The Truth, the Whole Truth and nothing but the Truth.

[Shaun69]

Hi Folks, i would like to share my day with you all, i will not express my feelings regarding what has occurred but leave it to you all to make your own minds up how you would feel and react to the following situation:

Tomorrow at 1100 UK time I was scheduled to have an AIRBNB PLUS photo shot and home visit. In preparation for this event and to ensure that the listing in question was looking at its absolute best my company carried out the following actions:

1. Calendar blocked for day of shot so no guests would be present IAW AIRBNB PLUS instructions.

2. Cleaners gave listing a deep clean and spent in excess of three hours on extra polishing etc.

3. Florist delivered two floral displays to ensure the correct ambience was achieved.

4. Gardeners planted out of season plants to give best season appearance.

5. I shouted at lots of people (which i never do) to ensure the work was completed on time and to the correct standard.

THEN AT 1409 TODAY LESS THAN 21 HOURS BEFORE THE SHOT AND VISIT WAS MENT TO TAKE PLACE  a person from an AIRBNB PLUS partner company phoned my office and cancelled to whole thing with no valid explanation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OVER TO YOU FOLKS HOW WOULD YOU FEEL!!!!!!!!!

Regards Shaun

[Letti0]

@Shaun69  There have been a few people post that their photo shoot got rescheduled at the last minute. So once agaIn AirBnB Plus is costing hosts more money again. One host had mentioned that just to list he had to invest another $2,400+ into his property per AirBnB's requests for this and that. Another said $1,200. Neither of these places rented for over $150 so at least 16+ bookings for the one host and 8+ bookings for the other just to recoup what they spent. Sad part is they were both getting plenty of views, but no bookings since joining. I believe both have opted out of the Plus program also now after spending all that money.  They wanted to change photos and descriptions, yet it was not allowed. This Plus program has been a fiasco from the begining, I have yet to hear from a host it's working great for them. 

[Shaun69]

Hi Letti, unable to tag but I will not express how i feel, but surfice to say i have learnt my lesson today!

Regards Shaun

[Pete28]

I think one problem is that $150ish fee wouldn't attract a very high quality of photographer or whoever Airbnb are using. This then leads to the other problems that the photos are rushed, poorly taken, description truncated etc etc. if I'm doing $25-30k a year I really do care that I'm going to get bookings out of the exercise.

[Shaun69]

@Pete0. Unable to tag, however your point is valid and I totally agree.

[Sandra126]

Though I understand why you would want a bit of extra polish, I would refrain from getting flower displays unless that is how the house normally look.

Apart from that, totally understand you would be upset with blocking out the time etc.

[Clara116]

@Shaun69 sorry that happened....I would be more than frustrated....I'd be put off. ......BUT just maybe this is the red flag to cancel the whole Plus thing. The stories I hear don't seem so positive so far. Good luck and happy hosting, Clara

[Lizzie]

Hello @Shaun69,

I'm so sorry to hear this, after all the effort you went to. 

There has been quite a bit of feedback on Airbnb Plus in general, here in the CC recently, so I am gathering this up and passing it on to the team directly. I will do the same with your experience here. 

Hopefully you will be able to reschedule this for a date very soon, but I know this means you will have to go through all the preparation again. At least you have had a dress rehearsal now and perhaps you could take some personal photos for yourself whilst your home is looking at its best – I'm sure these will come in handy in the future. 🙂

I hope this gets sorted soon.

Lizzie

[Rachel0]

@Shaun69 I agree with @Clara116. Stop and think if this is what you really want.  You have two lovely listings in a beautiful part of England and great reviews.  I am not in the PLUS programme and from what I have read on this forum I am very glad that I'm not.  Do you really want to hand over control of your photos, your descriptions etc?  Yes, I can understand that you are furious with the late cancellation but if this is indicative of how the PLUS programme works then you may just have been given an escape route.  I hope it works out for you.

[Branka-and-Silvia0]

Now when you already set the scene go and find one great photographer on your own, let them take new professional pictures and use them where and when you like 🙂

[Shaun69]

@Branka-and-Silvia0@Rachel0@Clara116@Sandra126@Letti0

Thank you for your comments I appreciate the time you spent making them. At 1200 today the Old Flower Field my holding company officially opted out of AIRBNB PLUS. We have learnt our lesson now, something we will not forget.

Many thanks Shaun

[Rachel0]

@Shaun69 I am really pleased to hear that.  Let's hope that other people follow your example  and knock this idea on the head!

[John1080]

AirBnb is like that irresponsible millennial nephew we all have, whereby time and promises are thought of as suggestions and everyone knows he can’t be trusted to pick up grandma for her doctor’s appointment. 

[Jess78]

@John0... yes!!! LOlolol. Nobel Prize for CC comments right there. 

[John1080]

@Jess78, haha...  Generally, whether it be a furnace company, a delivery service, cleaning service, whatever, I don't continue doing business with a company that is late, doesn't honor its word or provides rude service - they generally get one shot.  Unfortunately, we don't really have any room to do anything about these situations! 

Luckily, I haven't yet had any issues, where I had a need to call CS.