Airbnb support siding with fraudulent host

[Dariah0]

Hey, community! I’m writing in to get the communities help on an active resolution case. 

Backstory: I paid for a monthly stay in SoCal and informed the host within my Airbnb messages that my pet will be accompanying me on my visit. The moment I stepped foot into my Airbnb, it was disgusting. The shower was gross with hair everywhere, the walls were dirty, and I was given NO blankets. My “secured parking spot” was the host telling me to park my Jeep Wrangler (which is a huge car) half on on the premises and half on the sidewalk (illegally). I wasn’t informed that the Airbnb would be behind an auto-repair shop, nor was I told that the neighborhood was unsafe. On top of that, the host literally attempted to charge me $300 in person when he saw my dog. He literally told me to call Airbnb to pay for my dog to stay with me. 

The last straw was the Airbnb host texting and calling me multiple times at 1 in the morning to open up an exterior door for another guest (when I was not informed that I shouldn’t because I felt unsafe). I immediately cancelled my reservation 3 weeks earlier than planned, and went home. Worst Airbnb experience EVER. 

Ive been working with Airbnb resolution center for 2-3 weeks now, and the host denied my refund request because “She never told me she had a dog and he peed everywhere in the Airbnb.”  My dog is a fully trained k-9. He doesn’t make those mistakes. I also had my Airbnb messages stating clearly that I will be having my dog with me. Which he agreed was okay. 

Airbnbs response basically was “well he denied because you didn’t let them know you had a dog.” To me, that just shows me that they didn’t even take a look at my case.  I cannot believe that this is my experience. This host is clearly scamming, and after reading more reviews, it’s very obvious this host is scamming customers. 

Can you please provide some insight as to how airbnb resolution is actually support to help out??

[Sarah977]

@Dariah0  So sorry you had such a bad experience with such an awful host. 

The problem, Dariah, is that Airbnb customer service has fallen off a cliff. It's been extremely frustrating to deal with them, regardless of whether you are a guest or a host with an issue.

All their CS front line reps are outsourced now, they get paid for closing cases as quickly as possible, they are ill-trained and seem to know next to nothing about Airbnb policy. Many aren't even all that fluent in English.

So this is what you, and everyone else is having to deal with now. Cases that should be no-brainers are taking weeks or months to get resolved.

I think it helps to know you aren't alone in getting this bad service, but of course you need this resolved.

If you are dealing with a rep who doesn't get it, as this one doesn't not even bothering to check the messages you sent to the host, ask that the rep please pass the case on to a supervisor. Stay polite- your goal is to get to someone who will help you appropriately. 

" XX, thank you for your reply- unfortunately, it is evident that you haven't read my messages to the host, which show clearly that I did tell the host that I was bringing my dog. And the dog is far from the only issue here. 

I request that you now please pass my case on to your supervisor who may be better equipped to deal with it. Thank you."

That sort of thing.

Also when you are dealing with Airbnb CS, present your issues as simply and concisely as possible, in bullet point form, in chronological order.

I requested to book this place on June X.

I accompanied my request with a message to the host stating I would be bringing my dog.( This is a pets allowed listing).

The host replied that was fine.

On arrival, I found that the place had not been cleaned and was unacceptably dirty.

No blankets were provided.

The host then insisted I pay him $300 in cash for the dog.

Etc, etc.

I have no idea of the specific details beyond what you've posted here, but that's an example of the way you should lay things out. Make it dead simple to read and understand.

If you are dealing with them by phone, switch to their Twitter account, or their messaging system. Phoning, unless it's an emergency, seems to be the worst method of dealing with them, and you have no written  record of what the rep said to you. Screenshot all your communications, as well as your message thread with the host, in case they disappear it all.

I really don't know what more to suggest. Keep in mind the 3 "P"s of dealing with them. Patience, politeness, and persistence. The squeakly wheel does, usually, eventually get the grease.

[Dariah0]

Hey Sarah! Sorry for the late response, the system wasn't allowing me to post one so I figured i'd give updates after I hear back from support. I contact airbnb through twitter, which helped!

Well, airbnb is standing with the hosts decision after they clearly lied, scamming me out of my money. By far the worst customer support experience I've ever had. I cannot believe Airbnb sided with the host on this one. Not sure what else to do. 

Thanks, Sarah and community!!

[Cynthia1074]

Airbnb always sides with the hosts, no matter how horrible they are. They might not have been like this when they started the app, but they have changed. I feel it is unsafe now to use this app because as a guest, I feel unsafe knowing that I won't have rights when dealing with a belligerent host who says lies about the state we left the room in, and keeps the belongings we forgot there. The only issue is legal of course, but it will take work to get there.  

[Jenny]

Hi @Cynthia1074 

Have you had a recent incident with a host where you feel you've not been supported by Airbnb?  Feel free to drop me a private message if you'd like to let me know about anything that's happened, and I can see if there's anything we can do to help look into things.

Jenny

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Dariah0 The story from the host is, of course, different

'She started complaining before she saw and moved in the apartment She didn’t pay for the dog that urinated all over the bed and left the place smelling urine I gave her a parking spot on the property and she parked halfway out on the sidewalk She complained that the property was unsafe when we never had a problem and I know it’s a beautiful safe area I let her go without paying for the dog just to make her feel ahead though I had to clean and fumigate and throw away the bed sheets and covers It’s the first time I leave a negative review'

I accept it is hard for airbnb to determine the truth but a quick read of the guests and hosts other reviews would probably set them in the right direction

[Helen3]

You are right @Dariah0  has excellent reviews of her other stays @Mike-And-Jane0 

Have you looked at the hosts other reviews ? Mike ? 

[Dariah0]

Sadly, airbnb did not care to investigate this further. Just a heads up for future reference that they will stand with hosts that lie and scam customers out of their money. 🙂 

[Paul9077]

👍

[Dariah0]

Yea, the host made this up. My dog is a trained ESA - "Accidents" are not a thing for him. This host, no that i've looked at so many other listings as reviews, as a history of scamming. The "parking spot" was literally on the premisses of their auto-repair shop. The spot he gave me wouldn't even fit for a fiat. I have a Jeep Wrangler.... I was half on the premisses, half on the sidewalk. No other parking available.

[Cynthia1074]

Something similar happened to us. The host claimed there was pee on the bed, when I had actually brought in extra bedding. And Airbnb sided with him. 

He kept our belongings when we told him we would come and pick them up, and he insulted us on a chat. They will not determine the truth. You are at a loss. 

[Anonymous]

@Dariah0  The listing that you booked states in the House Rules:  "A pet is charged $10 per day." If your booking had been for 30 days, a $300 fee would have been valid, but it was unprofessional for the host to demand the fee in cash rather than collecting it through Airbnb's payment system. 

The host was definitely lying when he said it was his "first time" leaving a negative review for a guest - he's left (and received) a lot of bad reviews. I'm not sure his operation qualifies as a scam - his listings have no descriptions, so it's not really clear what he's offering to begin with. The experience you had as a guest is pretty much what one would expect based on the reviews from prior guests, and the consistently poor ratings and reviews for all of his properties.  

It's easy to see why you felt like ending the stay early, but why did you choose this particular listing in this particular location, despite the many comments in the reviews about the poor cleanliness and the area being unsafe? 

[Dariah0]

I chose it because during my conversation with the host, they assured me of my concerns and accepted my dog. Never again. Hard lesson learned, as I will put my trust in the community over a host.

[Heaven12]

Can someone please help me figure out what to do. I don’t know how to post a conversation so i have to reply to one. I’ve been helping my boyfriend furnish his airbnb for the past month. Before the listing even went live airbnb listed the listing as fraudulent, but we literally have proof it’s not fraudulent. At this point I feel like it was racially motivated after having to send pictures of himself and he’s a dark black man.