How do you file a complaint against a host?

[Tammy37]

Had a confirmed booking, had already paid, then the host said he wanted $100 in cash on arrival as a surcharge.  We disagreed, but eventually cancelled, since we knew he would eventually cancel us out so he could gouge someone else.  

Because we cancelled, we have to eat the service charge.

Two questions:

1) how do we file a complaint against this host?

2) How can we petition to get the host to eat the service charge?

thanks,

Tammy

[Morgan348]

Good (I guess?) to see that I am not alone in the awful experience I have had with both host and AirBnB.
I had the host (Kendra in Indio. CA) cancel on me 2 days prior to arrival, and the only message I got was "sorry, I can't do anything about it". 
When contacting AirBnB (including total wait time of 4 hours, and multiple escalations), it turns out that the only thing they are currently willing to offer is a $200 coupon to use within 30 days. Do they really thing I want to book with them again?

Additionally, they wanted to make me feel better by claiming that they fined the host $100! That they keep; I don't get that money.

On top of all that, I am not even able to leave a review of the host, since I technically did not stay in their property. But they did hold my money for over two months!
It really is an awful experience dealing with AirBnB, and I am going to make sure that as many people  as possible know about it.

[Ian25411]

I booked a few days in Warsaw. The host contacted me stating the amount should have been £150 and not the £114 I paid. Air bnb say the host has to honour the agreement. Fear of check in “accidents” and a possible lack of cleaning prompted me to cancel and find an alternative. My refund will be £98. 

The amount is small but the principle draws me back to booking.com for my next jaunt. 

[Ian25411]

Update. Air bnb support have got in contact and are to refund the full amount. I guess they’re not all bad. 

[Dan12639]

Hello, l had some problems with my host and l would like to submit / attach evidence photos. How can l attach the photos?

[Hitasi0]

Has any one have any luck filing complain against host. Also like to ask have anyone have faced discrimination issue where if you ask host to clean place then they kick you out after learning nationality from cleaner and send threatening message about sending police and accuse you that you complained about cleaning because you wanted discount.  Also trace you where else you lived before and contact that host.

[June239]

Resolution team only interested in looking after Owners, this is totally obvious to me now after reading all the grievances on Here.

[Dina564]

host forced me to cancel as he doesn't have a vacant place, was so rude, and said no money or place, the b&b are not helping or responding, I was frauded 

[Dina564]

The host is called Nabel in Cairo, Doqqi, so rude and just took my money and threatened me if i dont do things his own way, then no room or money, he forced me to cancel to avoid fees, was extremely rude

[Dina564]

host acted super cheaply, paid only 12 pounds from 17 deducted because of his fault and called me crying baby for asking for them

Never seen such a cheap situation while booking

[Derek157]

Good morning everybody.  Simple (I hope) question.  I wish to send a lengthy complaint to AirBnB concerning the attitude and behaviour of a Host, which totally soured the last two days of our holiday.  I tried "Report this listing" and after writing War and Peace pressed Submit.  Sorry - you are only allowed 1000 characters!  I can't shorten my novel, so how do I get it to Customer Services so somebody can take notice?

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Derek157 Whilst I am sure you had a bad experience there is little to be gained by complaining to Airbnb at this stage. Far more powerful is to leave an honest review for your stay so other guests are pre-warned about the hosts behaviour. Keep it honest and in compliance with the review rules or it may get deleted.

[Derek157]

So I just let the Host raise a charge against me for cleaning when we left the place cleaner than we found it, ignore the dangerous electric socket, forget that the two children with us were so frightened by the guy's behaviour and attitude that they asked to sit in the car while he stood like a prison guard watching us pack up? And actually called me a liar twice to my face.  This went beyond "a bad experience"!

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Derek157 As I said previously - An honest (but poor) review will have far more effect than complaining to Airbnb especially if you didn't report the dangerous socket at the time. I assume he will have little success in claiming extra for cleaning.

[Sarah977]

@Derek157  Airbnb would't even bother to read something that's as long as a novel even if it didn't exceed the word count. Anything can be condensed- state issues as simply and briefly as possible, in bullet point form rather than long paragraphs. No one is interested in reading a blow-by-blow of every gritty detail.

Keep this in mind when you write the review- keep it brief and stick to the facts. "Host was extremely rude" suffices, as opposed to an entire paragraph of exactly what you said to the host and what the host said to you. If you write a half page review, not only will almost no one care to plow through it, it usually ends up making the writer of the review, be it host or guest, appear to be somewhat unhinged., so defeats the purpose, which is to warn others. 

[Derek157]

Thank you all for your advice.  I have written a fairly lengthy and not very complimentary review.  Unbeknown to me, because of course I couldn't see it, he had written a prior review in which I was described as a "profiteer and liar".  I stand on my record as an experienced AirBnB Host and will be judged by that.