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

[Chris525]

booked what was claasified as 'LUXURY'condo in Toront, when we arrived it was filthy we had a 3 year ld with us and the balcony door did not lock, the balcony rails were low and we were 1 floors up, he was out there like a shot and could have fell to his death, the whold place was disgusting pillows reeked of greasy heads, the fridge had mould and all the other faults are too numerous to mention. The host blames me for being picky and has called me many many names and refuses to hand the money back. After travelling some 20 hours we had to find a hotel to stay and then a different condo a day later lost 2 days of a seven day holiday due to ths neglgence. Called airbnb and emailed many many times, they listen but then do not do what they say they will nor do they respond again, its so stressful I have paid out of 5,000 GBP now and need to get some of it back. Anybody else had this sort of fight?

[Neil104]

Hi Chris - I am in the middle of a similar problem with an unscrupulous host as well. Airbnb is naturally geared to favouring the host. It is completely unregulated. It won't take responsibility for host actions - even though guests actually contract with Aribnb. I work for a litigation funder - and am considering launching  a class action against them by guests who have been financially disadvantaged by Airbnb's lack of accountability. Please email me with your contact details if you'd like to participate. It would be no cost to you. Please email me at ** - I can provide more details.

**[Contact details removed - Community Center Guidelines] - Please note that it is not allowed to advertise or share contact details on the Community Center.

[Musa56]

Hello Chris, 

I was attempting to find information on disputing an Airbnb resolution. Airbnb recommended we work with the Host and we did. Six days of an 11 day booking we did not have hot water to the shower. Luke warm for half a minute, then cool upon initially turning on the shower faucet. After multiple back and forths it was not resolved. At one point they sent a photo showing condensation on the glass shower doors. We were hopeful, however after turning on the shower, no hot water, but the condensation on the glass accumulated with lukewarm/cool water for us too. The host was, accusatory and said were were unreasonable. It escalated to the point I no longer felt safe on the property or for our possessions and during a  support call we shared that. We are Airbnb Hosts too, I'm perplexed.  What steps have people taken? 

[Malcolm26]

On 1st July 2017 my wife and I stayed for 1 night in Baden-Baden. The following morning the entire family had left for a destination unknown without prior warning or a note. Subsequently we inadvertantly left an iPad in our room. Just AFTER checking out we realised our mistake and contacted the host without success. Now the host refuses to post our iPad.

Is this behavior acceptable to airbnb?

[Chris525]

I just dealt with a very very hostile host and airbnb were amazing, I worked with agent called Alexa (aka Demone C )try and get her she went above and beyond to help me get a full refund and a one night hotel stay in 3 rooms. They stepped in. The host is very very angry and slandering me in all sorts of ways luckily I took photos etc to back up my claim of filthy and unsuitable accomodation. Airbnb is the host platform these hosts really cannot aford to upset airbnb and their customers. So try for Alexa fantastic agent. If nothing else threaten you will ask Aibnb to step in, you can pay the postage I cannot see why they are refusing unless they are hoping to keep your ipad for themselves. Also put a bad review they will hate that but thoroughly deserve it for their pettiness . Good luck.

[Neil104]

Only works if the host wants to stay on Airbnb. I am currently dealing with a host who is waiting for approval from Council to demolish the house and build 2 or 3 townhouses on the property. They have no intention of remaining on Airbnb. So I have zero leverage. And Airbnb won't be accountable for their host. Not every host thinks a sanction from Airbnb is a bad thing!

[Nina75]

take pictures and cancel...

[Wendy--EMAIL-HIDDEN-0]

Amazed at hosts,who charge for cleaning the room.This should be condoned,seems as if Airbnb are not regulating,their Hosts.Ie one in Basingstoke charging £35 to clean the room,your not charged a seperate fee, when you stop in a hotel.This shout be outlawed.

[Sinead3]

Hi. I have just had the most appalling time with Airbnb. I booked and paid for a nice room in Aberdeen for the 21/7/17. I also had to provide I.d when making the reservation. I arrived on the 21st July at my appointed time. Firstly the outside of the building looked like a ghetto and very unkept. After meeting someone on the street they confirmed that this was actually the place I had booked. I rang a bell and the door was opened. To my absolute horror there was a dirty dark stairwell with rubbish of all sorts I proceeded upstairs in darkness and had another five flights of stairs to get to the nice room. The room was located in a very small flat. The room had a double bed with either wrinkled or crumbled linen, door of room didn't open fully as the bed was in the way. One foot of space between bed and wall. Room door opened onto tiny hallway. There was no privacy and as the space was so small all noise could be clearly heard in my room such as kitchen and bathroom use, tv too loud etc. I left the accommodation and emailed Airbnb and the host that I wanted to cancel the reservation based on the above information. Several phone calls, emails, messages later Airbnb have not resolved this issue. I had to book alternate accommodation with another booking site and this whole situation ruined my holiday. I would strongly advise would be Airbnb bookers to use caution because you cannot rely on the support of Airbnb in a crisis

[Helen3]

Hello @Sinead3

First of all you may need to repost as you have tagged your question onto the bottom of someone else's so most hosts who frequent these forums won't see it and therefore be able to comment.

I am sorry you had this experience. I have to say Airbnb are normally really good in these situations, cancelling the booking and would have given you a discount voucher towards your new accommodation and advice on what might be available through them.

Are you saying that Airbnb did not help you when you reported this within 24 hours of your arrival.

In terms of the accommodation you booked, I hope you flagged the host's listing.

By the way what sort of reviews did this host have for the listing? What sort of ratings were they given.

Personally I only book Airbnb accommodation with longstanding four/five star hosts with great reviews.

If you still haven't had a refund from Airbnb contact them via Twitter. This is a forum for hosts and not monitored by Airbnb.

[Sinead3]

Hi Helen. Many thanks for contacting me. I cancelled my reservation aprox ten minutes after my arrival at the property by email to the host and Airbnb. The host was gracious enough and expressed that a refund was not a problem for him though Airbnb still had the money at that stage. 

I had to make a further booking in Aberdeen at my own cost and the only contact I had with Airbnb was me phoning them and emailing them requesting a response and refund.

The reviews of the property were vague and I naively thought that accommodation would not be listed unless it was fit for purpose. My case has been escalated to a case manager called Meghan and I'm sorry to say that there has been no contact from this lady.

I do not use twitter but feel free to copy this post on my behalf. 

This whole experience has been thoroughly disappointing and as an Airbnb host myself I feel very let down by Airbnb and will never use their service again to book accommodation. I am contacting the ombudsman to try and settle this situation as I do not believe that Airbnb has any intention of doing so. 

[Chris525]

try 1-855-424-7262 toll free number

or UK 02033-181-111

I used the first toll free number and dealt with Alexa  / Demone C who was amazing, refunded all the money plus 3 hotel rooms for one night.

Unfortunately some of these hosts want to make a quick buck, so just moved out of their very lived in room/property leaving it just as it is. Pretty awful, I am sure not all are the same at all but those that are good hosts will suffer at the hands of the bads ones. My host was a psycho all sorts of verbal abuse calling me a liar, but photos did not lie nor did a recording on my phone, she was not a nice person and removed her listing because I gave a bad review. So give a bad review it will save other people a lot of heartache. The bad hosts deserve it.

[Musa56]

Good recommendations, I will try these.

[Chris525]

I too had a very bad experience with a condo in Toronto, the host was horrible. It took me a while but airbnb eventually came through for me they refunded all of the money and also paid for three hotel rooms for one night. Did you take photos? because they really add substance to your case. I found another number for airbnb via google sorry cannot remember the number, but if you google help me get a refund from airbnb then there are lots of people who have had bad experiences and they list alternative numbers. I eventally dealt with an amazingly helpful agent called Alexa although she was listed as Demone C. think they are out in California, she was endlessly patient and believed my story despite the host calling me all the names under the sun, and with veiled threats. Would I choose airbnb again" well only if I can do a ton of research beforehand, but largely no. This is people just renting rooms homes etc, they move out to get quick money often leaving all their belongings in place including fridges full of food, so you have nowhere to put your clothes or your own food. Think I would only book if the person renting did not live there, and it was a true rental property