I have used Airbnb for a few days stay in a flat in London. Before arrival the landlord asked for £350 as a deposit, but clearly stated in the message that the deposit is for breaking house rules regarding having additional guests or neighbours complaining about noise, none of which has happened. In the message the landlord said the deposit is not for damages (although no damages caused either).
The deposit was supposed to be refunded 1 to 2 working days from checkout, but it has been almost 2 weeks with daily messages to airbnb and to the landlord with no success. Today we received a message from airbnb saying the deposit is with the landlord and they can do nothing about it and that I need to negotiate with him to get it back, and they simply closed the resolution case.
I was shocked honestly when airbnb said the money is in the landlord bank account, as I made the payment through www.airbnb.com/resolutions. I thought the deposit (as is typically the case) is kept securely with a third party.
I of course know that the landlord is trying to punish me because I left a review on their listed. The reason for that is I booked the place for our honeymoon and I messaged the landlord asking if the place is suitable for the occasion. They said yes, but when we arrived I found the place is in a basement underground with damp smell and lots of noise from the street above, plus a load of other issues with the listing. All of which is of course omitted from the listing description.
I have asked airbnb to reopen the case and do their job to mediate between me and the landlord to get my money back. The landlord's only excuse for the delay is that they are waiting for the cleaner to go and check the flat, but why do they need to check the flat when the deposit is only for additional guests and noise during the stay anyway.
For £1500 for 4 nights I would have expected a better experience and I really trusted Airbnb platform to be safe and secure which is obviously not the case. The first disappointment is with the landlord attitude but the main one is with the lack of support I have seen from airbnb. Now I have to spend my own time for almost 2 weeks and go through all of this stress to get my own money back which in my view completely unfair!