Hi,
I recently had an incident at an Airbnb in Sterling, VA, where the host recklessly refused to provide adequate heating during a snowstorm with temperatures outside plummeting to 15°F.
# Incident Summary
The host shut off the central heating at night, ignoring my pleas about the potential drop in indoor temperature. I begged her to turn it back on, and she finally did at 1 am, but then shut it off again at night, causing the house temperature to plummet to 63°F by 6am. After a horrible night, I reached out to Airbnb support and left for work.
# Host's Unacceptable Solution
When I returned to the Airbnb, the host suggested using a new heater she had obtained, and came into my room to explain how to use it the very minute I got there. She refused to leave, emphasizing that I should use the heater and she should continue to have the central heating shut off at nights. I requested and explained to her multiple times, showed her google alerts and weather alerts issued in the area and potential hazards it can cause, and health impacts it can have including hypothermia. I requested her to not engage further so I can change, charge my phone, and contact Airbnb support for immediate help, as I was still shaken by the previous night's experience.
# Refusal to Accept Host's Solution
I refused to accept the host's proposed solution, as it did not address the underlying problem of the lack of central heating. I wanted to speak with Airbnb support to report the incident and request assistance under the AirCover policy, as I had endured a night of extreme cold and discomfort.
# Safety Concerns
This posed significant risks of:
1. _Pipe freezing and bursting_
2. _Fire hazards_: The host's suggestion to use a room heater in a closed space without central heat
3. _Health risks_: The extreme cold could have caused hypothermia, frostbite, or even death
# AirCover Policy
The host's actions violated Airbnb's AirCover policy, which requires hosts to provide "functional heating" to maintain a comfortable temperature during winter and snow storm weather alert.
# Request and Host's Response
I demanded that the host keep the central heating on, but she refused. I was forced to vacate the premises due to safety concerns, but the listing is still active.
# Refund Request
I'm demanding a full refund under the AirCover policy due to the host's gross breach of their responsibilities. Airbnb's response that the host's cancellation policy applies is unacceptable.
# Questions
1. What are my rights under the AirCover policy?
2. Isn't this a clear case of host negligence?
3. Why is Airbnb applying the host's cancellation policy despite the host's egregious failure to provide a safe environment?
Please help, any advice is highly appreciated. Thank you.
