I really need help !!!

[Uptown0]

In 10 years of hosting 20 listings on airbnb being SuperHost, I have never felt so unsupported by Airbnb Superhost support.

I recently received an extremely negative review as retaliation for not granting a refund to a guest who made false statements to get a refund

I provided documentation to support my decision, I exercised my right under Airbnb’s policies to deny the refund after providing proper documentation to support it.
Yet the review still remains and Airbnb support has been completely unresponsive and dismissive, I only get automated answer as it is not against airbnb policy. 

In the review, the guest accused me of racist behavior, which is completely unfounded—especially considering that the guest and I are sharing the same ethnicity.

I reached out to Airbnb support multiple times to have this defamatory review removed, but no action has been taken.

Now, it seems the guest had heard about my request to remove his review and reported his profile, he has escalated the situation further.

I recently received an email from Airbnb customer support regarding a claim of discrimination made by this guest without any documentation about any racist behavior while I do have many evidences about his false statements ( pictures, outdoor cameras videos , messages... ) 

This is beyond frustrating and deeply upsetting, as I have reported the guest’s inappropriate behavior multiple times, yet I am now the one being accused.

I have never experienced anything like this before and truly need help to resolve this situation.

The emotional distress this has caused me is overwhelming, and I feel completely abandoned by the platform I’ve been loyal to for so many years.

Please, I need your assistance in addressing this matter fairly and promptly.

[Joan2709]

@Uptown0 

You have 21 listings...can you post the link to the listing you are referring to?

[Uptown0]

Really appreciated

Yes of course here :

https://www.airbnb.fr/rooms/17140153?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=83a75e8d-3823-417d-a5e5-...

I also posted here the whole story 2 days on supporting listing thread but had no answer 

I can also add all details here , this was prior I received the email from the discrimination airbnb support from this guest 

Really appreciate:

" After 10 years of hosting on Airbnb in Miami, with 20 listings in the same building and a proud Superhost status, I’ve had countless positive experiences. I’m fortunate that I’ve rarely needed to contact Airbnb to dispute retaliation reviews, and when I did, Airbnb’s support team was always helpful.  

However, this time was different and I really need help, this is why I am writing this . Despite multiple attempts to dispute a retaliation review with all documentation, I kept receiving automated messages from Airbnb, leaving me feeling anxious and unsupported specially with what was wrote. I want to share my experience here in hopes of finding advice or support, as this situation has been particularly disheartening after so many years of hard work ensuring guest satisfaction.

The Incident

I received a booking from a new Airbnb guest account. Based on my experience, I always try to connect with new guests before accepting their booking. This helps set expectations and ensures they understand how we manage our listings. Unfortunately, new accounts can sometimes be demanding, especially in Miami, where guests often expect hotel-like service despite our significantly lower prices.

This particular guest never communicated with me before the booking, but since it was during the busy Art Basel event and availability was limited, I accepted the reservation.

The day before his arrival, I tried reaching him multiple times through Airbnb messaging but received no response. I eventually texted him directly, and he replied to ask for an early check-in. I happily accommodated his request, allowing him access to the property earlier than usual. However, he didn’t notify me upon arrival, nor did he thank me for the early check-in.

From experience, this lack of communication was a red flag.

The Complaint

The morning after his arrival, I texted to check if everything was satisfactory. Around 2 PM, I received an aggressive message claiming it was the “worst experience ever” and that his girlfriend was at the emergency room due to a mold and mildew allergy. He demanded an immediate refund.

I politely responded, explaining that our property undergoes regular maintenance to prevent mold and mildew. In 10 years of hosting, we’ve never had such an issue. I informed him I would visit the property immediately to inspect and resolve any concerns. He replied that they had already left and insisted on a refund.

The Investigation

Feeling suspicious because I know we do not have this kind of issue since I always checked all our place prior our guests arrival, I rushed to the property and took detailed photos to prove there was no mold or mildew. I even inspected and added pictures of cabinets and other hidden areas. While I did not find any mold and mildew evidence, the studio was quiet spotless, as if no one had stayed there.

I wanted to make sure they really were there so I checked our outdoor cameras and confirmed my suspicions:

• The guest and his girlfriend arrived at 1:30 PM (before the standard 3 PM check-in) with suitcases.
• Two hours later, they left the property, taking some of their luggage with them.
• At 6:30 AM, the guest returned with another man (not listed in the booking), collected the remaining luggage, and left.

It became clear that they never stayed overnight, violating our house rules by bringing an unregistered guest.

Airbnb’s Involvement

An Airbnb representative contacted me on behalf of the guest to discuss the refund request. I provided all evidence, including photos and video footage, showing that:

1. There was no mold or mildew in the property.
2. The guests never stayed overnight.
3. They violated house rules by bringing an unregistered guest.

I also asked the guest to provide documentation from the emergency room, which he never did. After reviewing the evidence, the Airbnb representative agreed not to issue a refund.

Retaliation

The guest began sending threatening messages via Airbnb, claiming he would take legal action and have my listing removed unless I issued a refund. I calmly replied that I was following Airbnb’s policies and had provided all necessary evidence to support my case.

And off course, he left me a very bad review with false statements but that was not the worst.... The worst part was this :

"It’s appalling that, on top of the poor conditions, I also endured a racist and prejudiced experience. I strongly urge Airbnb to review this host and listing"

He accused me of being racist, despite the fact that I have never met him in person. Based on his profile and the footage from our security cameras, he appears to be of the same ethnicity as I am. This accusation is not only completely unfounded but also defamatory, biased, and an example of hateful speech that I never expected to encounter from any guests 

When I called airbnb , I was sure they will be on my side and remove this ugly retaliatory review, I never expected Airbnb to turn a blind eye to the harm caused by this review and kept sending me automated message as : "this is not violating airbnb review policy"

If they are allowing someone to use such baseless and harmful accusations without consequence is unacceptable.

Not being heard or receiving justice in this situation not only affects me but could also encourage other guests to behave abusively in the future.

This experience has been incredibly stressful, especially after years of working hard to maintain a stellar hosting record. While I appreciate Airbnb’s initial support, the automated responses during the dispute process left me feeling abandoned. I hope sharing my story helps other hosts who might face similar challenges.

The potential consequences for my reputation and business are serious, and I cannot let this go unresolved.

I have also reported the guest’s threatening messages and urgently need help to have this unfair and defamatory review removed. It is essential for Airbnb to support its hosts and protect us from such unjust treatment

So I hope I will find help here 

Thank you to whoever will help me "

[Joan2709]

@Uptown0 

After reading the review and your response, I'm a bit confused? I'm wondering if their might be a lanuage barrier here? Was this reservation made for one guest and then an undisclosed guest arrived with the booking guest? 

This guest claims you were upset that they arrived with a male friend and not a female? and that is why you were upset as it was "unacceptable"? Was it unacceptable in the fact it was an undisclosed guest or that you were not happy the male guest brought another male friend? 

Of course, Airbnb will not allow for any type of discrimation whether racial or gender bias, so not really sure what happened. I would have just stuck with the undisclosed guest issue when contacting Airbnb and not anything else. Perhaps you did do that?

In any case, you rating wasn't harmed that much (still 4.87) and you got another guest and review right after this one. 

Perhaps some other Hosts can take a look and provide their perspective.

[Uptown0]

Thank you so much for taking the time to look into this matter—I truly appreciate your kindness.

I was initially also confused by the guest’s review, but the last sentence on his review really hurted me and trust me it is not a langage barrier .

Let me share the context with you 

Before his arrival, the guest as a man ( whose profile picture identifies a man for me )  mentioned in our messages that he would be arriving with his wife.

However, the day after check-in, he contacted Airbnb requesting a refund, claiming they ended up in the emergency room due to a mold allergy.

We take great care of our properties and work with professional services to ensure they are well-maintained and mold-free, especially being located in Miami where this is a common concern.

Immediately after receiving his complaint, I went to the property, inspected it, and took detailed pictures to document its cleanliness and the absence of mold. I shared these pictures with both the guest and the Airbnb representative.

Upon entering the property, I noticed signs that no one had actually stayed there. The bed was slightly messy but did not look as though it had been used by two people.

The shower and towels were untouched.

This prompted me to review our outdoor security cameras, where I observed the following:

• The guest ( like his profil picture ) arrived with a woman.

• They left the property a few hours later with some bags they had when they arrived.

• The next morning, the guest returned with a man, who was not part of the booking, to retrieve luggage they had left behind. He actually also messaged me about this , saying he was a friend. He did not mentioned i misunderstanding gender

I shared this information with the guest, explaining that it was clear they had not stayed at the property and had also violated our house rules by bringing an unregistered guest. For these reasons, I declined to issue a refund. I also requested documentation to confirm the emergency room visit, but the guest did not provide any. 

After reviewing the evidence, the Airbnb representative agreed with my decision and confirmed that no refund would be issued.

Following this, the guest threatened legal action, claimed he would have my listing removed on airbnb messages, and left a review containing false statements about the condition of the property and my behavior in purpose to harmed me 

While the false claims about the property were upsetting, what caused me real emotional distress was the baseless accusation of racism.

This accusation is especially hurtful given that we share the same ethnicity and never met in person.

In all my interactions with him, I was always polite. I simply pointed out his false claims about our property and his violations of our house rules.

I have never discriminated against anyone or exhibited any racist behavior in my entire life. I genuinely love people, which is why I chose to be a host—to meet new people and help them have a wonderful experience with us after I worked 25 years in hospitality bussiness

For the past 10 years, I have dedicated myself to this place, working tirelessly 24/7.

While this incident has not affected my ratings, it has impacted my integrity, and I want to avoid having guests who might use such claims as a way to demand a refund.

To clarify once again, I clearly saw three people entering and leaving the property—there was no misunderstanding regarding gender.

I strongly believe the review was written as retaliation for my refusal to provide a refund and my acknowledgment of the rule violation.

I do not believe this is a misunderstanding caused by a language barrier. This review is clearly retaliatory, violates Airbnb’s policies, and contains hate speech and defamatory statements about me.

I hope this explanation helps clarify the situation.

I have taken the time to share my story because, despite the Airbnb Ambassador agreeing not to issue a refund based on my evidence, Airbnb has refused to remove this retaliatory review and now the discrimination support is reaching me

This is crazy

Please understand that I would not seek assistance here if I had any doubts about the legitimacy of the guest’s actions and if Airbnb was assisted me like they always did by the past

Accusing a host of racism or discrimination based solely on a feeling—or because a refund was denied—is a serious and harmful allegation that should not be made lightly.

Thank you again for your time and understanding—it means a lot to me.

[Uptown0]

Sorry forgot to mentioned : he made a booking for 2 guests, this is a studio so only 2 guests are allowed. Per our house rules, for security matters we do not allowed guests who are not part of the booking . Before accepting his booking, I shared all informations on our airbnb messages so this guest knew about this