Post by High Priestess on Oct 4, 2015 5:30:28 GMT
We have heard about bad guests....but as hosts, we may not often hear about bad hosts. Here's a story about that:
What to do about a bad host?
1) A week ago I had a friend visit____ and my space was in use so she stayed (after much looking) in other Airbnb space. It was absolutely hairy- literally: bed covered with cat hair, bad smell and duties attached to the rental that had not been specified namely, cat-sitting and lying to the neighbors. They payed and arm and a leg at the Marriott.2) A guest experienced inappropriate advances from the host so she left in a hurry and gave up the rest of her stay and got other accommodations. She became my guest.3) A couple were in an airbnb rented room when surprise, surprise the real room owner gets back and finds his room illegally rented while he was gone and the young couple had to leave immediately. They became my guests.These are close and personal cases that I know about. Who do I talk to or where can I bring this up?. Cases 2 and 3 are young people that didn't know how to deal with it so just left it at that. Case 1, my longtime friend, I'm trying to help her beyond the regular means, since the cat-hair literally all over the bed sheets doesn't seem to be enough reason to get her money back.Ideas and point of views are welcome. And a reference to any real person to talk to requested, if you have it. Thanks.
5 comments
Keith:
the guests were relocated to you by AirBnB when they complained to them? if not, that should have been step 1.
if airbnb suffers consequences because of a host, that host is removed from their system in most cases.
This is clearly a cleanliness issue, and airbnb has relocated people.. however if she just relocated herself and then after her stay complained, there's no way for airbnb to know that her complaint was valid.
it's like someone eating an entire pepperoni pizza then after they eat the last bite saying it was too spicy and they want a refund.
Cases 2 and 3 are potentially police report issues. #2 is sexual harassment and #3 is fraud... the guests can likely seek civil penalties against the "host" in this case.
Rene:
Thanks Keith, Case 1) They arrived, saw the situation, did not want to stay there and looked for another place immediately. They did not use the room/apartment. Perhaps they should have contacted airbnb, somehow. They are new to this, arriving from a long trip, first time experience, so they left. Unfortunately, I was not even around to help : (
About 2 and 3, I'll let them know, actually I did ask them to report it to airbnb, but they felt uncomfortable and decided to let it go.
Keith:
All MUST report to Airbnb. This is for several reasons... 1) thry used Airbnb to book and paid Airbnb service charges...this is part of the service. 2). We hosts need guests to have good experiences so theyll continue to consider our places in their travel plans--these situations turn people away. 3) hosts need to be held accountable.
Rene:
I agree.
Do you think 6 months after the fact they can still come and say something? who should I talk to? (for cases 2 and 3)
Keith:
6 months is a long time, but I think it's worth them mentioning.. it's also possible this host got their s*!t together between now and then. so at this point I'm not sure airbnb can really DO anything about it, the goal should be to make sure they don't throw all of us good hosts out with the bathwater and return to staying in motels when they travel.
Rene:
yep
Lynn:
absolutely contact airbnb. I had a former guest call me because her current host in paris had made advances. she didn't know what to do. I looked up the paris airbnb customer service # and they moved her to a hotel, which they paid for. that's as it should be.
What to do about a bad host?
1) A week ago I had a friend visit____ and my space was in use so she stayed (after much looking) in other Airbnb space. It was absolutely hairy- literally: bed covered with cat hair, bad smell and duties attached to the rental that had not been specified namely, cat-sitting and lying to the neighbors. They payed and arm and a leg at the Marriott.2) A guest experienced inappropriate advances from the host so she left in a hurry and gave up the rest of her stay and got other accommodations. She became my guest.3) A couple were in an airbnb rented room when surprise, surprise the real room owner gets back and finds his room illegally rented while he was gone and the young couple had to leave immediately. They became my guests.These are close and personal cases that I know about. Who do I talk to or where can I bring this up?. Cases 2 and 3 are young people that didn't know how to deal with it so just left it at that. Case 1, my longtime friend, I'm trying to help her beyond the regular means, since the cat-hair literally all over the bed sheets doesn't seem to be enough reason to get her money back.Ideas and point of views are welcome. And a reference to any real person to talk to requested, if you have it. Thanks.
5 comments
Keith:
the guests were relocated to you by AirBnB when they complained to them? if not, that should have been step 1.
if airbnb suffers consequences because of a host, that host is removed from their system in most cases.
This is clearly a cleanliness issue, and airbnb has relocated people.. however if she just relocated herself and then after her stay complained, there's no way for airbnb to know that her complaint was valid.
it's like someone eating an entire pepperoni pizza then after they eat the last bite saying it was too spicy and they want a refund.
Cases 2 and 3 are potentially police report issues. #2 is sexual harassment and #3 is fraud... the guests can likely seek civil penalties against the "host" in this case.
Rene:
Thanks Keith, Case 1) They arrived, saw the situation, did not want to stay there and looked for another place immediately. They did not use the room/apartment. Perhaps they should have contacted airbnb, somehow. They are new to this, arriving from a long trip, first time experience, so they left. Unfortunately, I was not even around to help : (
About 2 and 3, I'll let them know, actually I did ask them to report it to airbnb, but they felt uncomfortable and decided to let it go.
Keith:
All MUST report to Airbnb. This is for several reasons... 1) thry used Airbnb to book and paid Airbnb service charges...this is part of the service. 2). We hosts need guests to have good experiences so theyll continue to consider our places in their travel plans--these situations turn people away. 3) hosts need to be held accountable.
Rene:
I agree.
Do you think 6 months after the fact they can still come and say something? who should I talk to? (for cases 2 and 3)
Keith:
6 months is a long time, but I think it's worth them mentioning.. it's also possible this host got their s*!t together between now and then. so at this point I'm not sure airbnb can really DO anything about it, the goal should be to make sure they don't throw all of us good hosts out with the bathwater and return to staying in motels when they travel.
Rene:
yep
Lynn:
absolutely contact airbnb. I had a former guest call me because her current host in paris had made advances. she didn't know what to do. I looked up the paris airbnb customer service # and they moved her to a hotel, which they paid for. that's as it should be.