Account access limited due to retaliatory guest

[Heather1086]

Hi all...

First time posting, but I have come to this forum frequently as I started hosting with Airbnb last winter. We have had fantastic guests and superhost status.  At the end of July we Had a guest who during her time there I heard nothing from.  So of course assumed all was well... as she left she sent in a review right away... I was assuming 5⭐️ Like every other guest.  My housekeeper comes a few hours later and finds a mess.  Broken furniture, stained quilt, mountain of garbage, etc.  

I call Airbnb and message about what to do, and use the resolution center for replacement and repair of items.  I also leave an accurate review so future hosts have an idea of this renter.  At that point I can read her review, which has low stars across the board.  Her public review is accurate but all the private comments are full of lies.  Airbnb understandably leaves the review since it didn’t violate policy.  

It had the feel of retaliatory given the damage.

Next, she pays for damages in the resolution center and in less than 24 hrs I get a resolution center request for refund of the cleaning fee.  I call CS and am guided in blocking the guest and told it’s okay to decline especially since it seems retaliatory considering she just paid for damages.  In my response to her I let her know that if there were issues during her stay she could have contacted me and I would have worked to make things right.

i think this is all over until last night.  I got an email from Airbnb notifying me that my account had been made limited due to a report of security cameras.  Which is accurate and fully disclosed on my listing.  All exterior cameras show what can be seen from the street or neighbour's house.  During the guests time there they tampered with them and redirected them.  I would assume that Airbnb would go to my listing first to see the disclosure before freezing my acct.

I am fully booked to mid-October and so worried about losing those reservations... we just started to recover after the covid cancellations.  Any advice???  Anyone dealt with similar before?  I’m waiting for my phone call per the letter they sent.

[Heather1086]

In hindsight I wish we would have monitored the cameras while the guest was there... we typically don't unless we suspect a reason to (neighbor calls, etc.).  My husband watches a 5-10 second feed of everyone getting there so we can see that it isn't a party situation.  We did not know of the camera adjustments until our housekeeper went to clean and found a mess... my husband then pulled up cameras and we have a really good picture of a person in their party pointing them in random directions.  Still waiting on my call from my airbnb ambassador, her email indicated she would call today.

[Colleen253]

@Heather1086  Part of the reason we watch our cameras regularly now is so that if a guest moves them or disables them we would  know something is up. Early in my hosting I had a couple stay who were quiet and didn’t seem suspicious at all. This was calculated on their part. They knew what they were doing. This was before we had security cameras installed. When I went in after checkout (house was a disaster and they had stolen from it) I found they had methodically gone through the entire house and checked for cameras, taking apart electrical outlets and smoke detectors etc. Cameras are installed now and  if they do go “offline” that’s a red flag. I check them periodically throughout every stay no matter what. The danger is getting complacent because 99% of guests are great. 

[Heather1086]

@Colleen253 Thank you so much for the advice.  Yeah when the 20 groups prior don't bat an eye at them and left glowing reviews... just didn't expect this at all. This all goes in the lesson learned category for sure!  One of our previous guests totally thanked us for having them, they had some money stolen and we were able to send a pic of the last person in and out of the house during the time it went missing... of course it was someone in their group... 😉

[Colleen253]

@Heather1086   It’s unfortunate that we have to operate somewhat guardedly, as if every guest is going to be that one outlier or outright fraud. We just have to try to balance that out with still enjoying the majority who are great and make hosting a pleasure 🙂 

[Sarah977]

@Heather1086 "I can't figure out what this person is wanting? "

I'd say they are taking revenge for being asked to pay for the damages and they are probably trying to get Airbnb to give them a full refund.

[Heather1086]

@Sarah977 You are probably correct.  Upon check out in the private part of the review she admitted to damage (would have been helpful to know earlier since a new guest was checking in the next day).  She quickly paid for the damages, then the next day comes a request for her cleaning fee being returned... which I declined.  I thought it was all going to be done at that point until I got the email last night with my account being limited.  I have 3 big reservations coming up that basically dig me out of the covid hole from the spring.    I am thankful that there is a clear paper trail between myself and airbnb re. this guest from the day she checked out of the house.

[Colleen253]

@Heather1086 Something useful to be able to rebut the shady guest who invents issues is to do a detailed video walkthrough before every check in. Get a good clear view of the state of the house (even inside the empty and clean dishwasher, the fridge, everything!)  This way they can’t so easily claim something untrue. 

[Sarah977]

@Heather1086  If you don't already, make sure to always write down your upcoming guests' phone numbers somewhere so if Airbnb suspends your listing, or there's some tech glitch, you can still get in touch with them.

FYI just checking the camera feed when guests check in means that you won't know if they snuck in more guests later (unless they disturb the neighbors) , which seems to be what most of the party guests do- the extra people arrive later, not at check-in.

[Heather1086]

@Sarah977  Already did.  Took screen shots of all the upcoming guests phone numbers just in case.  Also, took time to reactivate my vrbo listing today... it's up and live.  The houses are like 95% booked in the area over summer so they wouldn't be able to find a comparable house at all on short notice.  Another oddity, is last night when I went to my payout page I noticed that the payment from my current guests (who aren't involved in this at all and have been highly communicative) was moved from pending to upcoming.  I had already received the email 24 hours after they checked in saying that the payment was coming my way... seems that they are holding all of my August rent payments now.  So confused!

[Heather1086]

Finally got my call from the CS agent... he confirmed with me that the cameras are disclosed in my listing and said they will get me reinstated.  The official email he just sent said they will wrap up the investigation in 48 hours and let me know the outcome.  He also asked me specifically about the damages that the guest left to the house and confirmed that she had paid for them through the resolution center.  Hopefully this is resolved quickly... in the meantime I have learned to diversify where I have my house listed, do a courtesy check in via messenger with the guest at the start and end of their stay, and check the security cameras periodically throughout their stay.  Thank you to all you airbnb veterans who gave me advice today... much appreciated!

[Sarah977]

@Heather1086  Congratulations.  But why they can't spend 1 minute to look at a host's listing to see that yes, the cameras are disclosed, rather than suspending your account first, is just back-asswards.

[Heather1086]

@Sarah977 @Completely agree.  If they go back on their word the call was recorded... the whole thing makes no sense at all... but that seems to be how it goes lately.

[Eleyna0]

I totally agree. Why is Airbnb creating distress for hosts?

[Fred13]

Good show @Heather1086. Ok, a pending question remains - why is your town named Boring, OR? 

[Heather1086]

@Fred13 ha!  It was named after a family with the last name Boring.  We are paired with our sister towns of Dull Scotland and Bland Australia.  It’s a great conversation starter!  It’s a great place to live... rural suburb of Portland and less than an hour to some great skiing!