Property owner

[Mark5936]

Hello - 16+ attempts with the customer service team, let’s try this community board instead.   Summary - I own a house listed on Airbnb.  I hired a local agent to manage it.  We have parted ways, now Airbnb is refusing to remove her as the listing host.  She no longer works for me, yet Airbnb keeps telling me to work with ‘the host’ - the agent who no longer works for me?  Worse yet, as the listing host, she is still able to change banking/where payments go.  

I’m in a doom loop after 16+ asks and getting only canned messages back from customer service.  All I need is Airbnb to remove her as the ‘listing host’ and send me a new agreement to sign.  

Reading message boards, hiring a lawyer is the only advice I’m getting.  However, I just can not believe this is something Airbnb would want to happen.  I certainly do not, it is a last resort and the little money I make on this listing doesn’t justify lawyer bills.  

[Joan2709]

@Mark5936 

If you allowed them to setup the listing with them as listing owner....then no, there is nothing you can do. Owners should NEVER allow a property management company or Co Host to create the listing and show themselves as Owner for this very reason. If the agreement is terminated the listing and all reviews stay with the listing owner. If this Co Host set themselves up as listing owner, then you will lose all control over the listing and also lose the reviews.

If you are still showing as Listing Owner at the account level, you can remove the Co Host yourself. 

Did you have a contract with this Co Host/Management Company? What did it say regarding terminating the agreemet?

[Joelle43]

Hello @Mark5936 

I've been on your profile and can see that there is a listing there and you are appearing as the host and you have a co-host called Colleen.  So this set-up seems fine to me as you seem to be the listing owner/primary host of this listing so maybe you are talking of another listing where someone else but you appears as the "listing host"?

If you are the listing owner then you should have total control over how your listing is managed and you can remove a co-host from your listing.

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/1632

Hosts are held responsible by Airbnb for the choice of their co-hosts or their teams so that's why Airbnb will not be able to act for you even when things go bad.  @Joan2709 correct me if I'm wrong please😉

[Joan2709]

@Joelle43 is correct @Mark5936 . If you are showing as "Host" and show as Owner on the listing, you can remove the Co Host at any time. Of course, if you have a contract, you would have to fulfill the terms of the contract pertaining to termination of the Co Host arrangement.

If you go to the Listing Editor and scroll down to the Co Host section you should be able to see what your status is:

Remove a Co Host From Your Listing
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1632

[Mark5936]

Listing host is the problem.   I cannot remove the listing host.  Even if I own the home and even though the listing host no longer works for me.  

i have pushed the customer support team on this pretty hard.  It just isn’t something they comprehend and apparently can not escalate to resolve.  Other ideas? 

[Helen3]

This will only be an issue if you let the cohost set up the profile who then added you as the main host and herself as the cohost .

if this is what happened then you will need to set up a new listing .

if you set up the profile then @Joan2709 advice Is correct you can just remove them as the cohost . 

[Joan2709]

@Mark5936 

When you go to the Listing Editor (as I mentioned above) under the Co Host section on the left side, are you shown as the Listing Owner?

If not, then there is nothing you or Airbnb can do. You will have to take legal action against the Co Host and then create a new listing of your own and start over. The first step I would do is change the locks at the property. This will prevent the Co Host from continuing to book the property, as guests can't get access to the home if the locks are changed. 

[Mark5936]

Yeah, it appears the airbnb playbook is what you mention above.  I think at this point I’ll take my business elsewhere.  VR BO has lower fees to guests which makes them more cost effective to get more guests.  Maybe just a straight rental.   I’ll likely just cancel future bookings and de-list the property.   I am sure I am not the only person who has had this issue and it’s too bad Airbnb can’t think through a better solution. 

[Joan2709]

@Mark5936 

You might want to double check this Co Host has not also listed the property on Vrbo (or other platforms). If so, you'll have the same issue there I fear. Also, this Co Host can actually remove you from the present listing entirely and prevent you from cancelling bookings if they are showing as "Owner".

[Frances3408]

@Mark5936. As the property owner I assume you have already forwarded to Airbnb Support documentation proof of your property ownership together with the host agreement termination and its effective date?

I'm not a lawyer but you need to spell out to them that this host no longer has your permission to list your property and that you may need to take legal action if the listing is permitted to continue.

It may mean you need to start from scratch with a new listing, as Airbnb considers the host to "own" the listing and its associated reviews. 

If the local agent is refusing to assist, try reporting them to your local real estate body for professional misconduct if its gone beyond the required notice period (assuming they are licensed).

Lastly do your STR rules permit you to make a formal complaint about a host, not just a listing? You could try mentioning this to them.