How to file a complaint against a host?

[Antonio3200]

My situation is that I stayed at a supposedly "luxury apartment" where the furniture was worn out, the beds in bad shape, towels with holes, everything you see on the ad is deceitful because this host is using old pictures. The pictures here depict the reality.

The towels were so old, worn out and with holes, the toilet paper hold on all bathrooms missing and when I inquire about it she said "that's because people steal them"

I escalated these issues privately with the host, she was not a happy camper to listen to my complaints.

Long story short I left a respectful review not mentioning the issues that we discussed privately and somehow it never got posted by Airbnb nor she left me a review.

I need a recommendation on what to do or who to escalate these issues because it is not fair that this host continues her business. She needs to correct these issues.

I strongly believe it is not only about making money but about having happy customers.

Towel with holesNo toilet paper holderShower with one door missingMaster Bedroom headboard peeling off 

[Huma0]

@Antonio3200 

Well, that certainly doesn't look luxurious to me (not anymore anyway). I get that hosts get frustrated when guests keep damaging things (has happened to me a lot), but one cannot expect future guests to deal with that damage either.

The thing is, you have probably left it too late now to file any kind of refund request, but I am not sure why your review didn't appear. Have you had a look at the Airbnb review/content policy? Perhaps you wrote something that violated it and therefore the host was able to have it removed (not easy, but if you had written something that breached it, they might have done that).

[Huma0]

@Antonio3200 

Actually, it also occurred to me, has it been less than two weeks since you checked out? In that case, your review won't be visible until either the host leaves one for you too, or the 14 day deadline has passed. If it's been more than 14 days, you could contact Airbnb and ask them why it is not showing.

[Antonio3200]

I checked out on October 18th, so if the review system is right, it will post by tomorrow most likely.

[Antonio3200]

Thanks for the comments, actually I checked today and I manage to edit my review to one that tells the bad experience as I am describing it here, not with the intention to damage her but at least to give heads up to her future clients.

I don't understand how others give this place an excellent review, my guess is that those clients must not have good living standards that they don't notice how bad is the place.

[Sudsrung0]

@Antonio3200 

I think Im right in saying you have 14 days to make a claim, Do it as soon as you can,

I will confirm what @Huma0 says, As a host it's not easy to get a review removed airbnb tend to lean with the guest, I had a bad review I didn't even bother to ask for it to be removed.

I saw a post the other day on another forum, where the guest turned up to a villa here in Phuket, the host never turned up and the guest said the villa looked nothing like what was in the photo's and the guest said the photo's must have been from 10 years ago, and that was from the outside Im assuming the guest never got inside to tell the full story,

There needs to be some kind of compliance between airbnb and the host regarding the listings, 

How it could be done I dont know Im not intelligent enough,

Something like my car insurance I have to download an app and do a walk around my car every year to renew my policy, 

[Gwen386]

@Antonio3200 I am hoping that after you had a discussion with host and if nothing was done, you contacted airbnb and complained, uploaded pictures and asked for a refund. 

[Antonio3200]

I'm fairly new to Airbnb, long time registered but first time user October 2022.

How could I present a complaint to Airbnb whether I get or not a refund, I really need them to know what a bad host I had.

[Gwen386 · Accepted solution]

@Antonio3200 For future reference. When a STR is not as advertised—in this case—luxury, you have 72 hours to notify host of your displeasure and the accuracy of the listing. This gives the host an opportunity to fix said deficiencies. If host declines to do so, you can ask for a refund and vacate the rental immediately. You can’t get a refund and then decide to remain in the rental. If host still does not oblige, you can contact airbnb. Also remember to always have all communications on airbnb platforms.

And, please provide a factual review. 

[Carlos6243]

What about if the person is out of town? It is very easy to leave a guess on the air, isn't it?

Shouldn't has airbandb already come out with more help by now?