on going discrimination by airbnb

[Mike496]

any other bnb guests/hosts out there feel like they are being discriminated against? several months ago i wrote bnb about the fact that they should keep their politics out of their business... i mentioned that the whole point of using bnb was being able to choose guests who one feels comfortable with.. since that time i have yet to take a reservation .. looking for any others out there who may have experienced something similar... for more info e mail me at [email hidden for safety reasons] or look for my other inquiries/postings about this posted on craigs list and facebook.. seems to me they are the ones who are discriminating.. the more of us the better.. mlo

[Matthew285]

@Mike496, are you saying that because of messages you wrote to AirBnB, that AirBnB made your listing stop receiving guest bookings?

Are you not receiving any Views in your Stats?

[Mike496]

here is what i can tell you with absolute certainty matthew.. from june 2014 thru june 2017 i averaged about 321 guests per year ( of all races, gender and sexual orientation).. after i complained to bnb i have had 0.. to answer your question i had 30 views in 2017. my complaint to bnb was very simple, the day they start telling me who to and how often i have to lease is the day i will no longer use their service. guess they took it to heart. thanks for your response and no worries.. i have been in the rental business longer than brian chesky has been on this planet,  i'm quite sure i will find more great tenants and friends through other outlets. mlo 

[Lilian20]

not sure that leaving your email adress here is ok

[Sarah977]

You are totally vague as to what your complaint is. It sounds to me like you are wanting the option to decline guests based on the color of their skin, their nationality or sexual orientation?

If so, I doubt you'll find any support here. This is exactly what Airbnb's non-discrimination agreement was meant to do- weed out bigots.

So if that is your issue, I'm glad the policy is working.

[Matthew285]

@Sarah977, I read his posting as saying that he thought AirBnB was punishing him (via his listing) for having complained to AirbnB about their policies or politics (unspecified).

"several months ago i wrote bnb about...  since that time i have yet to take a reservation"

I think that's what he means by "discrimination."

Yes, we are also totally on board with the AirBnB non-discrimination policy.

But I don't think that's what he was talking about.

[Mike496]

look at my reviews sarah.. i have hosted folks from all races, gender and sexual orientation.. with good reviews from most... however i absolutely want to be able to see exactly who i am hosting as well as read what they post on social media. if that makes me a bigot so be it.  if this something you disagree with you obviousely have not yet hosted a problem guest.. in 4 years and over 700 guests i have learned the hard way to follow my instinct.. especially with the lack of support bnb offers..get back to me after you get a little more experience... i guarantee after you have to call the police a few times you'll see things a little different.. 

[Sarah977]

Mike, almost all hosts want to be able to get a read on guests who are coming into the homes where they live. We do that by exchanging a message or 2 with a prospective guest before accepting their booking request. I suppose one could look for them on social media as well if one felt the need.

I did not accuse you of being a bigot, I was simply suspicious because of the wording of your post. Would you care to enlighten the rest of us hosts as to what you meant by saying you contacted airbnb "about the fact that they should keep their politics out of their business"? Which apparently was the reason you think they blocked your listing.

I don't see anything on the airbnb platform which I would construe as political.

[EcoBuilt0]

What do you recommend when a guest is bigoted towards their host and gives the host a poor rating just because we're not Bonafide Christian.  We recently had guests that asked us before leaving if we were Christians.  We have not removed every painting from our walls and it's possible they knew we were not One of Theirs.  We are sufis, part of Islam.  I have no doubt that the poor rating and bad written review was due to their religious discrimination.  I guess I answered my own question.  Take every picture down that might prove we're NOT Christians.  Our answer to the guests were we are Christian in many ways. They were from North Carolina mountain country and probably strong proponents of Make America Great Again.  

[Sarah977]

@EcoBuilt0  Or you could put up pictures of Jesus, Buddha, Hanuman, Jewish stars of David, and every other religious deity and symbols you can think of 🙂

[Sarah977]

What else could he be perceiving as "politics"? I guess we'll have to wait for a response from the OP to know.

[Mike496]

at $29 per night and having had only 14 guests you really are no position to be giving advice to anyone sarah.. and whether you meant it or not it sure sounded exactly like you were implying i am a bigot...

[Sarah977]

I don't know what my room fee and the number of guests I've had (more than 14 through airbnb by the way, I also get bookings in other ways, and I also property manage for friends, so I can assure you I've had experience with all kinds of long-term tenants and guests) has to do with giving host feedback, but I still wonder why you aren't willing to share the details of your complaint.

You were asking for support- I see that all the other hosts on here are quite specific about their issue, which enables other hosts to give them pertinent advice, feedback and support.

Sorry if you felt I was attacking you personally- I don't know you so don't know anything about your personal views or mind-set. I was responding to the information in your original post, not you personally. I do see you have a lot of great reviews, and am sorry you have a hassle with airbnb blocking you, but really, we still don't know why.

[Rene-and-Zac0]

@Sarah977 I’m just stuck on who’s still using AOL? 

‘You know it’s hard out here for a Host’

[Sarah977]

The use of the word "politics", coupled with "being able to choose guests who one feels comfortable with" and the reticence to clearly state the issue set off my alarm bells.

My experience is that those who are prejudiced feel it is their "right" to discriminate and view it as a political issue as opposed to unacceptable social behavior.

But I was giving the original poster the benefit of the doubt by saying "if so" and "if this is your issue".