Hi everyone,
I’m a host in Portugal with a consistent track record of positive reviews and responsible hosting. I’m writing to share a case that has left me feeling completely unprotected by Airbnb — and deeply concerned about the precedent it sets for all hosts.
A guest (reservation HMB5TN4QE8) was granted early check-in, entered the property, used the space, and at no point contacted me to report any issue. Hours later, they contacted Airbnb saying the property looked “shabbier” than expected — a vague and subjective claim.
Despite this:
- I was never contacted first to try to resolve the issue
- I was never informed of any specific policy violation
- I was not given the chance to inspect the property before the guest left
- I was not told the name of the Airbnb support agent handling the case
- Airbnb cancelled the reservation and withheld the full payout
- The guest walked away without consequence
I received the guest’s photos — the apartment was clean, tidy, and as described in the listing. The claims were about normal signs of use or lighting differences, which any lived-in property has. These are not grounds for cancellation.
Here’s the part that really worries me:
Just one day earlier, I had a different guest who wanted to cancel because there was wind at their destination (the Algarve). They were still in Lisbon and hadn’t checked in. Of course, I didn’t accept the refund request — because “wind” isn’t a valid reason.
But now I realize: if they had just come, checked in, walked around for 5 minutes and made up an excuse like “the space feels darker than the pictures,” they could have gotten a full refund — and I would’ve lost everything. That’s exactly what happened with this guest.
How can hosts operate under a system where guests can use the property, say something vague, and leave without paying — while Airbnb makes decisions without ever involving the host properly?
I’ve contacted support and my account manager. Still no identification of who made the decision. Still no clear explanation of what policy I supposedly violated.
This is deeply unfair, and I hope this message helps raise awareness of how exposed we can be when the process fails.
Tiago *
*[Sensitive information removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]
