I’m new on Airbnb and not getting any business
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I’m new on Airbnb and not getting any business
Latest reply
I have 7 years experience hosting with Airbnb.
I am a Superhost and Guest Favourite with have over 150 overwhelmingly positive reviews and a 4.98 rating.
Occasionally a problem arises with a guest and I always take advice from the helpline before I respond to the guest.
Both my properties have now been suspended by Airbnb and a refund of £468.78. after my guest made false accusations to Airbnb and checked out 4 days early. My cancellation policy does not allow refund if a guest chooses to check out early from their stay.
Airbnb suspended my account on my guest word only, even though he has only 2 reviews with Airbnb and I have 150.
Airbnb made no attempt to contact me about the veracity of his statements, they just suspended my account without informing me!
I keep phoning the helpline to get my properties reinstated, but it is now 24 hours and I'm unable to speak to the person who is responsible for looking into the case. I waited in all day for a return phone call but nothing.
On this occasion when the guest first checked in to my property they " loved it "... this is a common reaction, I really work hard to make it a beautiful space..leaving gifts and fresh flowers.
The place has been our family seasid's e retreat for 75 years - it's in a stunning location a stone's throw from a beautiful sandy surfing beach.
Late at night the guest asked for heating at over and above what is advertised in my listing. Since energy prices escalated I chose to keep my prices low but provide gas central heating within certain limits up to 22 degrees - heating comes on in the mornings, and again in the early evening goes off at 10 pm - Guests are free to boost the heating at any time up to 22 degrees on my Nest Thermostat to the next time period.
In addition to the gas central heating, I provide:
Underfloor heating and a fan heater in the bathroom,
Unlimited access to the gas fire in the living room,
A heated towel rail in the bathroom that is permanently on.
Also for winter guests I bought a heated over-blanket with 9 heat settings.
Plus I recently spent £259 on a top of the range dehumidifier - being coastal it sometimes gets damp and then feels cold even with heating turned up.
....In other words I go above and beyond to keep my guests comfortable and happy.
It is now British Summer time, people wearing shorts on the beach, my own heating is turned off, so I didn't envisage any problems with my guest who arrived last Saturday.
This guest contacted me late at night and asked for extra heating at night. It usually switches off at 10 pm, the Nest thermostat allows him to keep the heating on at night, but I asked him to use the heated blanket as he said his wife had a medical condition and she needed the mattress to be warm.
He demanded extra heating over and above that advertised in my listing, so I immediately contacted Airbnb for support who told me in this circumstance I could advise him an extra charge might be made for gas.
I messaged my guest and told him he could set the heating at 22 during the night which he wanted, asked him to check the gas cylinder after a few days and advised I might charge for an extra cylinder if this was needed at my cost of £100 a cylinder.
The guest didn't like this, he didn't see why they should pay extra for supplementary heating, even though Airbnb helpline for hosts had told me this was reasonable.
My guest complained that his wife had a special medical condition, so they couldn't even stay in a hotel because she needed extra heating.
He'd made no mention of this at all on booking, and if it was so important to him surely he should have read the details of heating schedule on my listing.
My smart Thermostat showed me the heating was turned on continuously for the next 8 hours of his stay.
Next day, I got a call from Airbnb to say the guest wanted to cancel their booking because there was " no heating"
I was able to show the Airbnb that the guest was lying - I shared screen shots showing the external and internal temperatures of my property, and the excessive energy use since my guest had checked in.
The next day I received another call from Airbnb saying the guest wanted to leave the property, have a full refund on their stay and cancel an upcoming reservation they had made, without penalty under my cancellation policy because they didn't feel "safe"
The representative told me that the guest had reported two men had entered the garden and threatened them (this didn't seem at all likely as it's a very peaceful area - has been our seaside retreat for 70 years and my elderly mother lived there on he own the last 40 years of her life - nothing like this has ever happened to before)
I immediately contacted my local police and chased up the " Crime Reference Number" that they'd supposedly reported to the police. The police told me there was no incident that they needed to attend.
When I went to check the security entrance camera footage from the entrance to my property - I found that my guest has stuck her tongue out at it and stuck something over it disabling the camera.
There is no evidence of two men ever coming into the garden and threatening them.
Despite keeping my temperature set at 22.5 degrees for the duration of his stay, my guest contacted me to request a cancellation of his upcoming stay in August ( high season) because of my Strict Cancellation Policy at time of booking he was not due a full refund. I had reserved the property for him. Although I was under no obligation, I promised him if I got a replacement booking I would refund him more than he was owed.
He didn't like this he said he wanted a "full refund or he would take the matter further" This is NOT my cancellation policy.
Late last night I received a message from Airbnb Airbnb Safety Team Andie that he'd given my guest a refund of £468.78, and cancelled his upcoming stay without penalty.
It says " we received a report there was an issue related to a security camera or recording device during reservation" We take reports like this seriously as I'm sure you understand.. you can review our policy here ...your account is limited" .. you may be able to appeal the listings removal from Airbnb..." We don't take these decisions lightly..."
Well I do understand, the policy, and need for guest privacy.
This is an external door bell at the entrance, it is clearly positioned next to the front door so it is easily visible when guests arrive at the property.
I had talked to Airbnb before installing the Doorbell.
I installed it as a means of communication so arriving guests could contact me as there is no mobile phone signal.
I also wanted the extra security for my property and my guests and to manage deliveries.
Airbnb policy allow external doorbell cameras and it is mentioned in my listing.
I have therefore not breached Airbnb policy.
Airbnb should at least have contacted me as a super host to check before suspending my listing, rather than just taking the word of a guest who has only got two reviews.
Airbnb continually state they value you for being a "superhost"
Right now I don't feel valued.
I've been trying for the past 24 hours to speak to someone ar Airbnb about reinstating my listing and returning the £468.78 they have refunded my guest. Although all the Airbnb reps I have spoken to seem very helpful and understanding, and said they have escalted my case to the team dealing with it, no one has yet called me back.
Will Airbnb compensate me for lost bookings while they've removed my listings? Why did they remove all my listings and not just the one where my guest stayed? While Airbnb have blocked my listings it means they can't be booked on other linked platforms I use as the Airbnb blocks these platforms as well.
Can anyone please help ?
What should I do now to get my listings reinstated and the money that has been wrongly deducted returned?
I am worried my guest will also try and leave a retaliatory review that spoils my rating. How can I stop this?
Answered! Go to Best Answer
I am still unable to contact the team who have suspended my listings.
It has now been several days.
I have made numerous attempts to call the Superhost Helpline and been told each time it has been "escalated" to the team who suspended my account, but I have heard nothing.
I have wasted hours and hours on the phone and it has been all very stressful.
Meanwhile with my accounts remaining suspended without notice, I am unable to take any bookings on Airbnb ( who have also blocked me taking any bookings on Vrbo and Booking.com)
I am a superhost/ guest favourite of 7 years with Airbnb. I have a score of 4.98 with 150 reviews. I generate £1,000's income each year for Airbnb.
Airbnb always state they value their superhosts, but right now I don't feel valued.
I consulted Airbnb before I installed the doorbell, it is clearly visible at the entrance door when guests arrive, I have declared it in my listing. So I have applied all Airbnb host rules.
My security doorbell is external to the property which is allowable. It monitors only the few square feet at the entrance door.
I am not a "peeping tom" with a camera hidden in a bedroom or bathroom !!!!!! And if I had been the complaining guest would not have noticed the camera.
You’ve found the type of guests that use threats / extortion to get what they want. Stand up to the guest and as you’ve discovered it’s all too easy to get shut down. They will also get to leave a review 😞
I am still unable to contact the team who have suspended my listings.
It has now been several days.
I have made numerous attempts to call the Superhost Helpline and been told each time it has been "escalated" to the team who suspended my account, but I have heard nothing.
I have wasted hours and hours on the phone and it has been all very stressful.
Meanwhile with my accounts remaining suspended without notice, I am unable to take any bookings on Airbnb ( who have also blocked me taking any bookings on Vrbo and Booking.com)
I am a superhost/ guest favourite of 7 years with Airbnb. I have a score of 4.98 with 150 reviews. I generate £1,000's income each year for Airbnb.
Airbnb always state they value their superhosts, but right now I don't feel valued.
I consulted Airbnb before I installed the doorbell, it is clearly visible at the entrance door when guests arrive, I have declared it in my listing. So I have applied all Airbnb host rules.
My security doorbell is external to the property which is allowable. It monitors only the few square feet at the entrance door.
I am not a "peeping tom" with a camera hidden in a bedroom or bathroom !!!!!! And if I had been the complaining guest would not have noticed the camera.
I would suggest look at your listings. Not that you did something wrong are you trying to hard to do thing right that most guests use the information as intended but have you given the scammer maybe 1 guest after 1000 goog guests the avenues to hurt you..
Always disclose items like cameras or heat limits but you should not provide information positive or negative on your ad. concerning your reasons. Your reasons are your reasons and the guest is a customer purchasing what your selling time in your rental. Think of businesses you buy from even Airbnb they don't discuss with you why they make a business decision just here it iss you can communicate agreement or disagreement with the businesses choice but they aren't proving you 10 reasons because even though the majority take as intended that 1 person out of a 1000 will cause significant financial harm to them because they have provided the knowledge oof what areas we don't know if our arguments are convincing enough because our reasons sound defensive'
Write your ads for a buying customer not a potential business partner. In Arizona weather AC temperatures are the big deal. I don't disclose an actual temperature to guests. I don't discuss in my ad how my husband and I decide temperature. I say I run AC off solaar so house is kept comfortable. If you arre not comfortable lets discuss options.
Thanks Marie,
That's really good advice, particularly I'm going to incorporate what you say into my listing:
"I run AC ( in my case heating ) off solar so house is kept comfortable. If you are not comfortable lets discuss options."
99 % of my guests are happy and reasonable with my settings.
But when you get a guest like a recent guest who turned my underfloor heating up to 30.5 degrees and left it like that after they left, took me a week to discover, it can wipe out the entire profit for their stay, or even put me at a loss.
I would check on VRBO and booking.com to make sure these guests did not find your listing and report a safety issue on those platforms. Airbnb is a separate entity from those companies so I have no idea why you are being blocked. You may want to consult a lawyer because these people have committed fraud by lying and harming your business. You do have legal recourse if you choose to do so.
Please let us know what happens.
Yes it seems that way. I've now discovered they were shouting and swearing at neighbours so really unpleasant people.
A few things to consider
1. Number of review for either the Guest or the Host should not matter regarding a complaint. I don't want to think i can not complain about a Guest because I must be lying because they have more reviews then me.
2. I advise my clients in this type of situation, focus on winning the war not a battle. You are right, the Guest is wrong but at what cost to your business? I had a similar situation with my quiet hours. If someone I know is aware and I am in a rural area in AZ so the supermarket is open at midnight not exactly a night life area. Someone did leave me a negative review saying I had curfews, he knew he was wrong and I knew. I took 5 minutes and corrected his review comment, Maybe I would of won the battle to remove his negative lie but at what cost to me? Instead I did focus some time on how to control an idiot guest but enabling me to still restrict random coming and goings in a way that didn't give the guest a confrontational avenue. Sure enough 3 months later someone just ignored my rules. I handled the situation same way I did last time but when the guest wanted a disagreement some people just do, I responded very neutrally. Must of just been a computer glitch that their entry code didn't work at midnight but luckily I was up late to open the door for them. The Guest knew I did it and she abided by my rules for her remaining 3 weeks. She did suddenly have a job site change so she won't be extending has planned but I figure probably a good idea since we aren't compatible.
The first idiot guest was actually a valuable lesson.
People love discounts as opposed to even legitimate charges. The lesson for this situation is add an extra cylinder of gas to your costs. Either say nothing or promote it positively if the guests operate the heat as suggested then you will never refund a discount either on a completed stay or a future stay
He didn't mention wife's medical condition because she doesn't have one. Logic says if I have enough common sense to determine a hotel room well insulated I have ability to control temperature in my hotel room is uncomfortable for my wife then I don't choose lodging that clearly talks about rules concerning limited heat. I think you were scammed. Now you are suspended out your costs arguing with Airbnb and sorry to say the scammer got his free stay and probably hasn't even spent 10 minutes on thinking of the trouble he created for you. He is just pleased with himself he accomplished his theft of your earned money.
Yes I think this is probably the case, they kept trying to get their refund:
( weather wasn't that great on first day of their arrival for beach holiday !)
1. First, reported no gas heating. It is British Summer time, most people actually have their heating off at this time of year. Wanted cancellation and full refund. I was able to show this was a lie. I sent Airbnb my heating App screen shots showing guest had turned heating full on since he'd arrived. It was 22-23 degrees!
2. Next Reported safety issue. Told Airbnb that two intruders had entered my garden, sworn and threatened them and they didn't feel safe. Again guest Wanted cancellation and full refund. This seemed so unlikely as it's a peaceful country area, and my mother lived there last 40 years of her life. Guest sent photo of two men behind a hedge as "proof" . This was not proof just a picture of two men behind a hedge. No proof of being in my garden. I chased the supposed Police Crime Reference Number - the police said it was a non-event. Neighbours have since reported to me that my guests were the ones who were seen swearing and shouting and abusing two of my neighbours workmen, working in my neighbours garden ( not mine) .
3. Finally got me for Privacy Issues, having a "security" Ring doorbell right by my front entrance door. I'd installed this doorbell at my front door after talking to Airbnb rep and being told you can have an external Ring Doorbell ( rep even told me a good make to buy ) I wanted guests to be able to get hold of me in area of poor phone reception without having to drive back up the hill to get signal.
As a result Airbnb suspends my listing, refunds the guest, allows them to cancel their upcoming booking without my usual cancellation policy.
They were scammers from the start.
Every hard working Airbnb host who shares their home with others and works extremely hard to make guests have a great stay will understand how I feel.
I'd put out welcome gifts, personally put fresh flowers in their bedroom.
Over last winter ( its a seasonal listing) I had spent £3,500 on a luxury kingsize bed in the main bedroom, £2.000 re-decorating the main bedroom. They had completely new bedlinen to go with new kingsize bed. They had booked one of the main holiday weeks of the season and stayed there for free. It is so disheartening.
@Tamsin26 British Summer Time starts at the end of March and runs until the end of October. To think that a listing doesn't need heating between these dates is madness. We often find our guests need the heating on well into June and certainly by September. Guests are paying for comfort and deserve heating if they request it.
Oh I only reduce the heating from May to August.
I feel your frustration! Has Airbnb changed it's policy regarding these type of situations? I had a middle of the night cancellation/refund too last night without Airbnb consulting me- which they normally do first before they refund their money. The guest said it was a health concern.
That's interesting. It seems it isn't just me.
Airbnb shouldn't refund a guest without first consulting the host. And travel insurance is for cancellation due to health reasons.
I have several friends who host on Airbnb, all work incredibly hard to create a nice positive stay and are letting people into their homes. We need to be able to trust Airbnb to support us with problem guests.
I've a few friends who run Airbnb and heard of a number guests using this excuse with Airbnb.
Guests should:
1) Have travel insurance to cover them for this and other genuine reasons for sudden cancellation.
2) Airbnb should ask for evidence of a medical condition ( a travel insurance company would)
A host cancellation policy is their cancellation policy.