What is the best way to report a listing that appears to be illegal within its community?

[Melinda-and-Todd0]

We stayed at a listing where the address given was incorrect and we were asked not to mention Airbnb to neighbors.  (These details only became apparent after we checked in.)  We had to pick up the key from a lockbox locked to a bike rack in front of the local Walmart.  We suspect the host was not allowed to operate an Airbnb listing in this community of rented apartments.  How can we report that to Airbnb?  

[Linda108]

@Melinda-and-Todd0  I am pretty sure that reporting any issue about a listing is by using the flag under the profile name.  Your observations may be accurate but how do you confirm the conclusion regarding an illegal listing? 

[Melinda-and-Todd0]

Hi Linda, I can't really confirm my suspicions.  I do know that the complex is one of rental apartments, not condos.  I suppose the renter might have the management's permission to offer their apartment on Airbnb but if so, why would they be so secretive about it and instruct guests NOT to contact the management office under any circumstances?

I thought maybe Airbnb could and would want to check into this since a host operating illegally in a community jeopardizes the future of other legitimate listings and hosts in that community.  We were instructed by the host to lie to inquisitive neighbors who asked about Airbnb and not to go to the management office with any issues.  The listing does not have a true address associated with it.  There were just so many red flags.  It was in the community of Huntington Beach, CA and judging from conversations I have seen on the Airbnb website, that community at one time took steps to ban some Airbnb listings.  I don't want this host ruining things for legitimate ones.

[Kelly149]

@Melinda-and-Todd0

no. Abb does not want to deal with illegal listings. My nearest municipality requires rules & registration- high high high percentage of listings lack this. No recourse. Abb is about more listings. Legal or not is no concern. 

[Melinda-and-Todd0]

That is discouraging.

[Sarah977]

@Melinda-and-Todd0   I believe your suspicions are spot-on. No hosts would tell their guests to lie to management or neighbors about staying at a listing, or leave a lock box in some public place unattached to the accommodation if there weren't something illegal going on.

You can flag the account and report to Airbnb, but, as @Kelly149 said,  they probably won't act on it. There are landlords who have tenants who they have found are Airbnbing the space they were rented in complete contravention of their lease, and Airbnb won't take the listing down, even when the landlord submitsa copy of the "no subletting" lease agreement. the poor landlords have to go through the sometimes months-long process of evicting the tenant.

You could also mention the oddness of the situation in your review, just don't put forth the opinion that it's an illegal listing, or Airbnb might remove the review. Mention it more in terms of how uncomfortable it made you feel. "We" and "I" statements, rather than unprovable accusations.

[Melinda-and-Todd0]

Thank you for your reply Sarah, and the advice.  I did give a very thorough review stating how uncomfortable we were and providing details as to why.  The hosts did not review us so it took 14 days for the review to appear on the listing.  Fortunately I didn't use the word illegal.  So far it remains on the listing.  There are only two reviews following ours so I am hopeful that our review did serve as a warning directing folks to look elsewhere for a better experience.