is nice to say that it is easier to cancel the booking and rather not host an angry "Guest", but in the reality we have established some rules here with Airbnb.

So if the booking is non refundable and the cancelation is strict, then we shall not even talk about the refund. It is against the rules of the platform.

We had a guest for our 3 BR Penthouse with private swimming pool in Dubai Marina. The guest have received it as a gift from his brother. However it was a surprise gift and the Guest himself did a booking earlier too. So they have booked 2 properties in Dubai by mistake. 

The price for the Penthouse was 38 000 AED or around 11 000 USD which was refunded to the guest by Airbnb, without hearing any feedback from us. The Guest just sent them a few pictures of a dusty swimming pool and got his money back.)))

How cool is that? The funny part is that he sent them the pictures of a dirty swimming pool after a sand storm... So according to the Manager from Airbnb, somehow we should control the weather here in Dubai...)))

I will call myself the Almighty Sergio, from now on...
Wake up guys!
It is ridiculous!

[Tony134]

Hi everyone !  Please check and post in the following thread. I would like to have one thread start alive that addresses all these complaints, and I think I catch most of them nicely here. You will also see at the end that my final conclusion is we need to start begging the justice department for help. Please see the following thread and weigh in, thanks.

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Hosting/How-to-Start-Fixing-Airbnb-CS-and-Many-Common-Issues/m-p...

[Anastasia174]

We there any real complaints besides nonsense?

It’s better to cancel on guests like this! I had a guest who was clearly looking for a cheap stay. I offered her extra cleaning - she refused. Regarding other complaints I said I need to come to inspect it, but she didn’t let me in! But since she texted me later then 24 hours I gave her 5$ ))) she made an appeal but air bnb took my side. I am not sure how they decide....ps the guest stayed all 11 days!!!

So better to cancel reservation within 24 hours when the guest sends you a list of complaints. we don’t need vampires in our homes