My guests husband just threatened to sue me, what should I do?

[Angel205]

Los Angeles Superhost here. 

I booked a woman who initially booked for 3 months. She drove by my home and said oh, this looks like a busy place and parking is concerning to me. She downgraded her reservation to one month. This was in May 2018. From May-August 2018 I got her a parking permit allowing her to park on all surrounding 15 blocks of my home but she would need to walk 2-5 minutes home. I explained this. She said amazing thank you. I paid for these permits out of pocket  $100.

Fast forward to her showing up and freaking the hell out that she can't unload her car and there is no parking directly at the house and on the block. I live IN the sauce in hipsterville in LA. It is a busy spot. I am aware of this and we all combat it by using our driveway and the neighbors driveway to double park with flashers to unload. This is ok to do so, I assure her. I show her a screenshot of where to unload with my finger showing where. She freaks the hell out and says she's going to a hotel. Which is completely absurd. You take a couple of trips upstairs you leave your flashers on. It's not ideal - I was waiting to help her check in her items and she couldn't make it so I drove the keys to her and she came on her own later that day. She goes to a hotel.

Next day she freaks out and says that someone in my driveway and she cant park there still.I said thats perfectly ok. My neighbor can park there. Just park in the next driveway over its ok. I go above and beyond and offer a friend to come over and help her unload her things.

At this point she stops replying to me goes over my head goes to airbnb and tries to get a full refund on her reservation to which they deny her. It's day 2 into the reservation at that point. They uphold my strict cancellation policy. It takes her 4 days to get her things out of my house and leave the keys. 

Finally she is out, she can't get a refund from airbnb. Airbnb said you went above and beyond you gave her parking when the listing said street parking only and she agreed to that. you owe her nothing. Today I get this text from her husband - threatening, bribing and extorting me:

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Hi, this is Neil ***, husband of Ann ***.  I am sorry that Ann wasn’t able to stay in your place as she was looking forward to being in such a good location.  As you can see, having a reliable place to park is really important to her as she and my young son have multiple trips daily.  The listing promised parking and there is none. She couldn’t even unload on the first night and had to get a hotel room.  I have contacted an attorney and he is confident that he can recover 100% of her payment based on this.  He will charge 1/3 as well as hard cost on filing.  To avoid this, you can choose to credit us back half of our total payment for you place.   That is a little less than with the attorney for us but much easier.  You have your place back.  You can make the other half back easy.  Plus if you take our deal- no review.  Please let me know.  I will hire attorney on Monday morning if I don’t hear from you

------

As a woman I love being threatened by a man out of the blue that I've never met and I'm not in a business transaction with at all and he is trying to scare me and strong arm me. I love that as your first line of communication with. And I don't owe you anything. I went above and beyond and gave the woman parking permits, explained what that meant in the city, she agreed. Then had a weird panic and wanted to leave. She has not offically cancelled either. She is still on my calendar blocking it all up.

So for him to say oh just rent it out - technically I can't and She booked in MAY. Trying to get someone for a month long booking today is absurd. Almost no one is coming to rent like that. Last minute for a month. This puts me in a financial hardship. We all plan on those monies. 

I can let the dice roll on this and feel secure that Airbnb has my back (feels like for once) but they really have had my back and said you have done nothing wrong she's not getting a cent back from you.

But I have been in many a lawsuit and have seen how it can fall, and to people who don't deserve it. My skin crawls and my stomach is twisted just getting this text. Lawsuits dredge up so much **bleep**. My boyfriend (rational pragmatic type) says just pay them to avoid anything popping up in the future. I feel like this is the final straw with men pushing me around. 

I do see where she is coming from that she is not happy with the place and its not entirely fair to pay me $4,000 to not stay there for a month. I would feel bad if she didn't see it in May and have 3 months to cancel and didn't. And then have the parking explained to her and then still say wonderful. Then suddenly pull up and wanted assigned parking and door man and freaked out wouldn't let me help her even more and here we are...

What do you guys think I should do??

Thank you so much in advance. 

[Angel205]

they wont cancel them. I asked them to clear the calender and they said if we do that - then you cancel and the money goes to them. And they said the only way to get the entire lump of money (more coming in september) was for the booking to run its couse. 

[Letti0]

@Angel205  AirBnB is correct. Do not cancel, they have to cancel to prevent the September charge from going through. Think of it this way you get a breather from demanding guest for the rest of the month ;D

[Letti0]

@Angel205  As this was a long term rental your strict policy was not in play. AirBnB's long term policy was and it clearly states that the first month is not refundable. He doesn't stand a chance of winning a lawsuit, She previewed the place, you got her a special permit and she still booked knowing the parking situation and AirBnB's long term cancellation policy. This is all on her. Her husband's actions are threatening, extortion and harassing. I would not respond to anything more from this fool. 

[Clara116]

@Angel205 HOLD YOUR GROUND..............the advice about giving monies back.........don't even concern yourself. The jerk fixed himself and Airbnb has already told you he committed the extortion rule breaker. I would relax and truly realize you can't fix people or their STUPID. And you got a full dose with this pair.

I too am spiritural and wish to do good and be good - kind and generous - BUT we also have to be wise - Worry about future law suits and such is pretty useless stuff - And I'm pretty sure you know this already. That moron sounds like a right fighter - so I'd shut off all communication and ignore anything from them. Just keep intouch with Airbnb and thank them for what all they do.

My knowledge of any 30 day rental is NO refunds also. I did a 2 month internship booking and studied up and The rules on cancellations for 30 day/ long term are totally different than normal. I believe ABB got this one right as holding a place for such a long time they help out the hosts. Once the guests books its a done deal.!!! This is A Business - so try to take the emotion out and run your business.  Don't let it take your happy away. The moron is figuring his strong arm and you will fold and give $$ back.....I'd fight it on principle... Happy hosting, Clara

[John1080]

Stand your ground and do not let them intimidate you. You said parking is available, and it is. It isn't your fault that she is used to parking directly in front of her house and that that isn't the case in many areas, including parts of LA. 

[Emily487]

@Angel205 I agree that it is best to not respond  to the couple, that you should report this to AirBnB, and to not offer any money back...give an inch, take a mile.

I am worried that you said that AirBnB hasn't canceled the booking. Can the couple decide to check in during their booking period? 

[Letti0]

@Emily487  They can not cancel the reservation because then all the money would be refunded. The guest needs to cancel before the September billing or they will be charged that also. Yes, the wife could come back, but the husband was never on the reservation

Long Term Cancellation Rules:

If the guest books a long term reservation and decides to cancel the reservation before the start date, the first month of the reservation is paid to the host in full and not refunded to the guest.

If the guest books a reservation and decides to cancel the reservation during their stay, the guest must use the online alteration tool in order to agree to a new checkout date. Regardless of the checkout date chosen, the guest is required to pay the host for the 30 days following the cancellation date, or up to the end date of the guest’s original reservation if the remaining portion of the original reservation is less than 30 days.

https://www.airbnb.com/home/cancellation_policies#long-term

[Emily487]

@Letti0

Thank you! 

[Angel205]

the guest - she just the wife - spent 3 days being a lunatic bringing in a set of bags and being angry and confused and then on day 3 left the keys to my place with my neighbor and left. She can't come back in.

[Clara116]

@Emily487 The guest has booked for 30 days - and paid and even with a cancellation its all paid and a done deal.  The guests have rented for 30 days and so they can come and go unless they have cancelled. And the Hosts gets her monies no matter what on this account. 30 day/long term is a strict cancellation and there are NO REFUNDS on it!!!  so if guests want to stay 30 days they have to be certain! 

[Angel205]

I hate the fact that they are still on my calender and have not offically cancelled for some legal bull**bleep** right they might have to be there. but they have such a deep file with airbnb now after extorting me and being a bit looney that I think that stands that they can't come back. and they have no keys or access. And the other members in my building are dear friends and would bounce them out. ha. 

When she initially booked for a 3 month period I took my listing down. That took me to the end of the year and I thought I dont need to worry or work on this for a while. When she downgraded to one month I left the listing down. I thought maybe this is a sign I need to start doing something else.. 

[Clara116]

@Angel205 Where is your listing??? Have you paused it? Have you deactivated it??? 

[Maritza30]

Let him go to the attorney. If the attorney contacts you, send him copies of the parking permits and the receipt showing you paid for them. Also send him the message you sent to the guest in regards to parking.

[Noel63]

He wasn't even that clever when he mentioned the review. When the time comes, you probably have good grounds for having it removed.

[Rebecca181]

It's refreshing to hear that Airbnb is upholding your strict cancellation policy. This is not always the case - although it should be. Let Airbnb handle it and stand your ground - You did not misrepresent anything and it's on her if she failed to clarify important aspects of her stay.