Email from Air BNB that my listing was not legitimate `

[Rhonda282]

I woke up today to find an email from Air BnB. First, what was not legitimate about my listing? This person has stayed here since Thursday night. This guest stayed through a major event here in Florida, Daytona Bike Weekend, and now I receive this email, even though the guest was here? Also, I never was given the opportunity of 1 hour to respond to an issue, nor was there any email from the guest indicating an issue or concern. I feel like I just got scammed for someone wanting to stay during a busy weekend then claiming some false information in order to get refunded. Can someone help me with what is going on? I do have a call in to Air BnB, but as of right now, I'm feeling very rattled inside over this situation. Please help!!

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[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rhonda282 Sorry but I doubt anyone here can help you other than to offer sympathy. The message does not say your listing isn't legitimate. I wonder if the reservation was made on a fraudulent credit card. Alternatively Airbnb may just have got it wrong. If safe to do so perhaps have a conversation with the guest and see what Airbnb have said to them.

I assume it is the current reservation they are talking about? Was it a short notice reservation?

[Rhonda282]

Hello Thank you for your reply!

When you say 'it doesn't say my listing wasn't legitimate', do you mean in terms of it not indicating who/what wasn't legitimate? If so I agree with you and is very frustrating.

This is for the regular private room rental. She booked in advance on Feb 11th, although she did request one day later to change the dates by 2 days, which I accepted the revision. She booked from March 4th-10th. The reservation is no longer showing on my calendar, and the payment has been reversed so there is also no record of her payment in my transactions.

I do have my profile set up for only ID verified guests. I also screen my requests very carefully and ask questions, as my safety is also kept in mind when hosting. If I do not feel comfortable with something, I will decline the request.

She left this morning, with no notice to me nor any notice from Air BnB. I do have a call in to them. Regardless, if something was wrong on her end, I should be getting at least partial payment, if not all, because I not only budgeted the money since it was already deposited the night she checked in, but also because she did stay here and stayed through a busy weekend, which if someone else had stayed, would have paid since everywhere is completely sold out. She had a guest with her, they both used showers every day they were here, and I had to wash all of their linens and comforter, so I am at a loss of money not just for the rental but for the additional utilities, which may not be much, but is certainly unfair for me to be left with any charge at all.

I haven't contacted her, I feel like it isn't going to go very well, so as of right now, I'm letting Air BnB handle it. She herself is a Super Host, and she has been a member since Jan of 2020 but I find it odd she only has 1 review, even though she told me she has stayed at other places. I am wondering if she has done this before. 
Anyway, thank you for your answer. Of course, I need to wait for a response from Air, but it is definitely nerve-racking. I hope they respond soon and would be nice to be a call so there can be an actual discussion, and not an email indicating in their favor of keeping the payment.

[Helen3]

Airbnb is telling you that there was a problem with the guest's booking probably because Airbnb wasn't able to collect payment or there was some other issue with the guests profile. 

They are not saying you have done anything wrong.

I am not sure why they would have refunded the guests payment if they have stayed.

You will need to call Airbnb.

Personally I would never accept a last minute booking for a guest with no previous reviews. What sort of vetting do you use to check your guests are suitable for your place?

Maybe review your listing so you only accept bookings from guests with photo ID. You can also set IB if you use it that guests need positive reviews. You can also set your listing so guests need to say give two days advance notice for bookings.

I would ask Airbnb to honour the payment to you as the guest completed their stay.

Best of luck.,

[Rhonda282]

Hello Thank you for your reply!

This is for the regular private room rental. She booked in advance on Feb 11th, although she did request one day later to change the dates by 2 days, which I accepted the revision. She booked from March 4th-10th.

I do have my profile set up for only ID verified guests. I also screen my requests very carefully and ask questions, as my safety is also kept in mind when hosting. If I do not feel comfortable with something, I will decline the request.

She left this morning, with no notice to me nor any notice from Air BnB. I do have a call in to them. Regardless, if something was wrong on her end, I should be getting at least partial payment, if not all, because I not only budgeted the money since it was already deposited the night she checked in, but also because she did stay here and stayed through a busy weekend, which if someone else had stayed, would have paid since everywhere is completely sold out.

She herself is a Super Host, although I am not able figure out how to see what reviews guests have left for others, so although she has good reviews for being a host, I do not know what reviews she has left.  She has been a member since Jan of 2020 but I find it odd she only has 1 review, even though she told me she has stayed at other places. I am wondering if she has done this before. 
Anyway, thank you for your answer. Of course, I need to wait for a response from Air, but it is definitely nerve-racking.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rhonda282 Do let us know what the outcome of this is. If it is a host then they really shouldn't have scammed a stay as their listing would surely get suspended.

While it is totally unfair I am afraid if Airbnb does not get paid then you will not get paid. Given that organising payment is a huge part of what they should do this sounds odd but it does stop fraudulent collusion between guests and hosts using stolen credit cards.

Anyway, lets hope it is just an Airbnb glitch and it will all get sorted soon.

[Rhonda282]

I woke up this morning to see that she is able to leave me a review. Why would that be an option if Air cancelled, she checked out, and I didn't receive a dime for the time she did stay? Doesn't seem fair at all. I'll be calling them again today to discuss this and see if there are any updates to my claim. But she shouldn't be able to leave a review. And yes..I know I can leave her one, but as a host, her negative review will hurt me quite a bit more than me leaving her one as a guest, especially considering she has only had 1 review left as a guest since she was a member back in 2020.

[Helen3]

Hello @Rhonda282 

As mentioned before you really will need to call Airbnb to discuss this issue.

And do bookmark the Airbnb Help website on your computer. It has lots of FAQs around how Airbnb works.  If you look at the FAQ around reviews both hosts and guests can leave reviews even if a booking is cancelled during the stay.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Rhonda282 Don't rush to leave a review. I would make sure you know exactly what Airbnb have done before you review. It may be no fault of the guest at all and you have 14 days to review so there is no hurry. Also if the gust has left you a bad review it delays by 14 days their review appearing on your listing.

[Rhonda282]

So finally received a response this morning, but it was only to ask me questions about if I entered the private area of this guests room, and some other similar questions. So it sounds like she complained about me getting into her space which never happened, and therefore, they had her leave immediately and she got the money refunded. This is not at all what happened but they said they have to put a mark on my account and went on to remind me not to enter a guests private area, etc. Sounds to me they sided with the guest, most likely because they are the one's providing the income. I asked about my money for the days she was here, and he said that is not his department, that he is only from the safety committee. So basically, if I want to scam someone all i have to do it call and say they entered my area and I feel unsafe. Because that is what happened to me. Still waiting on the payment info, I will update when I get an answer on that.