Good litany of host complaints about Airbnb here:
Zafar Mawani to Airbnb
23 hrs ·
In response to the tragedy in Orinda, CA Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky said Airbnb will “redouble our efforts to combat unauthorized parties and get rid of abusive host and guest conduct, including conduct that leads to the terrible events we saw in Orinda”.
Mr. Chesky further said “I have directed Margaret Richardson from our Executive Team to oversee this new team and initiate a 10 day sprint to review and accelerate the development and implementation of these new safety initiatives.”
While Margaret Richardson begins her 10 day safety sprint, I submit to her and her team that holding hosts and guests accountable should start with holding Airbnb itself accountable for this tragedy.
How could Airbnb have been more responsible and possibly prevented this tragedy? Let me count the ways!
1) Ensuring more rigorous ID Verification;
2) Not allowing guests to delete their profiles and start new ones using the same ID credentials;
3) Ending the practice of letting unfair guest reviews stand without an editorial decision by Airbnb on fairness or accuracy. /Exercising broader discretion to remove guest reviews which are posted against a reputable host;
4) Not allowing guests unsubstantiated allegations (such as cameras inside a home) automatically suspend the listing pending investigation;
5) Ending the policy of refunding guests unused nights when a guest has been kicked out for rules violations;
6) Ending the policy of becoming the final arbiter on guest refund if the guest is unhappy, leaving the issue of refund entirely up to the host (like BDC or homeaway);
7) Paying out damage claims based on credibility of the parties (a host with 600 reviews of 4.9 should be more credible than a guest with no prior reviews);
8. Allowing hosts to see how many refund claims the guest has asked for in the past or how many damage claims have been filed against the guest by other hosts;
9. Allowing hosts to see the reviews the guest has left for previous hosts;
10. Scanning social media for posts about parties —or how to scam a host —and canceling the reservation right away which it pertains to. (Software is very good now to get this dome)
If Airbnb wants hosts to behave responsibly it must give hosts the right screening tools (the ones which hosts have been demanding for years).
If Airbnb sincerely wishes hosts to behave responsibly, it cannot implement policies which scare hosts from enforcing house rules.
This is not new information. Hosts have been alerting Airbnb for years about the link between Airbnb policies and dangerous, irresponsible and reckless behavior by guests.
Airbnb chose to take no notice.
Jane DeGeorge Benjamin
Jane DeGeorge Benjamin "Airbnb chose to take no notice" Airbnb chose to take the money while promoting an environment that sets the stage for parties such as this. If there wasn't a party, no one would have been shot. How many homes have been destroyed as Air looks the other way. The practice of prohibiting hosts for asking guests for their ID is insane. The guest "verification process" that Air promotes is such BS, I can't even call it smoke and mirrors. This sudden "concern" being touted in the media is simply PR. Air needs to stop dictating to the host and accept that it is a booking platform, no more, no less.
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· Reply · 19h
Victoria Hasty
Victoria Hasty Jane DeGeorge Benjamin either Airbnb needs to accept full responsibility and liability, or stop impeding hosts from verifying WHO is about to stay in their homes (and refusing, if necessary) without punishments or accusations if some kind of -ism.
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· Reply · 8h · Edited
Barb Smalley
Barb Smalley There are a lot of good points here.
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· Reply · 15h
Pascale Daniel
Pascale Daniel Below is my personal direct message to Brian Chesky's 10-day sprint decision after unfortunate Orinda event.
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· Reply · 15h · Edited
Pascale Daniel
Pascale Daniel Greetings,
As long as there will be non-host occupied rentals, risks will be there.
Brian, while I agree with most of the points you raise, how to improve responsibility should be as follows:
1) a way within the software to allow only family reunions (with limited number of guests and guests' age) in a non-host occupied rental. Aimed to distinguish between grandparents willing to spend holidays with their next to skin as opposed to party goers and trashers;
2) a way within the software to block a listing for non-host occupied in a town where short-term rentals are regulated not to exceed 3 months or 4 times within a calendar year. For the latter, 4 times mean 1 night or 1 week, or 1 month. As you know in Titusville Florida, we have won the battle because we are host-occupied rental. I did notice more non-host occupied,
3) new listing for non-host occupied should be screened very carefully and double check compliance with regulations and not leave it entirely to the host,
4) limit the number of non-host occupied rentals to 1 (I am appalled to see some hosts have 20 listings available),
5) a focus and advertising should be made to what Airbnb was at its beginning, i.e. 'homeshare',
6) Airbnb should have a separate website for non-host occupied and leave the actual Airbnb website for what it was originally created. I have received bookings and/or inquiries for groups (even workers) who once they realized it was a homeshare didn't pursue, even cancelled. If I check reviews for same dates of said guests, I notice bad behaviors (leave the house trashed, broke items, etc.) The problem is not even question of price, the problem lies on the fact that these guests are looking for non-host occupied in order to do whatever they feel like doing, especially things they WILL NOT be allowed to do in a setting where the homeowner resides and where they would have to show RESPECT to the home they are welcomed in.
In other words, for safety, for trust re-setting or rebuilding purposes Airbnb need to go back, as much as they can, and stay to their original vision and spirit.
Thank you for your time reading this message.
Cordially,
Pascale Daniel
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· Reply · 15h
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Pascale Daniel
Pascale Daniel BTW, Orinda's absentee-host is trying to blame Airbnb. Shame on you Mr. Wang!
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· Reply · 15h
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Elizabeth Gross
Elizabeth Gross I don’t think we can blame Mr. Wang it was a whole house rental . I do agree with the original post on all accounts especially making background checks stronger , listening to the host. I think the suggestions have merit and hopefully will be heard . We also need to see a picture of who is booking . As a super host of five years I have had one very dangerous guest early on he had a record of assault on women and severe mental illness threatened my safety and that of other host he stayed with . It took me and several other host working with air bnb to get him off the site . First line air bnb people we’re clueless . Since then I became a very picky host and I have had nothing but wonderful guest .
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· Reply · 14h · Edited
Victoria Hasty
Victoria Hasty Elizabeth Gross so guest will just open another account ...
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· Reply · 8h · Edited
Elizabeth Gross
Elizabeth Gross Victoria Hasty maybe but we did what we could and now I am very careful in who I take
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· Reply · 7h
Zafar Mawani
Zafar Mawani Brian Chesky says airbnb will immediately shut down "party houses". I do not seem to see "party houses" as a search criteria on airbnb
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· Reply · 6h
Michelle Nex
Michelle Nex Zafar Mawani And what host would actually list their place as a "Party House"? Really???
Personally, I can't think of *any* owner that would welcome the risk of damage and clean up, as well as pissing off the neighbours and getting shut down by willingly and knowingly accepting a "party reservation".
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· Reply · 2h
Zafar Mawani
Zafar Mawani Michelle Nex Chesky's statement is self serving. As hosts we need to do our part to ensure public safety. That is precisely why we are calling Mr. Chesky and airbnb out on this charade. I would love to see an article grow out of this with the headline "Airbnb Hosts Blame Airbnb for Endangering Public Safety"
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· Reply · 2h · Edited
Olive Knaus
Olive Knaus Michelle Nex
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· Reply · 1h
Zafar Mawani
Zafar Mawani Olive Knaus thank you for sharing this. we need to know where he is getting this "party house" stuff from. please send description.
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· Reply · 1h · Edited
Olive Knaus
Olive Knaus Zafar Mawani it’s PR Posturing. He’s trying to cover his ass for the IPO. Nothing is going to change. He’s blaming the host and the house instead of taking accountability he will continue with his insidious practices because all he cares about is the bottom line his anti-host pro guest policies will just continue
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· Reply · 1h · Edited
Michelle Nex
Michelle Nex Olive Knaus well I would say, out of the millions of homes and units listed on Airbnb, this would be a relative Rarity
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· Reply · 58m
Olive Knaus
Olive Knaus Michelle Nex doesn’t change my opinion tho.
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· Reply · 54m
Richard Deal
Richard Deal I would also add better trained support and a REAL escalation. If a host asks for an escalation then it should be done immediately . Also there needs to be a real response and support for hosts that call in with active situations. I understand that a good deal of the CEOs response is to address concerns of towns and neighbors of AirBnBs that are concerned about the situation. A big part of that is making ALL AirBnBs even free by default, and supporting all hosts with issues of extra guests. By making all AirBnBs even free by default and vetting any that choose to allow events, it makes the event issue much simpler to handle for both hosts and support. Also encourage ALL hosts to have at least one security camera (well placed outside of course).
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· Reply · 14h · Edited
Natasha Wycheslavzoff Dekle
Natasha Wycheslavzoff Dekle Airbnb MUST do better to protect hosts.
Had an Instant Book - she’s using a nickname, alluded to her OTHER Airbnb account, claims to have stayed in Airbnb’s all over the world, yet has ZERO reviews.
At THE VERY LEAST, hosts should have the FULL LEGAL name of the guest.
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Victoria Hasty
Victoria Hasty Natasha Wycheslavzoff Dekle exactly!
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· Reply · 7h
Toni Benzing
Toni Benzing Host should be supported when guest break house rules. Guest should not be rewarded for bad behaviour by getting refunds that go against host cancellation policies or for night already stayed. Guests agree to house rules upon booking and should forfeit refunds when those rules are broken. Airbnb needs to support their hosts.
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· Reply · 9h
Victoria Hasty
Victoria Hasty Toni Benzing exactly. Airbnb basically trained unscrupulous guests to stage either dirt or insects and Airbnb in knee jerk fashion refunds them.
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· Reply · 8h
Leen De Weerd-Mosley
Leen De Weerd-Mosley I would love for us to have one world-wide petition by hosts referencing the above, that thousands of hosts can sign, which would also put the onus back on Airbnb management that completely controls the platform, and chooses to keep it without even minimal security checkpoints.
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· Reply · 8h
Laurie Scott
Laurie Scott Zafar makes very good points.
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· Reply · 8h
Susan Stone
Susan Stone - Stop encouraging and rewarding IB
- Stop encouraging and rewarding self check in
- Stop tolerating "Parties" like smoking pets or child friendly - parties have very specific risks and responsabilities and require TOS different from every other mainstream self-catering home
- Get all PARTY VENUES off the mainstream section and into a section with specific TOS, support, rules, and supervision
- Stop penalizing hosts for cancelling reservations that do not respect house rules or make host uncomfortable for ANY reason especially if cancellation done within 48 hours of booking.
- Listen to hosts about the unfair review process, which makes hosts feel hostage to abusive guests and not willing to stand up if something is going wrong, out of the "fear of bad review".
- Allow the host to cancel the review process if guest is not respecting house rules or having a party.
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Ami Chang
Ami Chang
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TENOR
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ゼンケウィッチ トリー
ゼンケウィッチ トリー What's "redouble" mean when 2X0=0?
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Victoria Hasty
Victoria Hasty Also stop forcing onto hosts anything above and beyond what law requires. and allow hosts comply with local laws. What is it about Airbnb not counting infants and toddlers as occupants? Fire code sure does consider them humans to be counted, so does insurance company. The law in my state do not consider ESA a "service animal" yet Airbnb wants to force us to accept one. Let hosts comply with their local laws, insurance requirements and fire code! Instead of encouraging rule breaking and over occupancy just to appease guests.
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· Reply · 8h · Edited
Laura Sawgle
Laura Sawgle Have a rating system based in REAL math that can be understand and not shadowy! Host feel that they can’t bill for damages when their rating could take a hit if we complain about crappy guests.
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· Reply · 7h
Victoria Hasty
Victoria Hasty I shudder every time I get IB from Airbnb. Because I never know who is booking and if now I have to deal with unsuitable group. I have much better guest quality on competing platforms. Airbnb basically trained their clientele to disregard house rules. Why? Because there are never any repercussions. If Airbnb does not change , I will start pulling my properties eventually. I am licensed and insured host in compliance with zoning rules, my properties are in traditional family oriented resort/tourist area, I pay taxes etc. Airbnb should value hosts like myself and give us every tool to screen unsuitable guests out.
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Joan Bettencourt
Joan Bettencourt Don't do instant booking and you won't cringe
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Juliana Brown
Juliana Brown On point!!!
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Carol Smith
Carol Smith ✅ ✅ ✅
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Stacey Lynn Mueller
Stacey Lynn Mueller Hear Hear!
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Melanie Scofield
Melanie Scofield This is absolutely on point.
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· Reply · 5h
Lauren Brady
Lauren Brady Please please please help hosts ensure guests are fully screened and held accountable for bad behavior. Why are hosts penalized for not accepting IB’s??? It’s insane! Our local cities are working hard to ban STRs, you would think Airbnb would be doing everything they could to ensure “party houses”, disrespectful guests, and guests who are not a good fit for a home rental are NOT allowed to operate.
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· Reply · 4h
Rachel Breitfelder Sadlack
Rachel Breitfelder Sadlack ABB, support your hosts! Without us you have nothing to sell!!
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· Reply · 4h
Jan Novak
Jan Novak AirBNB’s lax processes and insidious practices vis a vis transferring all risk and liability to hosts is unconscionable. AirBNB, open the kimono! The charade is up. Fix your processes. There’s no excuse given the time and revenue you’ve earned over the past decade.
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· Reply · 3h · Edited
Paula Samuel
Paula Samuel So I’ve had large units and small units...the large are a nightmare as they are always big groups and party houses. Neighbors hate it and end up hating the host as well. Unless large properties start charging astronomical fees, these party guest will not stop...charge a $1000/night with a minimum 3 night reservation and make your security deposit $6000!
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Amy Dickens Devine
Amy Dickens Devine
💯
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Julie Crimin Davies
Julie Crimin Davies Local STR advocates in Las Vegas (and other areas) have had a terrible time with Airbnb staff and their "local leadership team" fighting against municipalities trying to pass reasonable regulations that require hosts to better monitor guests and take responsibility for who and what they host. Local advocates working with municipalities and using STR best practices have been brutally ridiculed by these "official Airbnb representatives" for using noise detection systems, 24-hour security response professionals/systems, and even for teaching/attending an inexpensive accredited course at the local community college to help hosts learn about laws and best practices (which Airbnb has fought against). The platform needs to do what it does best---list and promote listings (and further implement a system of barring/removing problematic listings or guests). Hosts should have more power over who and what they host. The Airbnb lopsided priority towards guest preferences is ill-placed since they would have nothing to offer guests if there were no listings. Hosts should be able to better vet potential guests and they should not be penalized for wanting to refuse some reservations. Airbnb cannot reasonably control the guest or host behavior. Airbnb can better control the listings and who books reservations. Hosts should be given more information, control, and autonomy. If hosts are found to be hosting disruptive parties or dangerous situations, they should be removed from the platforms. If guests are found to cause disruptions or destruction, they should be barred from the platforms. That is the control Airbnb should concentrate on---the listings and the guests allowed to reserve through the platform.
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Lydia Bianchi
Lydia Bianchi If us "Dumb Owners" have the ability to find posts like this, why doesn't #AirBnB Airbnb needs to get it's act in order or that wonderful IPO they're hoping for (the $$$ they're chasing) will go up in smoke:
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Beth Caro Ellington
Beth Caro Ellington Bring money for a stripper?
?
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Beth Caro Ellington
Beth Caro Ellington I’d like to see every guest prove identification and be truly banned (not just sign up with a new email) and if a guest is kicked out for breaking the rules, they lose their right to trash the owner.
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Zafar Mawani
Zafar Mawani ...and lose their right to book elsewhere
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Audrey Chou
Audrey Chou Completely agree. Airbnb always drops the ball when it comes to HOST safety
