Would really appreciate your take on my current situation with Airbnb. It’s taken me several days to calm down in order to write this and I am horrified at how poorly I have been treated. Sorry it’s so long but I wanted to log everything for reference.
Guest booked in August for one adult and one child for a 10 night stay on Boxing Day. On the morning of arrival the guest calls me at 11am to say he’d arrived and could they come early. I explained checkin is at 3pm and I would get it ready as quickly as possible. I rushed for them to check in at 1300, two hours early.
He informed me that the booking wasn’t for him, a lady and her daughter were staying. It felt off, as I only accept bookings from verified guests with positive reviews but I didn’t want to get off to a bad start and being Christmas I had just kicked my parents out for a ten nighter. I followed up with a message that I like to be in direct contact with the guest in case of emergencies and could I have a number? I was given a cell number from Brazil and told not to call only text. Airbnb advised me later this was a violation of policy. I will never be this trusting again!
I asked if he was dropping them off if they needed an extra bed for the night as only booked for two and was told this was not needed as he wasn’t staying, however the car remained overnight and the door camera confirmed this. Airbnb later informed me this was a further violation of policy.
On night 2 it was pretty noisy in the airbnb but again, I gave the benefit of doubt as it was Christmas.
On night 3 the noise was even worse, my husband was out clearing the garden when they arrived, two ladies and 3 kids. I thought I’d call Airbnb to get their advice. They asked for cctv images of all the guests entering and so I pulled up a screen shot of the doorbell. They advised that there were a few violations.
- Third party bookings are not permitted
- Extra guests night 1 and 3
- Noise
They suggested knocking to ask about the extra guests of which I did do and I firstly asked if the gentleman who booked was available. He wasn’t… She advise she had two extra guests staying over. I explained calmly about the extra guest policy, that I just need to know so I can makeup extra beds. I was met with some hostility and so I also explained as it’s a third party booking that Airbnb do not usually allow this as I only accept those verified with ID and positive reviews.
During the conversation, I noticed all the extra beds were out, kids clamouring on everything, jumping on bed. A bowl fell on the floor and I wasn’t sure if it had smashed, generally I felt the annexe was being treated really poorly and as the person staying didn’t seem bothered at all, I said I would speak to Airbnb. I must point out that for my protection I recorded the call on my phone because I had a feeling this was about to horribly wrong. She also complained I had no oven or washing machine, but I don’t expect she would have known this as she hadn’t booked it. I explained it’s clear on the listing this isn’t the case.
By this point Airbnb had already called the gentleman who booked, who wasn’t local and he began messaging me and it went from bad to worse. he said they would leave in the morning and that they wanted a full refund.
Airbnb promised me a call back but I was getting nothing back and I worried what state the annexe would be in after 10 days. I called and explained that I was concerned but I wasn’t prepared to have the cancellation on me. If they wanted to leave then so be it.
Then I received a notification to say ‘guest cancelled’ this apparently was Airbnb making the cancellation when I finally spoke to someone. I was informed that they should vacate immediately, so I messaged the person who booked to advise this. He wasn’t happy as you can imagine and I just said ‘please speak to Airbnb’ he said he would do everything he could to get all his money back and he would ‘pay me a visit’ when he is next in town… another violation of Airbnb policy.
4. Abusive and threatening messages
All of this was on the Airbnb portal clear for them to review. I made sure I was totally neutral and maintained a professional approach knowing this would be reviewed by Airbnb. They told me it had been escalated to the safety team and I should report to the Police which I duly did as instructed.
I was told that refunding him was totally at my discretion and I declined because I wasn’t likely to get another long booking like this over Xmas and new year at such short notice, besides I had done nothing wrong.
I gave the lady extra time to depart but she didn’t leave so my husband knocked and asked her if she would kindly vacate. She did so leaving the door open in the rain, the room a mess. She had taken all the breakfast cereal, decanted my Molton brown products and tipped over the shower gel so it flowed out all over the shower floor. She also left the toilet unflushed as her last little dirty protest. But I was relieved there was no damage and all of that was a small price to pay and I let that go.
Of course I naively assumed that was the last of it, Airbnb would protect me right? I am the host, I did nothing wrong? I followed all the processes, did as they said and that’s why we use this portal right? So when we need it, we are covered? WRONG
A week later I received a message from Airbnb to advise that the guest had been granted a refund of 7 nights for the cancelled booking. £820 would be deducted from my future bookings. Clearly I wasn’t happy and called straight away. I was advised that as he didn’t stay for those nights he was due a refund. I explained my cancellation policy is strict but I was told once the safety team get involved they have a policy that overrides my cancellation policy. They refused to tell me what the policy was or where I could see it, I asked for them to send it to me, but apparently this is not possible. I was getting more and more annoyed… the safety team were meant to protect ME and not the other way around. I was getting nowhere and my patience was running low. Back and forth hours on the phone, they just could see it from my point of view at all. What had I actually done wrong?
The lady from the safety team eventually mentioned he had accused me of racism and when I read his review he had made the following accusations
- That I entered the annexe without prior agreement
- That I went through the luggage
- That I voyeur the cctv watching all the time
- That I knocked on the door, barged in like a ‘mad woman’ screaming and shouting.
- That I am a drunk.
- That my dog barks all day! (We went out for two hours at 6pm, I noticed her upset on the doggy camera, unusual but prob due to noise. I checked in with the guest, apologies and advised she is otherside of house so may not hear but we were on our way home nonetheless. He said it wasn’t bothering them at all!
Clearly disgruntled, he had really gone to town but I had not stepped foot over the threshold of the annexe since they arrived, not even when I knocked on the door. As I had recorded this I had evidence. I also only communicated with him via the portal so all conversations were recorded. He just lied to get a refund and of course Airbnb refused to share details due to DPA. I was so livid, I spent an hour on the phone to Airbnb but they just kept repeating that the matter had been ‘fully investigated’ and was closed and they wouldn’t discuss it anymore. How can they fully investigate when they didn’t speak to me to get anymore information?
I tried via twitter to get help from Airbnb Uk but they just said as the matter was being handled by a ‘specialist team’ I should reach out to them and then refused to deal with me either.
I am a caring, thoughtful superhost with not one bad review from my 70 x 5* superhost status so I have never needed airbnbs support in this way before, and I feel like I have been failed completely. Apparently my review history and superhost status is not taken into account when it comes to matters like this.
I have raised with the FCA who regulate airbnb payments and they are reviewing if they can help. Does anyone have any other suggestions or advice.
