AIRBNB KEEPING MY MONEY AND I COULDNT CHECK IN..ONTARIO

[Pearl85]

I was supposed to check in on 23 October in Chatham Ontario, however the keyless entry smart lock (self check in) was not working. The hosts did not inform me until 3 hours after the check in time stating that the front door lock was not working. 

I told her my daughter was at the hospital with her dad and I could not get in touch with her. The host told me to tell my daughter to call her. AND THEN the host stated she would remotely let us in.  This totally is not acceptable, as I did not want to be dealing with the host. This is why I booked this particular reservation. Not to mention the security implications. My family is going through a crisis right now and my childrens dad was admitted to hospice. 

I did not have the time or the energy to deal with a host to check in. I choose this reservation because of the self-check in amenities. I told the host about this issue and she told me to call her when we go back to the house and she would remotely let us in. This scared me because this is a security issue. I would not feel safe in that home, knowing the host would randomly let people in.

Since the 24 October I have been trying to get my $2600 back from airbnb. The reservation was non refundable for 30 days and the host would not offer a refund due to her policy. However, IAW the AIR POLICY, my reservation should be refunded due to the amenity of self check not available and the host remotely controlling entry. 

However Airbnb cannot get in touch with the host, and the host has booked another guest in the home for the entire reservation. Therefore she has taken double the money. 

I feel deeply that this host did this on purpose. The host knew that my family was in crisis and she purposely locked us out, kept the money due to her 30 day policy and rebooked it with another guest. 

Airbnb offered me $1000 US to mediate this, that is not what I paid. I want every penny back.

This is criminal.

[Pearl85]

this is a message from the host on day of check in.

 **[Private conversation removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

again I choose self check in for a reason, not to have to deal with the inability to check in, the random people showing up to fix the lock. THE HOST ADMITTEDLY FORGETTING TO INFORM ME THAT THE LOCK WAS BROKEN, yet airbnb is not refunding me my money. 

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Pearl85 things are clearly difficult for you at present but if you were staying 30 days then having to use the back door for the first few doesn't seem too onerous. I agree the host was wrong to tell you 3 hours post check in time that you had to use the back door but did you actually try to get in during this 3 hr period?

Also saying it is a security issue that the host can let people is a bit rich. We have spare keys for all our apartments so can get in anytime (not that we would) so the smart lock code concept is little different.

[Pearl85]

Sorry not in my situation, no. All the host had to do was make sure the lock was working on checkin, and she even forgot to tell me about it. My daughter was in town at the hospital I had previously given her the code provided by the host. I could not reach at the hospital. I was still in BC, she was in Ontario. I booked self check in for a reason, we did not have the time or energy to deal with people coming to fix the door or the host for that matter. I had family members coming from all over, and to have to call the host to get in, at any hour was not what I booked this for. The host has rebooked the home, and did not incur a loss in income, now she has gotten paid x 2. The booking was booked far in advance there is no excuse for the host not to have it in good working order. 

AGAIN THE AMENITY OF SELF CHECK IN WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND SO ALL MY MONEY SHOULD BE REFUNDED. 

[Mark116]

@Pearl85  I'm not sure about that.  The host was going to be able to check you in remotely, e.g. that is self check in, where you don't need to meet anyone.  There was also the option of going to the back door, which is also self check in.  I acknowledge that you may be in a difficult emotional state, but it seems to me that the host offered you two easy alternatives until the door could be repaired.

Lastly, things break.  Hosts are not miracle workers if the door was recently broken, in this climate of scarcity, it may take a few days or more to get it repaired.

[Pearl85]

You think at 2 am or anytime throughout the night. The back door option?? For my young daughter in a city, she doesn't live? Standing outside waiting for the host to respond???

It is involving the host to remotely let us in?? I did not want to have to involve anyone. That is my right. 

Not to mention the host did not advise us, until 3 hours after check in. If she had the respect for us, and our situation and the fact we were travelling from afar, then that is a different scenario. 

Again self checkin was not available.  This has been escalated up to the company and they are agreeing with me actually, that self check in was not available and I am entitled to get a full refund. 

This is what the world as developed into, no respect for the consumers and having to jump through hoops during a time where I needed that reservation, and it is taking over 3 weeks to get my money back. We have no rights anymore.  "climate of scarcity, not my problem or concern. Climate of lack of respect for consumers is more like it".  

I wasnt asking for a miracle,   is it is a miracle for a host to make sure 1) notify the consumer so the consumer can be advised on the situation. 2) provide the amenity the customer paid for. To me that is not a miracle.  wow. 

[Kia272]

@Pearl85 Self check-in was available: at the back door. 

You seem to be making a much bigger deal of this than it was. 

Yes, the host should have told you before check-in time, but I guess she would have heard from your daughter if she was trying to get in and couldn't, so it seems nobody had tried to enter yet. 

This also seems like a third-party booking, since you made it but were not present at the property. Those are against the rules on AirBnB. 

I simply don't understand why you think, having never seen this property, that somehow going in the back door is a danger to your daughter. You appear to be the one being difficult here. I'm not sure you deserve a full refund, since the host provided a solution, and you turned it down. Go figure. 

Seems like your family might do best in a hotel. 

[Pearl85]

Trust me we will be staying at a hotel next time around. it wasn't third party, the host knew we were both travelling at separate times. I made her aware of everything regarding check in and who would be staying including my daughter. On the day of check in she was at the hospital with her dad, cell phones do not work at the hospital. That is why she said tell my daughter to call her, she was aware my daughter was going there on the check in time at 3pm.  

Too bad the host couldn't show me the same respect. 

anyway I know the area, and it is not a safe place. 

The host would not have heard from my daughter because we did not know that the front door didn't work and I didnt know we could access the back door, it was not mentioned until the host 3 hours after check in time, the host finally contacted me. 

I got a full refund, it doesnt matter what you think. I posted this thread for customers so they know their rights. 

[Huma0]

@Pearl85 

Erm, if you knew the area and knew it was not a safe place, why did you book it?

I'm sorry for your situation, but you are coming across as kind of hysterical. You did not stay at the listing even though the host gave you two alternative options to access it, and are screaming for a full refund. That seems a bit over the top.

If you did not want to 'deal with the host' at all, well, quite frankly, you should not have booked an Airbnb. You do know what an Airbnb is right? 

Please do yourself a favour and only book hotels in future.

[Mark116]

@Gillian166 @Huma0 @Kia272   That's Airbnb for you. 

A guest refusing to go the back door, refusing to allow the host to remotely unlock the door=full refund.  Unbelievable. At this point, I wouldn't suggest my worst enemy list on this platform, full of guests who can't tolerate even the slightest inconvenience and don't care about anything beyond their own plans and comfort.  What a world.

[Gillian166]

@Mark116  and, there goes the "Canadians are super nice" cliche....  we need to remind ourselves that this person is only the 1%, but oh the damage they can do! Does she even realise she has just harmed a small business owner? yikes, the E word applies here. 

[Pearl85]

Canadians are super nice most of them. But of course you guys are going to side with those because all of you are host and not the customer so keep your attitude and your comments to yourself

[Gillian166]

@Pearl85 I know, I have Canadian friends, and most of them are super nice, there are exceptions. 

We are hosts, yes, and we have excellent skills at detecting drama, red flags and entitled behaviour.  Coming onto the community forums and then telling us all to pipe down is not out of line for your character arc. I can predict what's next. 

I'm sorry you are experiencing a traumatic personal life experience, truly, a loved one being in hospital is just the worst, I pray you all get through it,  but I suggest you take a deep breath and see how that might be influencing your reactions. Unless this is you all the time... 

[Pearl85]

Yeah what a world when a guest book self check in and their children's dad is dying and we don't have time to deal with the host not doing what they're supposed to do yeah it's a terrible world isn't it

[Pearl85]

You got the story wrong the keypad was not available at the time of check-in at 3:00 p.m. I was not aware that the back door was available until 3 hours after. Seems kind of inconsiderate of the host don't you think to advise the customer that they couldn't self-check in until 3 hours after to check in time do you not agree with that you are missing the point