"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

[Ann72]

@Anonymous  Brilliant.  Thank you.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

Apologies to @Sarah977 

Here's @Netta5 's account:

...and here's @Netta5 's account:

So who knows....?

[Sarah977]

@Ian-And-Anne-Marie0  Apology accepted. I admit I didn't read through every word of all her posts, so I never even saw the salt comment. It's kind of hard to tell the difference between a salt and a calcium deposit by just looking at it, but salt would dissolve if you put water on it.

[Ian-And-Anne-Marie0]

@Sarah977 

Likewise, I didn't see the calcium reference. Salt would take quite a bit of water to dissolve it as it does tend to be rather heavy duty. It could have been brushed away from the door though.

[Netta5]

Dear @Huma0 @Sarah977 @Ann72 @Mark116 @Helen350 @Anonymous 

Thank you so much again for all your help. In the end, Airbnb talked with the host and we decided on both sides to cancel the reservation so now I'm in another Airbnb which is amazing and for sure has the basic amenities and so much more 😍

I learned 2 things from the conversation with Airbnb and I thought it'll be useful to share it with you:

1. From Airbnb's perspective, it is obligatory to have cleaning materials in the unit. If the guest can't find cleaning materials that are considered "basic" like cleaning cloth, broom, etc. so the guest can buy what's needed, keep the receipt and get a full refund about it from Airbnb.

2. The Airbnb policy of cancellation depends on the agent's opinion:

https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/544/what-is-airbnbs-guest-refund-policy-for-stays?locale=en&_set_bev_on_new_domain=1596879873_Pi2OYN3FsK532l57

Even that I contacted Airbnb in the first 24 hours telling them that something isn't working (and I prefer not to have guests) it wasn't a reason to leave. I'm sure that if the host was helpful and considerate it would make the situation much better. And besides, if somebody come to a vacation of one week and need to deal with it so it can be problematic. 🤔

I still love Airbnb and but I think it's important to ask things before and no dout, to execpt basic cleaning materials 😄

P.S. I'm sorry about the confusion about salt/calcium, even now I'm not sure what it was, it looks like a white powder and sending here pictures responding to sealioning seem like 🙄 

Warm wishes 💜
Netta

[Huma0]

@Netta5 

Thank you for the update. I am glad to hear you are now in a place that you are happy and comfortable in.

It's interesting also to hear what Airbnb told you. I think a lot of the discussion centred around the fact that Airbnb do not state cleaning materials in their required amenities, but the rep you spoke to more recently stated they were required. Airbnb needs to be clearer on these things. You are right though, it does very much depend on the opinion of the rep you get rather than the actual policy in place. I do think it would be useful for Airbnb to add this to the list of amenities, even if it is just optional, so that a host can specify on the listing whether they are supplied or not.

You are also right to say you need to ask questions before. It's always a great idea to ask the host any questions about amenities you think you will need that are not specified on the listing. I guess though that you didn't expect cleaning materials to be one of these as you had found them as standard in previous Airbnbs.

Personally, I find it crazy that a host would rent out a space for an entire month without any cleaning service if they are not supplying some basic cleaning materials for the guest. Okay, so perhaps the guest could go out and buy some product for cleaning, but to have to buy the whole kit, including mop and cleaning cloths is taking it too far. That is just my opinion though and I know now not everyone agrees!

[Mark116]

@Huma0  I agree that hosts should provide some basic cleaning supplies and it would be good to list this as an amenity and that any host refusing cleaning supplies to someone staying for 1  month is not very bright. 

But, as far as I have ever seen, there is not one thing in Airbnb TOS that says that 'it is obligatory to have cleaning materials in the unit' I think even the enhanced COVID cleaning protocol only 'recommends' that you leave sanitizer and cleaning stuff, but no mandate.  There is not an amenities item for cleaning at present.

Therefore, what this really was, is another example of Airbnb off the reservation making s** up by the seat of their pants and not following their own rules. 

ETA...and we've actually taken out a lot of cleaning supplies, because some stuff is still very difficult if not impossible to find and now guests are all driving so the possibility of the 32 oz. hand soap going missing or the Lysol spray is much higher. 

[Huma0]

@Mark116 

Yes, that's what I meant by it depending on the opinion of the rep you get rather than the actual policy. The last rep spoken to was the one who decided this, but there's no policy to back it up. Maybe it's common sense, but Airbnb need to spell it out!

I've got shed loads of cleaning material and equipment in my home (I even have THREE vacuum cleaners), but then I'm a live in host and never have anything stolen. I can understand that someone hosting a separate unit might encounter these issues, but is it really so common for guests to steal cleaning materials? Seems very odd to me but I guess there's nought so queer as folk...

[Mark116]

@Huma0  I don't know, no one ever has to date, but in this climate if someone did steal the bleach cleaner or the Lysol disinfectant spray or the mega sanitizing soap, I wouldn't be able to replace it, so, we took it all out.

[Emilia42]

Regardless of the length of stay, I don't keep a vacuum cleaner, mop, rags, etc. in my apartments. I do have a few cleaning sprays under the sink which guests can use. But if I were a guest and there were no cleaning chemicals I would simply add one bottle of multi-purpose cleaner to my grocery list. I would also take my shoes off at the door so a vacuum or mop might not even be necessary within a month's time.  

[Mark116]

@Emilia42  Yeah, we don't leave a vacuum, too much opportunity for mishaps.  We have paper towels, a cloth dish towel, a sponge and scrubber, dish soap, dishwasher soap, a small dustbin & brush, but not a full sized broom and some all purpose cleaner.  We previously left a full contingent of cleaning sprays and products but as I said, took them out in an abundance of caution in the post covid world. 

[Sarah977]

@Mark116  I can't understand why any host wouldn't leave a full-sized broom for guests. I know my guests definitely make use of the broom and most people I know sweep their kitchen floor daily.

[Debra300]

@Emilia42,

I can appreciate your perspective, but it does show how differently we think as hosts and guests.  A longer term guest just checked in a couple of days ago, and we left one of the vacuum cleaners for their use.  They will likely drop stuff during their stay, and I want to provide them the tools to mitigate attracting bugs and staining.   We already have a house rule not to wear shoes inside, and provide a shoe rack near the entrance door, but that won't stop crumbs from falling to the floor.

When I've been a guest, I appreciated it when there was cleaning spray, sponges, cloths, and a broom available.  We do a lot of international travel, and it's a hassle bring that stuff with us, or even to purchase it after arrival.  However, since the pandemic is unbridled, I will probably carry a small reusable spray bottle of disinfectant cleaner with me the next time we fly.

[Huma0]

@Emilia42 

A bottle of all purpose cleaner and a couple of cloths to use with it sound like a sensible suggestion, but not cleaning the floors for a month? Even if people are taking off their shoes, that seems a bit much to me...

If cleaning during a long term stay is not offered and not even an option that a guest can pay extra for, then I would think providing things such as a vacuum cleaner and mop would be essential. I would be happy to do the cleaning myself if that was what was specified on the listing, but I would certainly be very unhappy as a guest if I had to buy these things just to keep the place clean and I can't imagine a place being anything close to what I would consider acceptable if the floors are not cleaned for a whole month.

Short stays, I can understand, are a different matter.

[Emilia42]

@Huma0 

I've had a handful over one-month-long stays which have been successful. I'm not an absent host (like the OPs host seems to be) and I've reached out to these guests and asked them if they would like to borrow my vacuum for a few hours to clean up on their own. All have declined and said they were good.  When I go in to clean after the month the floor takes me no longer than they would if it was a 3-night stay. Personally, in my own apartment, I can go well over a month without vacuuming or mopping and don't feel like I'm leaving in filth 🙂