"Plus" host refused to provide cleaning materials & expect me to wait 8 hours for a repair

[Netta5]

I'm using Airbnb nonstop and I love it. Recently I encounter an uncomfortable experience and I would like to hear your opinion please. Just to note, it's Airbnb plus and I assumed it should be better, but I was wrong. Unfortunately, I booked this place for one month so I can't leave 😞

I arrived at the Airbnb, there were some dysfunctions, I took pictures of them but I thought that I can handle with them, just for the worst-case scenario, and told the host about some of them.

On the first night, I planned to use the dishwasher after I cooked and I noticed that the door cannot be closed because there's an accumulation of calcium beneath (I guess because of the time of the quarantine there were no guests here). In the morning after I send a message to the host, he responded after 6 hours that he'll invite a repairman for the day after that will come between 10:00-14:00. 

I was uncomfortable with that because the host itself told me he didn't come to welcome me because of the COVID-9 issues, and anyway all the time he sent his friend to check things because he's not in the city (So he lied apparently).

On the day after I ruined my plans for the morning and I was waiting. At 13:00 while I was waiting he wrote to me that the repairman canceled so he wants to invite him for the day after in the afternoon (also with a time-frame of 4 hours). He told me that I don't have to be in the apartment but I told him that I don't feel comfortable with that because I want to make sure that his friend and the repairman are using masks and also there's no place here to lock my stuff so I'm a bit concern. 

Anyway, the host wasn't nice at all, he all the time repeated that it's not his fault and when he sent me the message at 13:00 he wrote me "at least you were waiting only 3 hours, and not 4" like he has no respect to my time at all. All the time I tried to contact Airbnb and they replayed after 2 days and were not responsive and feel like they don't care at all. But I wanted to have a dishwasher so I wanted to give it another chance maybe, but then I realized that there is not even one cleaning material in the apartment and thought that of course there's a chance that the repairman or his friend would like to use the toilet and it won't be humane not to let them. So I asked the "Plus" host and he told me that "honestly" he gave me a monthly discount so he doesn't think he should provide me any cleaning materials. I tried to explain to him that it's also for his good to maintain the apartment but he refused. Besides, he sent me a message and wrote that he thinks that it was a "mystery" what happened to the dishwasher because the cleaning team told him they cleaned it but luckily I had a pic I took 1.5 hours after I arrived showed clearly that the door of the dishwasher is open and that there's an accumulation of salt beneath. 

In all my last Airbnbs there were cleaning materials even if it was not written in the amenities. I was surprised that he refused to provide me and more surprised that Airbnb told me that he shouldn't provide me because it wasn't written in the amenities. I saw articles of Airbnb where they wrote clearly that the host should provide cleaning materials because of the COVID-9 situation.

In the meanwhile, I wash the dishes by hand and count my days until check out 😞

I'm doing all I can to be a polite & clean guest, the only reason I want cleaning materials is that I care for the place I stay in and I want to keep it nice & clean.

I'm very disappointed with Airbnb that they don't try to help to find another place. The behavior of the host makes me feel uncomfortable staying here. I understand that people can have financial problems but I don't think that I ask something that isn't basic. I really want to leave 😞

Thanks,

Netta

[Netta5]

@Huma0  Yes, you are right, he doesn't have the budge which is also unusual in my opinion espacially for "Airbnb PLUS".

That's what he wrote me before I came:

"Sorry that I cannot welcome you in person, but we are practicing social distancing to protect the vulnerable, I hope that’s understandable. :)"

The host claim he didn't welcome me because of the Covid-9 and like he cares so much for my health want to invite ppl to fix and doesn't provide cleaning materials for the toilet and kitchen which are so important these days 😞

[Helen350]

This has GOT to be a joke , a spoof.... 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Sarah977]

@Netta5  "Unfortunately, I booked this place for one month so I can't leave."

Of course you can leave. A guest is free to cancel a booking at any time, you aren't being held captive. It's a matter of whether you would be entitled to a refund or not and how easy it would be to find another place.

I'm sorry that you have encountered a rude host. It happens, just as hosts encounter rude guests. As you say, there are all sorts of people and hosts and guests are just people, some are lovely, some are not. If you choose to stay, you will have an opportunity to address the issues you've had in the review.

As far as the dishwasher repair- yes, appliances should be in working order. And hosts should respond more quickly to a message about it than 6 hours, but we all have busy lives, there are time zone differences and waiting a few hours for a response to a non-emergency doesn't seem all that terrible. If the toilet had been non-functioning or overflowing, that would have been a different story, but a dishwasher not working, while inconvenient, isn't an emergency situation. And, as you say, the place had been closed for COVID for awhile, so the host would likely have been unaware that there was calcium buildup preventing the door from closing.

Nor does a host have control over whether a repairman can give an exact time to arrive. The host wasn't ignoring having the repair done,  it seems to me he was doing the best he could, and kept contact with you about the timing as it was relayed to him by the repairman.

I think both hosts and guests need to cut each other a bit of slack over things which aren't egregious.

I think that the host should have left cleaning supplies, or at least provided them when you asked. Simply to keep his guest happy. It's not like you were asking him to go buy you a microwave or something. However, it may be true, in his eyes, that he discounted to the point that it wouldn't be cost effective to do that. And if he doesn't offer them as amenities- guests can't expect or complain about the absence of things that aren't listed. Just because you were left cleaning supplies at other Airbnb's when they weren't specifically listed doesn't mean you are justified in expecting them at other Airbnbs. Some hosts may leave a vase of fresh flowers, or some chocolates for guests, or even a bottle of wine- that doesn't mean all your hosts will. 

It seems you are making a big deal out of something that is simply a matter of you going out and purchasing some cleanser, some bleach, etc. It's not some huge expense. 

[Netta5]

Hey @Sarah977 thank you for your replay 🙂

I know it's not a big deal and that's why I'm planning to buy it anyway. I'm just a bit shocked about the behavior of a "Plus" host which I thought should be something different that Airbnb regulates and doesn't give this tag so easily. Also, I thought that Airbnb can help with the rude behavior and to be in my side.

[Sarah977]

@Netta5  I'm not sure how you think Airbnb can help with rude behavior-  unless the host has sent you what would be considered by anyone to be a rude or offensive message, which you can report, simply being curt and not particularly friendly doesn't contravene any rules.

The review system is designed to be the place where things like this can be made known- if guests read reviews that say the guest felt rudely dealt with, guests will be reluctant to book. This will have more impact on the host and their listing than Airbnb telling the host not to be rude to guests. And the host probably doesn't consider his responses to you to be rude- just businesslike. In fact, he may view you as a pain in the butt complainer, more demanding than other guests he has had, whether that is justified or not. 

Rudeness is a matter of perception. Hard for anyone else to be the judge of that, including Airbnb, unless it was personally witnessed.

The Plus tag really has to do with the the place itself conforming to certain set of criteria, it doesn't guarantee that the host is nice and responsive to guest issues. Superhost generally would have more to do with the host being good to their guests, rather than the place itself.

[Huma0]

@Sarah977 

While I agree with you in general (as usual!), I do think that a Plus listing should be held to higher standards, no? Or maybe I am wrong.

As a guest, I would not only expect a high standard of accommodation and amenities but a level of hospitality that is above the basics. Otherwise, what makes it Plus, other than some 'stylish' décor? 

The problem here is that it seems like what was actually advertised is less than what the guest expected under the Plus programme, i.e. less than the basics she got at non-Plus Airbnbs. True, the rule still applies that if it was not advertised, you shouldn't expect it, but unfortunately, the Plus scheme is designed to set higher expectations from the guest (one of the reasons I would not choose to opt into it even if I could).

I do agree with you that the dishwasher doesn't sound like a big deal and that it sounds like the host made a fair attempt to get it sorted. I know full well how unreliable repair people can be under normal circumstances. I imagine it is much worse now and this could be beyond the host's control.

However, RE the discounted price. I believe that if the host agrees to a discount, unless they specify that the guest will be getting less amenities/service as a result, they still need to provide what was advertised. They are advertising a listing/accepting a booking at an agreed price, but that price is agreed for the same services/standards. You can't say, for example, "Oh but you got the place cheaper than usual, so there's no bed. Just sleep on the floor."

I think it is wrong for the host to say, "because you got a discounted rate." They should rather say, sorry but cleaning materials were not listed as part of the amenity and you are expected to buy your own.

[Sarah977]

@Huma0  Absolutely a host, whether they have a Plus listing, are a Superhost, or simply a regular host, should never reduce listed amenities simply because they have listed or agreed to a discount. Not at all okay. 

I could see a host, if agreeing to a discount on a guest's request, saying that they would be amenable to that, but that certain non-essential amenities, maybe something like providing cooking oil, condiments and enough tea and coffee for the entire stay, would be the guest's responsibility to provide for themselves. The guest can then either agree to that or not. 

I can also understand guests expecting better amenities and services in a Plus listing, but as we know, the Plus designation has more to do with the decor, it seems, than being a great host. It appears to have been more of a marketing scheme to fancy up their home page and "expand" their offerings, than about those listings providing better experiences to guests.

[Huma0]

@Sarah977 

Absolutely. We have heard from many posts on the CC that the Plus scheme is deeply flawed but, obviously, it is not marketed at guests that way. They are naturally going to expect a high standard and it's misleading, especially as Plus hosts are not even required to be Superhosts (should be a minimum requirement to meet Airbnb's claims for 'superior hospitality', which they do indeed claim).

I am not blaming the host per se in this situation. Perhaps the amenities provided are the same regardless of discount or not, but the response that, "since you are getting a discounted rate, I will not provide this or that," doesn't sit well with me. 

The guest herself is more angry with Airbnb, which she felt had mislead her, than the host. The problem is the conflicting information. What she sees as Airbnb telling hosts to do regarding cleaning provisions, especially in current situations, is totally at odds with what she is getting in reality at, no less, a Plus listing. This is Airbnb marketing spiel gone wrong. It raises guests expectations and then Airbnb will do nothing to address it when the guest feels mislead.

[Netta5]

@Huma0You wrote what I feel better than me, thank you so much!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I needed to know that somebody understands me and as you are a superhost so I'm sure you have a lot of experience & knowledge.

As I wrote to @Mark116:
"I have been in the army for 2 years and also traveled to Africa so I was in many harsh conditions but I just don't understand how can Airbnb doesn't have any regulation about cleaning materials and the host comments and how they can give the tag of "Airbnb Plus" to such host."

So I'll survive this place, I'll just be extra careful for the next time. I won't think that Airbnb plus worth more than other Airbnbs because it's not regulated at all. I thought that in Airbnb PLUS there's a double-check that all the amenities are functioning well and if the guest asks for help with a minor thing like cleaning materials (which will be beneficial for the host in the end also) the host will not hesitate to help.

Thanks again for your understanding 🙂

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Netta5 

I think the host has done an incredible job getting an engineer to see to the dishwasher in such testing circumstances you describe, amongst Covid-19 and the requirement for using face masks and gloves. I can see too why the engineers might actually require people to be out of the accommodation whilst repairs are made. Infection can happen both ways, so both parties will have concerns needing addressing, much less if one party is not present.

'Plus' listings do not exist anymore and so the circumstances of their existence can surely not apply anymore? In either case the host has never stated the 'amenity' of cleaning materials are ever made available, if in fact cleaning materials are an amenity? A months STR would assume the Guest would provide their own food, bathroom requirements and cleaning as required, unless otherwise stated, which I don't think has been? As all other Airbnb listings it is after all, the guests' obligation to leave the accommodation as clean and as tidy as it was found, so a level of responsibility for cleaning is already shouldered by the guest on booking.

Up until recently we have never provided any cleaning supplies, so the omission here doesn't surprise me. As the host previously stated, your discounted stay doesn't warrant the supply of cleaning products on his behalf, so supplying what you need yourself wouldn't be out of the question. What sort of discount did you actually get to put this in perspective? You cannot get Hilton quality at Travel-Inn prices.

For being in Airbnb's non-stop Netta, do you take your dog with you too - as it does appear in your profile photo? If so, what are your normal cleaning arrangements for having your dog accompany you on your stays in case of accidents? You may not travel with your dog, but that wooden floor doesn't look like the sort of place to take risks with any accidents and some sort of cleaning would always be required in that case. I don't think the host should be responsible for that either.

Can the salt in the bottom of the dishwasher be swept away? It is normal to add salt and if it spills it dissolves in the water.

[Netta5]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 It's the dog of my parents, she's not travelling with me

[Ann72]

@Netta5  You've gotten a lot of good advice.  I just want to say - your host is condescending and mean (in both meanings - cheap and not nice).  He's talking down to you because you're a young woman.  I can't imagine not having extra sponges and all-purpose cleaner around, at the very least.  You've been reasonable, understanding, and accommodating.  Who says to a guest, "At least it wasn't 4 hours"?  And no, it's not your job to check into an Airbnb and go about repairing the appliances.

The fact that he's not a Superhost means he's not all that good at hosting, because you would not believe how easy it is to be a Superhost.

[Huma0]

@Ann72  Quite. The fact that this Plus host is not a superhost might be telling. I mean, really, how difficult is it to have a few basic cleaning materials? Whether that is listed or not becomes the technicality that Airbnb is basing its decision on and I get that, but come on, this is basic stuff during normal times, let alone right now.

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0 

I get your points but I host long-term guests and would never dream of not having cleaning materials available. I only ask that they buy their own laundry detergent (but do have some here if they forget).

No, you shouldn't expect Hilton for Travel Inn prices, but unless the discount was agreed on the basis of a lesser service/amenities, the discount is irrelevant. My long-term guests get a discount. That doesn't mean they get less of a service. They get a cheaper nightly rate because they are booking more nights. That is what a long-term discount means. Likewise with a low season discount. Giving a discount does not entitle a host to being rude and unhelpful.

The dishwasher is not the guest's responsibility to sort out and, yes, she could have accepted the repair person coming in while she wasn't present. However, the host made a point of not checking her in due to COVID safety concerns, but still thought it was alright to send other, random people into the property she was staying in where she had been given no means to clean up afterwards. Mmmm.

[Sarah977]

@Huma0  I was doing a curtain job in one of my upholstery client's vacation condo, which entailed having the welder deliver and install curtain rods for the curtains I had made. The unit was empty, I had the door code. The welder did his part, and the floor needed to be swept where he was working after. I searched high and low for a broom and couldn't find one anywhere, so when I spoke to the property manager to tell him the job was completed, I told him I was sorry about the mess in the area we were working, as it looked like the unit had already been cleaned in prep for new guests, but that I couldn't find a broom anywhere. 

He nonchalantly said that that all the cleaning equipment was locked in a storage room in the  common condo hallway, that only he and the maids had a key to. I asked him what would happen if a guest broke a glass in the middle of the night- would he want to be woken up at 2 AM or was the alternative that the guest simply had to walk around on broken glass until the following day, rather than have access to a broom to sweep it up?

He didn't seem to think it was an issue, which I found odd.

[Huma0]

@Sarah977 

That's interesting. Yes, how are guests expected to deal with accidents like that for example?

So, I don't actually expect my guests to do any 'serious cleaning' as such seeing as I live in the property, but I do expect them to do some basic cleaning up after themselves, which means they have easy access to washing up liquid (dish soap), scourers, anti-bac surface cleaner and cloths for the worktops, toilet cleaner and brush in the toilets etc. There is also a dustpan and broom easily accessible in the kitchen for any quick floor clean ups. I also have squeegees and shower sprays in the bathrooms.

Long term guests are given the option of having their rooms cleaned or doing it themselves, in which case I provide all the necessary cleaning materials. If there is anything I have forgotten, well it's there under the sink etc. so if they ask for it, I can direct them to it straight away.

To me this is a non-brainer. The cleaner the guests keep the place, the less professional cleaning there is to do. Of course, all the regular cleaning will get done regardless, but a lot of guests want a clean environment and are motivated to do their bit to keep it that way, and giving them the means to do so is really not that costly.