What can GUESTS do about Ignorant & Rude Hosts ?? HELP!

[Carol7337]

Hello All,   

  I've been travelling West across Canada using Airbnb to stop in each province for a month along the way.  I had good hosts, but then in Manitoba I had hosts I had to report because they were filthy (I mean so filthy you would hardly believe it) and incredibly disrespectful to me.  Dealing with Airbnb agents was a nightmare due to the fact agents didn't care and gave me all kinds of wrong answers.  It took 3 full days to resolve and get my money back only through losing my temper and threatening to contact local news authorities to send photos of the nasty house I was forced to stay in.  

I took my refund and the bit of coupon $ Airbnb provided to then move onto Saskatchewan since my stay in Manitoba was ruined, and this time I chose a lovely looking hobby  farm in Grandora, SK who's advertisement said it's quiet and serene there.  The location was certainly beautiful, and the house was clean, but the WIFE was extremely rude and snapping at me for no reason at all.  She waited to start being rude to me after the 24 hour period.  It seemed the kinder I was to her, the ruder & more insulting she became (some people mistake kindness for weakness).  Not only that, but during the 3rd week there I was woken up at 4:30 in the morning to a SCREAMING fight between she and her husband!  When I mentioned it to her the next day she said "oh he just talks loud".  The woman lives her life complaining about everything she can think of. She complained so much about how tired she is that I even told her I would clean my own bathroom in the loft.   I've still not left a review for that particular host but I will. I left there a week early and stayed with a lovely woman & her husband in Saskatoon who were very kind

I have ASKED an Airbnb AGENT to please tell me what I can do about RUDE hosts if it happens again and have received a reply that said something like "you can work it out".  So then I emailed Catharine Powell who is apparently the "Global Head of Hosting" -  I emailed her twice asking the same question since the online agents are of no help.  Airbnb agents 95% of the time are uncaring and don't read the information provided explaining what's going on.  There is NO way to call a specific person, and "ghosting" seems to be a common practice.  I've still not received an answer from Catharine and it's been nearly 2 weeks. 

I REALLY want to know how to DEAL with rude hosts.  If there is no physical issue with an accommodation and the house is clean, what can a guest DO about a host who treats them like garbage and is disrespectful?   Most people who rent through Airbnb only rent for a night or 2, but in my case, I'm staying in homes with hosts for weeks and this means hosts who want your MONEY but really don't want YOU there, can be quite insulting and rude.     I'm currently now in Alberta and staying with what I thought would be a "nice little old lady" in her townhouse.   She isn't nice at all! -- This 80 year old lady constantly insults my faith in God, she SMOKES WEED like a trooper day and night, uses the F word like it's a second language, and today she told me that I "don't have a life".  I've never said anything about her drinking and smoking and her atrocious opinions about everything imaginable.   I've not criticized her, and yet she seems to feel it's ok to insult me and my faith while bombarding me with the F word constantly.  - I haven't even been here a full week yet and this is what I have to listen to!    

Can someone please tell me WHAT GUESTS CAN DO about IGNORANT INSULTING HOSTS ??      I'm on a very strict budget and cannot afford to  just let nasty hosts keep my money so I can move out.      Do I have to record every conversation to protect myself from nasty hosts and prove to Airbnb how RUDE they are so I can get my money back?   Please tell me what I have to do to ensure I'm not TRAPPED in another garbage situation with hosts who clearly have boundary problems and/or mental problems (the current host told me she's BI-POLAR and doesn't use medication to control it!) 

I must decide if I'll continue to use Airbnb and need an informed answer from proper management.   If someone doesn't give me a satisfactory answer and this company refuses to protect their guests, I certainly won't be using Airbnb to travel BACK to the East Coast when I return.  So far it's been quite unpleasant and equally unpleasant trying to get answers from the company. 

PS.... I just left a note on her kitchen counter and am attaching a photo of it. 

[Carol7337]

I want to give a little update about my most recent host.  After about a week it seems she got used to me being there and seems to have mellowed a fair deal... or perhaps she's just smoking more POT than usual?  lol, I don't know but I'm glad she's mellowed out and seems nicer.   I also relayed to her that guest & hosts should not engage in talk about politics or religion, and she's not brought it up since then thankfully.    

I received a message from another manager by email yesterday telling me that they have investigated the issue with the host "Darlene" at the hobby farm in Grandora, Saskatchewan, and received an apology as well as a $500 coupon.    I doubt I will use the coupon though - The issues with Airbnb have been far too many for such expensive rooms. 

I also wanted to address one of the hosts above who stated I must be getting cheap rooms which is the reason why the hosts are bad.    THAT comment is prejudiced.   The point that person is making is that in order to get good service I should have to PAY MORE ??  --- Aren't ALL hosts required to be respectful?   Just because a room is cheaper does not mean it's acceptable for a host to treat their guests badly.  

[Carol7337]

I recant what I said above... lol.... She keeps going off about Donald Trump even though I told her days ago that politics & religion should be avoided conversations.    

[Huma0]

@Carol7337 

Any way you can spend less time in her company? I know it's not ideal, but I would distance myself...