OUTRAGED BY AIRBNB'S RESPONSE TO GUEST COMPLAINT! UNHAPPY HOST!!!

OUTRAGED BY AIRBNB'S RESPONSE TO GUEST COMPLAINT! UNHAPPY HOST!!!

To say i am infuriated is an understatement... after 5 years of using Airbnb, with multiple listings in the U.S and in Ireland, i've noticed a recent downhill decline in Airbnb service to their hosts. In fact, there barely is a service. Before it was teamwork, now its, Airbnb against the host and FOR the guest. Does Airbnb forget without hosts listing apartments there would be no business? No guests could book!!! Will Airbnb begin to treat hosts fairly and with some ounce of loyalty?

 

I had a guest stay for 46 days. on the 30th day, my maintenance person took the AC unit out of the guests bedroom window and placed it in his closet for storage, as with a new season the cold comes through the Air conditioner. This is a standard maintenance task we do so the guests don't have to take it out themselves and risk causing injury to themselves (AC units are heavy). We email the guests and let them know the day before that we are doing it. Unfortunately an error was made and this guest didn't get the email. He was frustrated, understandably. However, we apologized and explained it was an error with our emailing.

 

What does Airbnb do? Refunds the guest for the remaining 15 days AND gives them a 50% refund on the 30 days they have spend in the apartment!!!!

 

The guest enjoyed his stay with no issues up to the 30 day mark until the AC unit was taken out of the window and placed in his closet. So why was he refunded 50% of days with no issues. Absolutely disgraceful!!!!! 

 

 

Do you think this is fair? What can we do against Airbnb's unethical, business practice against hosts?
 
Sincerely,
Unhappy host.
15 Replies 15
Christian866
Level 1
Dublin, Ireland

That is a disgraceful decision made by Airbnb. We have many Airbnb listings in Ireland, and are finding that Airbnb are pro-guest and anti-host in their decisions more frequent than ever before.

 

They seem to think that they will always be able to attract hosts thus aim to keep their guests sweet. But actually, it's a very short term strategy, and in the longer term, it's the host that is the main strength in the product. Without good hosts, it wouldn't work.

 

Airbnb need to start listening to hosts and realise that these complaints are all relevant. We won't stick around forever.

Carol680
Level 2
Edinburgh, United Kingdom

I couldn't agree more that Airbnb are much more pro-guest than pro-host. I've recently had 2 experiences of guests booking for 1 adult and trying to sneak a partner in for free. In the first instance the Indian lady's response when forced to cough up for her partner was to give me a rotten review as revenge. I tried to pre-empt this by explaining beforehand that this is what the guest would probably do, but was told I would just have to accept her malicious review. 

The second occasion was even worse. When I confronted the guest trying to sneak his partner in for free, he became not only aggressive but racist and refused to leave, so that I had to get the police to remove him. Airbnb were less than useless during this episode. I strongly suggested that since the guest is THEIR client, the least they should do is remove him as an Airbnb member. All they did was to cancel the reservation and give him his money back, so that presumably he's free to do the same to his next unsuspecting host.

Absolutely shocking, but discussing it in a closed forum like this is pointless. As another host suggests, we should get this out on Facebook, Twitter or whatever so that property owners can make more informed decisions regarding letting out their property.

Disgraceful. I would use Twitter, FB and any other means at your disposal to highlight this.

I would write to the guests too, they must have made a complaint for this to happen, ask them if they think it's fair and see if they are willing to return the refunded money back to you. I certainly wouldn't accept a refund in this case –it's completely outrageous of Airbnb and the guests too if they are keeping it.

Thats absolutely disgraceful. Especially given your maintenance guy knocked on the door first and was doing the guest a favour. Airbnb is definitely losing the run of itself. Plus its now evident that they have inexperienced staff making decisions that they shouldn't be. Have a quick read of any forum and its obvious that hosts are fuming with the service Airbnb are offering them. Loads of them are flocking to Airbnb alternatives such as booking.com and Homeaway who are much more professional. I'm definitely going to start to list my business there as I had enough of Airbnb. Airbnb don't take care of their hosts !!
Airbnb are Snakes.

I agree.  This case needs to be highlighted to other hosts as well as senior Airbnb management.  Eibhlin can you please keep this forum updated with how you get on with Airbnb.  The best thing we can do is start taking our business to Airbnbs competitors.  

Thank you Paul & Ange,

 

I will for sure keep you guys updated. I will call Airbnb again tomorrow and let you know the outcome. I called today but the case manager wasn't available and was supposed to call me back, but received no call.

 

And i took your advice @Ange2 and messaged the guest basically asking him if he honestly think this is fair and if he feels right about taking this refund. 

 

But ultimately Airbnb should not be making the decision to take my rent away and give it back to the tenant. It is not their money to take!! 

Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Eibhlin2

I don't understand... is this guest still in your house? Or he moved out? Is his reservation shortened?

Hi Branka & Silvia,

 

Airbnb altered the guests check out date from October 13th to October 3rd. So giving the guest a full refund of 10 days AND decided to give the guest a 50% refund on the past 36 days prior to the AC moving incident., which were days spent well by the guest!

 

Why? Becuase the guest complained that someone (which was the manintenance personal, who knocked on the door first) entered his room and moved the AC unit from the window to the closet. Keep in mind, many of our guests, ask us to do this for them as with autumn approaching it gets cooler in the room with the AC still in the window.

 

So because of this complaint, the guest gets 10 days refunded, and 36 days of which 50% refunded. 

 

How is that fair? 

Victoria567
Level 10
Scotland, United Kingdom

Hi@Eibhlin

Why did the guest just not turn off and and stop using the air conditioning?

Or has your part of the globe like the rest of us suffering from really weird variations in temperature?...and it’s still hot where your accomodation is?

 

Im enjoying a break just now, in the Liguria region of Italy, the Italian Riviera 50 miles south of Monaco.

 

Yesterday we had thunder, lightening, massive hailstones, interspersed with huge downpours of rain and mini floods with a temperature of 5C.

Today its glorious sunshine, warm at 23C and I’m sitting here at a lovely wee cafe at at table on the pavement sipping my cappuccino and enjoying the dolce vita!

Thomas953
Level 2
Lincoln Park, NJ

That is horrible! 

 

What gives AirBnb the right to dictate how you manage your property? Remember it is YOUR property and you have access to it ANYTIME you wish, especially for maintenance items. I'd escalate this. 

Yea its totally ridiculous and unfair! Thak you Thomas. 

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

Fair?

Fair never enters into this business.

As a man, I would NEVER enter a woman guest's room without permission. I also would never expect permission to be forthcoming.  Men are beaten down, berated  and trained to honor the sacred privacy of a woman's room - regardless whether we have a legal right to do so. 

You now have a taste of how the other half lives. Welcome.

Mitchell74
Level 2
Cork, Ireland

.

Ana1136
Level 10
Ohrid, Macedonia (FYROM)

@Mitchell74 you can express your opinion but there is no need to be rude 🙂