One of our clients made fake story & got Unjustified compensation

[Michel792]

In this August, We had a group client (they booked for 6 persons) came to our vacation house through Airbnb, during check in, everything was ok, We went through all checking, and they signed checklist. The 4th day morning, they sent us a message to say our dishwasher had a big flooding, water everywhere and even in electricity panel. We advised them closed electricity for safety and told them we would go immediately to check.  Just 20 minutes later, When we on the way to there, they sent us a new message to say they already repaired the machine and cleaned all water. But they did not have enough dishware.... We told them anyway, we were on the way arriving. When we arrived there, no one at home, home locked, we sent message to them, no reply, we waited them until evening (whole day). Then we entered to checking the kitchen dishwasher "flooding" problem. There was not any water on the wood floor, no water behind line of machines (dishwasher, fridge, oven, cupboard.... all along the wall). We gave them more dishware, and confirmed with them everything was fine, then we left.  When we arrived home in the evening. We received Airbnb message that this client asked price reduction or compensation.  We totally did not believe "flooding story" after checking. And when we met them in the evening, we found they have 2 more persons than they reserved, they told us these 2 would leave 2 days later.  We understand why they did not have enough dishware because they had more  persons than should be. Anyway we gave them extra for using. So we rejected the request of compensation.  After they check out, they asked compensation 50% of their payment, the reasons were dishwasher"flood"; one bedroom is not link with others bedrooms (we have 3 bed rooms) which they complained cause problem for them taking care of their children, the shower did not work at all (we did not believe that, the clients before and after them all used shower well correctly, when we did cleaning work, the shower clearly used );  dishware was not enough......  We do not understand why there were difficulties to taking care of their children, we have 3 beds rooms, 2 link together (one for 3 persons, one for 2 persons), another bedroom separate for 3 persons. They booked for 6 persons (parents with 2 children + grandparents).  We sent all signed checklist to Airbnb with photos, and also we sent photos shot from our listing of Airbnb to show we have enough photos to publish our house structure and each bedroom.  We rejected to compensate anything to this kind of client using fake story to get money back.  But after communication, Airbnb still decided to take us 10% of payment to compensate them because we have one bedroom is not link with other 2 bedrooms even we show the photo online, Airbnb told us we did not have description to indicate this point.  This result is not acceptable.  We read about this client comments from other hosts, we found she did the similar things with one ancient host.  But whatever we proved, Airbnb insisted on asking us compensate 10%.  We decide to quit Airbnb because there is no protection for hosts from Airbnb. We worked with several companies, only Airbnb accepts this ridiculous compensation request, only Airbnb has this kind of clients because of injustice for hosts.  I read a lot of hosts have similar problems (unjustified compensation).  We believe more and more host will leave away. The market is big, and we could work with other companies, let Airbnb drop down..... No justice, no business. No hosts, will be no clients.

[Inna22]

@Michel792  by Airbnb rules, a guest has to report the problem to you first and allow you to fix it. When you reply to Airbnb, point out to them that they did not report the shower issue and whatever other issues they did not report. That immediately disqualifies them from any kind of compensation for that. Can you explain a little bit more about linked bedrooms? I’m not sure I understand what that means. Is the other bedroom in a completely separate apartment? That is the only way this could cause an issue with child care. Also, if you charge for extra guests, bring that up to Airbnb, calculate the charges for those extra people for the extra nights. This would offset any discount they want to give to guests so you will be even. Good luck! Do not quit Airbnb because of one bad experience.

[Michel792]

Thank you very much Inna.

We already told airbnb that most of the problems they asked compensation they never told us during their staying, and other problem when we received their message, we went to check and found that was not true.  Airbnb told us that the main reason for compensation is that one bedroom separated with other bedrooms. The fact is that is not an apartment. That is a house with a closed garden with locked garden gate.  3 bed rooms could enter from 2 doors, one kitchen/dining room with one door enter.  Regarding 3 bedrooms, 2 link together which link to a toilet/shower room, another has its own shower and toilet separate with these 2 bedrooms. From the listing photos, we have photos show this bedroom has a short wall separate with other bedrooms. Our listing is not instant booking, we always ask clients structure, if there could have problem, we would reject the request reservation.  This group clients has 6 persons, 2 persons of parents, 2 children, 2 persons of grandparents.  the 2 rooms link together have 4 beds for capacity of 5 persons.  another bedroom has 2 beds for capacity of 3 persons. So there is nothing difficult for the parents stay with 2 children in 2 linked bedrooms. Of course, when they had 2 persons more without notice us, they might feel inconvenient, but that is not our problem. Normally our house structure is perfect for grandparents rest well without noise of children in the 3rd bedroom (others clients told us that).  Anyway, this client search money back with all possibilities. For us, if they thought house structure has problem for them, why they did not mention it during check in, we showed them all part of our house during check in.  We quit airbnb because we understood that there is not any protection for hosts, we read a lot of complaints from hosts, the airbnb ask compensation just because of clients demands, no justice, not reasonable, we register with state as tourist house, We passed state checking and verification and got the 2 stars certificate. We rent through different companies for several years. Only airbnb treat us unfair. If airbnb has not any protection for host from clients' hook and crook, we believe more and more hosts will leave away. We could not work with a company treat us so unfair.

[Susan1028]

@Michael0 

I concur about Airbnb’s lack of host support and so do many other wise and wonderful consistently booked 5-star super hosts who have chosen to leave Airbnb. 

I’ve spoken to local commercial hosts about their experience with Airbnb as well.  The consistent reply is; it’s a more expensive marketing  “experiment” that’s created confusion and an additional layer of misunderstanding and they will know if it’s a worthwhile investment after crunching the numbers at season’s end.  

My guests love what I do, which is clear in my reviews, guest book, return visits, and the many thank you gifts and original poetry and art work I’ve received from my guests.  My last Airbnb booking is next week at month’s end.

My top 10 reasons for leaving this platform include areas that collectively send the message that top performing hosts are not valued:

1- Policy isn’t balanced, accurate to reality, is biased in favor of guests and even low performing commercial hosts, and isn’t enforced on behalf of independent hosts.  These issues define unfair “discrimination.”

2- “Support” is inconsistent, mostly dysfunctional, and publicly posted statistics about host performance/reviews are based on algorithms that are inaccurate/biased

3- The Airbnb platform isn’t designed to be as user friendly as others

4- There’s no viable gift option that actually works 

5- Airbnb’s actual (vs advertised) host services do not reflect the fees collected in comparison to other platforms 

6- No consistent ID check/requirement for guests, or that stated profile info such as name and current hometown matches IDs, which invites abuse

7- “Security deposits” are dysfunctional and claims against hosts are handled unfairly, as you’ve pointed out along with many other hosts, some who’ve sustained thousands in proven damages with no compensation whatsoever and no recourse to independently pursue the guest or Airbnb to provide their advertised “host protection”

8- The Airbnb “Million dollar host protection policy” is a sham and the complicated, conflicting, and contradictory “policy” and “terms of service” “legalese” is written to exclude what it promises and is spread out in different areas of the fine print (we are required to agree to as a condition of listing) absolves Airbnb of any liability and additionally prohibits hosts from legally pursuing our losses individually and collectively by limiting us to (internal) arbitration, which is in itself biased in favor of Airbnb.

9- Ability for non-commercial hosts to use independent lease/agreements/security deposits is prohibited by Airbnb and our only remaining stated protection ( “house rules,”) are not enforced by Airbnb, even though it’s allowed and supported for Airbnb commercially managed listings and encouraged/required of all hosts by other platforms, specifically for host protection and clarity of rules/boundaries and legal liability/recourse.

Furthermore, Airbnb prohibits host access to legal IDs or addresses, preventing us from knowing who our guests really are, additionally exposing us to personal safety and property risk and hindering us from legally pursuing real damages/criminal prosecution on our own.

10- Scammers and stalkers are banned from other sites.  In my experience Airbnb has ignored/excused it and actually encourages it.  When I called support with genuine, substantiated concerns the actual reply from “support” was “Airbnb encourages a social media atmosphere” where guests can use nicknames, fake names and aren’t required to provide/substantiate ID’s, facial photos (as we are required to).  When asked, Airbnb “support” and management further stated they can’t provide any information or even confirm if the name on the profile matches ID (if provided) because it might “negatively impact guest privacy”...while at the same time we are paying Airbnb some of the highest fees amongst the competition to invite these unknowns into our homes.  

Additionally scammers know independent Airbnb hosts are “easy money” because guests are not required to substantiate their complaints with evidence or even photos of alleged problems they use as leverage after violating house rules and purporting lies to manipulate discounts or free stays at our expense, after they and their extra guests enjoyed every moment and amenity our homes have to offer and/or created damages.  

We can pre-screen like experts, but Airbnb allows disingenuous guests to lie about even minor details with no proof, knowing they will get at least 10% off and get away with sneaking in additional unregistered guests for free, which additionally negates the “million dollar host protection policy” again leaving Airbnb free of any liability.

In short, airbnb is not operated as professionally as competing platforms,  the treatment of independent hosts is biased, and the policies and support discriminate against hosts, yet they are charging guests and hosts some of the highest fees in the pool if competition for less service, and even long term 5-star “super hosts” and “plus” hosts are treated disrespectfully...while we bear the burden of all liability with no recourse and scammers make bank at our expense.

It goes beyond questions of trust and integrity into the realm of abuse.

Why would anyone choose to do business with an entity or individual that doesn’t deliver what’s promised, and demands higher fees for less service?

Airbnb has become a huge multinational profit machine but for hosts, listing here is no longer a good business choice.