After a multiple day porno party in my Appartment I feel completely let down by Airbnb !!!

[Guido474]

As a superhost for years already, I recently rented out my apartment via Airbnb. What was supposed to be a normal stay turned into an absolute nightmare: without my knowledge or consent, the apartment was used by AirBnB for a multi-day drug and sex party by several individuals — even though only one guest - certified by AirBnB - was officially registered through Airbnb. My family and the neighborhood is shocked.

The apartment was left in a filthy, partially destroyed state. And yet, Airbnb decided to cancel the reservation retroactively and refused to pay out the rental amount of €604.99 to me — even though the apartment was clearly occupied and used for several days and nights.

So I ask publicly:
Is it truly Airbnb’s policy that a guest can rent a property, host illegal parties, get evicted, and leave the apartment damaged — and not only face no consequences, but also not have to pay a cent — while the host is left with the full damage and no compensation whatsoever?

I am sharing this not out of anger, but because I am a journalist, who’s right and duty is to inform and I also believe other hosts deserve to know that this can happen — and because I believe I am owed the rental payment for a stay that, in fact, took place.

I always loved to work with AirBnB and to bring people from all over the world to my home. Great interaction, also with my family including our 13-year old son. I always tried the best possible way and am a super host for that reason for years. Now my partner AirBnB wants to turn into an enemy… is this really happening ??? I trusted AirBnB, to let a certified client into my apartment and was completely let down.

Is AirBnB really supporting the possibility, to rent an apartment, have a drug- & sex party with multiple people for days, than get kicked out by AirBnB and get the whole rent refunded, leaving the owner and partner with AirBnB with an extremely dirty apartment, damaged furniture, problems with the neighborhood and policy and on top no rent ?!?

[Helen3]

That sounds awful @Guido474 

What vetting questions did you ask the guests when they booked .

do you have cctv to ensure only those who have booked stay at the property? 

it helps to understand Airbnb is simply a marketing channel for your STR business . Airbnb are not booking the property the guest is.

Having said that appeal against Airbnb refunding the guest and claim for additional cleaning/damage and leave an honest one star review . 

have you looked at how Airbnb cover works and contacted the guest with photo and video evidence of the damage you mention asking them to cover the costs .

As an experienced superhost I'm sure you know how to make a claim but if not have a look at guidance on the Airbnb Help website..

personally I would post across their social media asking why they refunded guests who partied at your place . Brought in visitors not on the booking and damaged your property.

[Guido474]

I really tried all with AirBnB. But: Nonstop a new person talking to me, nonstop a step back instead of forward, permanently (at least 15x) explaning the situation. I am really sich of the support with AirBnB. There is no support and it´s just set up to waste my time, agin, agin and again. As Mentioned: I am NOT accusing AirBnB, but there was no right (by law!) to cancel a booking without letting me know at all and taking away the whole rent, even the "guests" were in my appartment for 5 days. This is just illegal. Than AirBnB proposed a refunding by damage, whjat I all did by myself. On the phone (recorded) they told me everything will be fine, even if I did all the repairing and cleaning (not invoice). "Just send some pictures, they saidd, I did. Now they want a professional confirmation of all what I did by an expert and invoices, even thouigh they told me different. Again, and agin, and again ... so dissapointed with AirBnB

[Helen3]

Sorry it's not clear from your response @Guido474 

1. Did you vet the guests? 

2. do you have CCTv?

3. Have you made a claim against the guests for damages and cost of any lost bookings 

Actioning these measures doesn't require you to interact with Airbnb

as an experienced SH you will know you can only make a claim for cleaning costs and repairs if you use a third party and get receipts/invoices-  if you do things yourself you can't claim under Aircover for your time .

You can also claim on your own home insurance for STR.

you are correct follow up with Airbnb for cancelling the booking and giving guests a refund .  If they don't do this take them to court.

[Guido474]

1. Yes

2. CCTv ????

3. Yes

...but the main issue for me is that AirBnB is a) not paying the rent that happened, b) offering a refund via claims and does not stick to the deal c) is not supportive at all and tries to wash it out with permanent new anoying questions and chats. So dissapointed with AirBnB and of course I will NOT close this case ...especially not as a professional journalist 😉

[Helen3]

Hi @Guido474 

CCTV = cameras

when you vetted the guest why did they say they were choosing your place/coming to your location?

how did the guest respond to your claim?

You are right Airbnb need to get much better at supporting hosts who have problem guests .

[Guido474]

Cameras are not allowed in GER, no reacting from the guests, no support at all from AirBnB

[John5097]

@Guido474 

Sorry this happened. 

At this point you should just focus on what steps you can take to help get this resolved. 

To make a claim for damages has a very structured protocol so would need to google that and follow it. 

Collect all pictures for evidence and submit that as well. For damages would also need invoices for repair cost. 

It's unclear how you would know the guest had a sex party? Was it things left behind? I'm not sure how relevant that would be depending on the proof. 

Sorry these sound like scammers. Hopefully one of the community organizers here can help send your case to the appropriate team to review. 

It sounds like you just want to be paid for the guest stay. 

Moving forward you could consider some additional protocols to help prevent this from happening again. Many host do a quick video walk through before guest check in to prove the condition of the listing, and take additional photos of any damages or evidence to make a damages claim. 

Smart locks also have a log that records each time a guest uses their code which would prove they used their code to check in. 

Not blaming you but it's like that with a lot of things these days. If something you ordered arrives damaged its best to have as many photos as possible to prove it was damaged in shipping. 

Good luck and hope you get this resolved! 

[Guido474]

Thank you so much for these words. Very nice.

Yes, it definitely was a sex Orgie with multiple people for several days, proofed because we are living next door and also have big issues with the neighbour since that happened.

I also found heaps of drugs in the apartment and took many pictures.

I just feel completely let down by AirBnB.

Five days the apartment was rented, five days was a disaster, five days no sleep for my family and the neighbourhood and I want to get paid for five days! (Original rent 7 days)

That’s not only the law that’s just reasonable.

On top of that I was not informed by AirBnB at all that The renting is cancelled. I was not asked and I was not informed. So obviously AirBnB is acting illegally

[John5097 · Accepted solution]

@Guido474 

Thank you for the additional information. 

Some of these issues can be very tricky. It sounds like the guest has also contacted customer service and made a claim which resulted in customer service having canceled the reservation. To make it more challenging CS may not reveal what the claim was based on, and clearly we don't know from reading your account. 

If you were living next door and guest are being disruptive to you and other neighbors its best to message the guest on the Airbnb messaging, also citing there are more guest than the reservation. Some places also have noise ordinances so it would be the host responsibility  to call the authorities, and also have customer support cancel the reservation.

Host can include quiet hours. How many guest are allowed. I just had a booking for July who said it was their birthday and coming to town to visit friends. I include in my message, their individual door code, date and time of check in check out and number of guest. "Two guest and one car total" This guest canceled a few days later and I'm guessing it's because I only allow two guest and one car. 

Once again that would be something you could do moving forward. 

For this case, I'm also shocked they stayed 5 days then had CS cancel the reservation. That doesn't seem right. If you have photos of people being there jsut focus on that. Maybe the CS agent just didn't read all of your account and it's best to keep it very simple and direct. 

I also wish you well with your journalistic story on this. I think most people reading would also expect the host to maintain some control of their guest, either live there, nearby, keep in touch with neighbors, and report to police any kind of disruptive behavior. So far I havne't had any disruptive behavior besides accidentally setting off their car alarm and sent a polite message to not do that again. 

I do hope you get this sorted out. Moving forward I hope some suggestions like only allowing registered guest. In my case I have it posted on the listing discription, two guest max, in the house rules, two guest one car max, and in my messages confirming two guest and one car max. 

Good luck! Give the community organizers time to catch up after the weekend. Hopefully one of them will reach out to you. I'm also not seeing your listing in your profile, so maybe you or CS temporarily removed it? 

[Guido474]

Thanx ... That´s exactyl what happened. I contacted AirBnB, becaus of the problems I had. They told me not to act at all. Theyx take care, they said. Next thing I heard was that the rent was cancvelled - without letting me know or informing me - and that I don´t get paid. I had to clean & repair for 2 days and my neighbbours were mad ... me too, as there was no sleep possible for several night. But that´s not the point... that´s just the disappointment in AirBnB not suppoprt at all. The point is that a rent HAS happened with a (by the certified by AirBnB) client, The min. in this case is that I get paid the days I rented... what is clearly the law

[Guido474]

...and of course I did all what you proposed... There was only one guest signed in...

The point is: AirBnB supports the possibility that:

1) You can rent an apartment for one person

2) Have an orgie there with multiple guests, maybe even professional

3) Wait till you get kicked out by AirBnb

4) Leave a complete mess in the apartment and the area

5) AND ON TOP NO RENT IS CHARGED by AirBnb!!!

...I am just shocked

[Helen3]

As you're a journalist why don't you speak to your contacts and pitch a story to your local broadcast media- that's likely to get a response from Airbnb. @Guido474 

[John5097]

@Guido474 

Yes I fully agree with you that guest who are being disruptive, have additional unregistered guest, a party, shouldn't receive a full refund after staying 5 nights. 

You called customer support and they just decided to issue full refund. They should have advised you to send a Reservation Alteration instead that would have shortened their stay to 5 nights and they would have been refunded for the two nights they didn't stay. 

Moving forward some host use very strong language about unregistered guest in their listing description and house rules. They say any unregistered guest or additional cars the reservation will be canceled, or extra charge of $150. Other guest actually like this kind of stern policy and feel more comfortable with the host.

I also don't know your exact listing situation. Some host mention if the listing isn't suitable for any kind of party noises, that its very private but its also a quiet residential area and can't disrupt neighbors. That way you would message them and say its disrupting your other neighbor and if they could please agree to shorten their stay, as you try to keep the listing as accurate as possible and this was supposed to be only one guest. 

That gets very tricky and it sounds like these were just scammers anyway. 

And I agree fully guest shouldn't be able to stay 5 nights have a party and then get a full refund. 

A situation like that could easily be the end of offering a listing as you have neighbors upset and scammers lying to customer service. 

From reading other post host would also need a picture of additional guest to claim it was a party but I would be very cautious taking pictures of anyone. I would rather just have the reservation canceled than risk some kind of privacy issue. 

Really sorry this happened., I think I would be much more stressed out about it than you are, but guest may also realize that I wouldn't allow them to disrupt neighbors. The first sentence of my listing is "Quiet residential neighborhood"