So disappointed with Airbnb

[Clive57]

Sadly we have had to stop hosting with Airbnb almost as soon as we started. We had problems signing up and listing (also friends of ours), and we then had problems with our condo office so had to cancel all bookings. Only then did we see that Airbnb charged $50 per cancellation thus meaning we couldn't afford to continue hosting. so, bye everyone!

[Sandra126]

Well @Clive57, I am sure the guests who booked with you are also disappointed, which is why Airbnb has the various penalties involved for host cancellations as it is such a bad thing to do as a host. Sorry you had problems getting your accommodation off the ground and that the forum couldn't help you until too late.

[Gordon0]

@Clive57, I appreciate you're disappointed, but the fact that [reading between the lines] you weren't authorised to take bookiings due to your own building rules, it isn't Airbnb's fault. As for the sign-up process, there's plenty of help out there, and loads on here. 

Sorry it didn't work out for you.

[Sandra856]

Hi @Clive57 

When opening up a business you should of course expect to do a little reading/your homework in order to know how everything works. If that is a surprise to you then Airbnb is certainly not a business for you. Also if you can't see the bigger problem in cancelling on guests you shouldn't be a host.

[Robin4]

@Clive57 

Clive, I am sorry that you are not going to find a lot of sympathetic ears here, and I know these comments are not what you want to hear but, unfortunately hosting is not for everyone. There are many of us where rules get in the way and what starts out as a good idea can sometimes go off the rails.

I have heard of situations where hosts have been able to get condo management on side to the point where they do allow short term rentals, but these cases are few and far between, and in all of them will require some contribution from each hosting to the management account to go towards property maintenance. They will also involve a seperate insurance policy that will not only cover the short term rental condo in dispute but, not affect all the others in the complex that will be affected when the property's general insurer cancels their building policy. 

Airbnb are fighting a lot of battles at the moment Clive just to keep in business, not just for themselves but for their hosts as well. Government authorities are putting hosting restrictions in place to ease the pressure off long term rental tennants as more property owners chase the higher financial gains that can be made from STR.

Hosting rules have had to be put in place and one of the major ones is that a host has all the required approvals before offering their property for hosting. Unfortunately your experience is at the end of a very long line of similar experiences and although, as I said, I am sorry for the situation you are in but, the fault cannot be levelled at Airbnb....they are doing all they can to keep the peace as it is....

and hosts offering properties they do not have permission to offer causes significant problems not just to Airbnb but to the happless guests who may have booked those properties!

I am sorry Clive and I wish you well in the next venturer you undertake!

Cheers......Rob

[Barry-and-Lera0]

@Clive57: Step 1 when thinking of hosting: Check to see if you are allowed based on the rules of the condo.

This would have probably saved you a lot of time and money.

[Ann489]

@Clive57  As everyone else already said, you didn't do your homework.  The first thing that you should have done was check with your condo management to see if STR are allowed in your building.  That could have saved you time and trouble and money.  I feel sorry for the poeple who booked your condo and suddenly found themselves without accomodations.  The cancelation fee is more than justified here.

[Mark116]

In this case, the blame doesn't really lie with airbnb.  While I think that many condo and HOA rules around short term rentals are silly, onerous and possibly even illegal....you still need to do some basic research around whatever the guidelines are to give yourself a chance at success.  As you found, if you don't know the rules, things will probably turn out badly.