Hi guys,
I just had an absolutely horrendous situation in copenhagen. I had booked an airbnb which stated that it was a reservation for an ENTIRE APARTMENT. When i checked in, I found out the apartment is actually shared with someone else. Immediatedly I went and checked the listing and at the bottom it states that the kitchen and bathroom is shared. Admittedly I had overlooked this and only read the part where it said "private balcony living room and bedroom". I didnt think much about it when I read that part I just assumed the host was describing the privacy of the apartment.
Yes I know it was my fault for not reading everything carefully. I actually acknowledged that to airbnb and the host. But how is the host allowed to list her apartment as an entire apartment when the kitchen, bathroom, entrance to the apartment and hallway is all shared? Additionally, the bathroom and shower windows had NO CURTAINS and the neighbours in the building next to it can see me naked when I shower. I let airbnb know of all this and they simply said because the host's cancellation policy was strict and she did write in the description that the bathroom and kitchen is shared, therefore i would not be getting a refund. They said the bathroom not having curtains and having zero privacy with the neighbours being able to see my naked body isnt a big enough violation so they would only give me 10% refund on the first night IF i agree to cancel the reservation RIGHT NOW WITHOUT any refund on the rest of the nights at all. Like that staff was pressuring me to cancel a reservation at the last minute which I paid 7 nights for and had no other accomodation in order to get 10% on the first night? How is this ok?
How is any of this fair? I acknowledge I should have read the listing more carefully but how can a host list an apartment that is clearly a shared one as an ENTIRE unit for the guest. And how is it ok to have bathroom and shower windows overlooking the neighbour being completely visible?
The worst part about this is I wasnt even being rude to the host when i spoke to her. I simply explained why I couldnt stay in a share apartment. 1) I had breast cancer and I wear breast prosthesis. 2) I have hair loss from the treatment and wear a wig. When i am at home i want to just relax and remove my breast prosthesis and wig. I cannot do that around a complete stranger. I certainly cannot shower in my current condition with the windows completely visible to the neighbours. I even explained this to that awful airbnb staff and said I can show my surgical scars and medical certificate and he said "well your medical condition is irrelevant in this situation". AND he also said this to me "AirCover offers protection from many issues that might come up during your stay—like the heat going out in winter—but it doesn’t include more minor inconveniences." - I do not understand what part of a woman having to expose her naked body everytime she goes take a shower and use the toilet constitutes a "MINOR INCONVENIENCE". I found that so offensive.
My anxiety levels are through the roof at the moment because i paid 1000 euros for 7 nights only to have to deal with this. I'm not a rich person so this is alot of money to me. And i also feel like that airbnb staff is forcing me to accept the cancellation in order to get a measly 10% refund on the first night.
Am I really the only one at fault here?
