Threatening guest.

[Lisa1725]

I'm a newbie and trying to overcome the learning curve.  However, I was not prepared to have a guest rent my cottage to stream live porn, leave a review with so many lies about charges, being able to wear shoes in cottage, etc.  When she rented she stated she wanted to use the cottage as a location for a photo shoot.  She didn't tell me that a different male guest would be there every two hours and my neighbors would be seeing them videoing sex acts on the outside of the house. Starting an hour after she posted lies about me and the cottage she started calling me and trying to extort me to come back and stay free so she could film more and to pay her money.  After I blocked her number she started calling from other phone numbers and having other men to call and harass me. I keep blocking numbers. I have called Airbnb twice to see what they can do to make sure this doesn't happen to another host with no reply.  Lesson in never giving out phone number for sure.  Any advice to protect myself from this happening again would be helpful. Thanks!

[Helen3]

I am sorry you had this incredibly bizarre experience @Lisa1725  You have such a lovely place.

In general, never let out your place to people wanting to carry out commercial photoshoots without finding out a lot more about the type of shoot and agreeing a commercial rate, contract and appropriate insurance for the shoot

What did you do when your neighbours notified you of her behaviour? Did you ask her to leave and Airbnb to cancel the booking.

What I don't understand is why, having had such an awful experience with this guest, why you left her such a positive review?

It is truly strange for her to want to stay with you again in the circumstances. Please block her on Airbnb and call Airbnb to report this. Also record any conversations with her and these men she is asking to call you.  Why did she say she wanted to stay for free and for you to pay her?

In your situation I wouldn't respond to any calls from numbers you don't recognise and call the police if the harrasment continues.

It is not clear from your post but do you have CCTV to monitor the entrances to your listing. If not and you are hosting remotely please consider this as an essential.

[Lisa1725]

She checked out on Sunday am and my neighbor called me on Monday morning.  She had already checked out by the time my neighbor called me so I never asked her to leave or addressed it with her.  She did leave the cottage in very good condition so there was no reason to leave a bad review.  Her profile was not populated until after I had already confirmed the rental. That would've been my first clue to decline the rental if it had been available. 

I have no idea why she wanted to come back to use the cottage again.  None of it makes sense really. She said that she was "the number 1 fine art model in the World" and that she could send me a massive amount of business from other people in her "industry".  I haven't responded to any of her messages (blocked immediately after) and as soon as I know it's her or someone affiliated with her, I immediately hang up.  It happened so many times that I have stopped answering unknown callers.  I have called Airbnb twice but I've not had a reply from them.  

I don't have any way to monitor the entrance but that is very good advice and something I obviously need to address.  I live next door to the cottage so my next step is to get law enforcement to watch my property for a bit since she and all her guests know where I live.  

[Gordon0]

>>Melissa was an excellent guest. She communicated very well and left the cottage thoughtfully clean and she followed all the house rules. Thanks so much Melissa. We'll be looking forward to your next visit<<

Surely we're not talking about Melissa? She sounds like the perfect guest. 

[Amy-and-Brian0]

https://www.airbnb.com/users/show/11610825

If she truly is a porn streamer, there's a lot of double entendre in there... 😄

[Lisa1725]

There is. 😕  I didn't listen to my instincts that said something was hinky.  

[Amy-and-Brian0]

@Lisa1725 You know her full name since you're the host. It's probably an easy google search to find her cam site and then photos of your place (or videos of it) on there. If you have the stomach for looking for it, you could report her and/or get her review taken down if she's using your property for commercial use. 

[Lisa1725]

That is great advice. Thank you!  I have googled and cannot find her anywhere.  I don't know how look for her on porn sites. It would be an easy find though because there's not another bed/bath anywhere that looks like mine.  

[Lisa1725]

She did leave the cottage is near perfect condition and I left the review the night before I found out what was really going on in the cottage.  I wouldn't have left her a review at all if I had known what was going on.  She checked out on Sunday and my neighbor called me Monday morning to let me know.  😕

[Lisa1725]

There is. 😕  I didn't listen to my instincts that said something was hinky.  

[Ann72]

@Lisa1725 You could scroll down to the bottom of her profile and report it.  Have you seen that function?

[Lisa1725]

Yes ma'am.  I reported it and blocked her after the 2nd phone call.  Thank you so much!

[Ann72]

@Lisa1725 Nicely done!  Now she'll have trouble haunting the rest of us.  🙂

[Lisa1725]

I hope so. Except another host alerted me to the fact that’s not her real name. 😞

[Noel102]

A friend of mine had that problem with porn being produced in his listing and gently worked that into the listing and house rules.  He included something like, "No photography, filming, or broadcasting on the property.  We will be happy to discuss a commercial rate for that type of booking."  You might also think about, "No commercial or business activity is permitted." if you want a general prohibition in the listing.  People who make actual money by producing porn are very likely to avoid a listing with that language - they know it's pointed at them.