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Unless it's an apartment or neighborhood rule refusing to host someone due to their age is a breach of the Airbnb nondiscrimination policy - Immediately report those users.
>Age and Familial Status
>Airbnb hosts may not:
>Impose any different terms or conditions or decline a reservation based on the guest’s age or familial status, where prohibited by law.
>Airbnb hosts may:
>Provide factually accurate information about their listing’s features (or lack of them) that could make the listing unsafe or unsuitable for guests of a certain age or families with children or infants. Note in their listing applicable community restrictions (e.g. senior housing) that prohibit guests under a particular age or families with children or infants.
Screw people who do this to ANYONE, not just Airbnb hosts.
Here's a Facebook post about a hotel that dealt with one
You pay for a service and if there's a noticeable impact on my business because of it, I may offer you a discounted rate for a future stay.
If you didn't approve/deny the inquiry then your response rate will go down, this is on a rolling 30 day schedule and will eventually fall off.
Failing to approve/deny the inquiry is probably going to have a negligible impact on your stats, depending on how many you get.
Your response time, however, will stay the same as you replied to them in the message thread.
^^Help
Keep one in EVERY bathroom. I have 4 bathrooms in my home and 3 was not enough for a particular medium term AirBnB renter. He left "gifts" for other renters and accused me of having plumbing problems. I was not sad to see him leave!
I have this holder in each of my bathrooms that keeps everything neat and clean!
Not to mention you generally can get 1 or 2 penalty free cancellations for Instant Booked reservations, per year. Just call Airbnb and tell them what's up.
I’d recommend getting a front door combination lock from Amazon (in addition to a camera). They’re around $50. That’s what I do and change the combination after every guest, and I don’t have to provide them with a key that they could potentially go out and make a copy of,
Edit: here’s a link to the lock that I got and am more than happy with: AmazonBasics Traditional Electronic Keypad Deadbolt Door Lock, Keyed Entry, Satin Nickel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07J4VQCMF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XhgZDbH03SZCZ
OP, the time to call and complain to Airbnb was when you arrived, not after you've stayed. Unfortunately, after you've stayed you have no leverage and you're outside the policy for problem resolution.
You can call Airbnb and complain, but that's about all you can do. That and leave the host a negative review. I would certainly do that.
A tricky situation as far as the review goes--I'd maybe go with 4 stars and be informative, but kind in the wording.
On a related note, you've inspired me to buy a waterproof mattress protector. Any recommendations? Was looking at this one.
This is not acceptable and they are violating a number of Airbnb TOS not to mention, just being awful hosts. While I know this is irrelevant now, for other guests and in the future, you do not have to accept a change of accommodation when this happens. https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/250/what-if-a-host-informs-me-that-the-listing-i-already-paid-for-is-now-unavailable-but-they-have-an-alternative
"We do not endorse off-site payments or cash payments. All off-site transactions are done at your own risk, and Airbnb cannot verify the validity of any transactions done outside our system.
If a host asks you for more money than what you paid on the site and it was not stated in the listing or in the message thread, please contact us and we'll contact your host directly."
Source: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/251 Airbnb: 855 424 7262
All right, I'll say the unpopular thing...
I'm not sure why everyone has it in their head that AirBnB has the obligation to re-book you somewhere at no additional cost when a host flakes out.
If you book a place on Priceline or Hotels.com, and you get there and there and the hotel is super sketch (a problem with boutique hotels in places like NYC), if you're very lucky you'll get a refund eventually. Demand that they rebook you in another hotel, even when the prices may have gone up since your booking, and at no additional cost to you?
It doesn't happen.
AirBnB isn't going to dip into their own pockets because some host sucks. And, as a host, you aren't going to get me to eat a lower price because some other host sucks. Much like Jack's Hotel in Midtown sucking shouldn't force Expedia to come out of pocket so you can stay at the DoubleTree or force DoubleTree to honor Jack's ridiculous low price just because they both had the misfortune to book through that booking site.
You save money with AirBnB or third party booking sites in general. But there are risks associated. With the third party hotel sites, the biggest risk is often no refund under any circumstances. Here, the risk is that the place won't be available and you need to seek accommodation elsewhere.
They do not have to notify you.
Do guests have to disclose the presence of an assistance animal before booking?
No. While guests are not required to disclose the presence of an assistance animal before booking, we always encourage transparent communication to ensure a smooth experience for all.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1869/what-is-an-assistance-animal
I would however mark them down for communication for not saying something about it. Youre totally within your rights to do so.
No, not rude. "Hi [guest], we would love to host you, but I just wanted to make sure you saw the 2 guest limit. We are happy to host guests of any age, but that limit is firm, so that would mean a maximum of 2 adults OR 1 adult and 1 child. Let me know if you have any questions blah blah blah etc."
EDIT: just so you have it, here is Airbnb's page on children as guests.
Hidden Camera Detected Camera Founder
I couldn't find the second app, but the first one has laughably fake reviews.
The only way this app can work is by trying to read signal strength of WiFi or Bluetooth signals, which are on a very specific frequency range. A cell phone is not designed to scan all possible RF frequencies. FYI - a Bose speaker has Bluetooth...
It probably wasn’t a service dog anyway but if it’s a shared listing you can kick them out and you should:
“However, if your listing includes a shared space and an assistance animal would create a health or safety hazard to you or others (e.g. allergies and pets who are unable to share space with other animals due to a safety concern), we will not require you to host the guests with the assistance animal.”
Source: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1869/what-is-an-assistance-animal
You can if you have instant book turned on.
Edit:
Hosts never have to host a reservation they’re uncomfortable with.
I cancelled a booking simply based upon the fact that the guest was rude as hell in their initial message. Airbnb cancelled them and put them under review. A guest potentially getting parking billed to me because they wouldn't listen to what I said? You bet your ass I'd cancel them in a heartbeat.
Airbnb has neighbor complaint portal.
Some buildings have an 80% carpet rule. See what your neighbor thinks about that. You can also request that your neighbor ask that their guests take off their shoes and tread considerately while in the apartment.
Chances are, your neighbor wants to stay off of your radar when it comes to issues.
A quick search of the Airbnb Help Center returned this: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/465/can-hosts-ask-guests-to-sign-a-contract
This is allowed and it sounds like the host is going about it correctly.
>We require Airbnb reservations booked for personal travel to be booked by the person who's going to stay at the listing.
The insurance is only for damaged property. Not stolen personal items. You need to file with your home owners insurance.
Additionally, it will take months if it's damaged items. It's an insurance claim. They have a limited number of trust and safety employees and thousands of claims, most of which are false like yours so the real claims get lost in the queue.
And for the curious, section 4 subsection vii excludes stolen items (Not to mention how they say damaged repeatedly): https://www.airbnb.com/terms/host_guarantee
In most states and localities in the United States, guests who stay in a home or apartment for approximately 30 days—the exact number depends on jurisdiction—may establish rights as a tenant. Generally, this means that local tenancy laws could protect them, and you may not be able to remove them from your property without proceeding through required eviction processes in court.
For example, in California, Illinois, and New York, a residential tenancy may be created after 30 consecutive days of occupancy. Someone who stays with you for fewer than 30 days generally does not have the rights of a tenant unless there is a written agreement to the contrary, but every state is different.
Local laws may differ from state laws regarding residential tenancies. We encourage you to review your local rules and regulations before accepting a long-term reservation.
Pending requests block the host’s calendar.
“While a request is pending, the dates are automatically blocked on your calendar, so other guests can’t request them.”
Source: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/28/what-do-i-do-after-i-receive-a-reservation-request
Agreed. I installed one of these door closers for $10 from Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Line-KC10HD-Safety-Spring-Closer/dp/B004Q07GNY
The relatives considered to qualify for Airbnb’s extenuating circumstances are specifically dictated here: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1320/what-if-i-need-to-cancel-because-of-an-emergency-or-unavoidable-circumstance
Your father in law’s brother doesn’t count.
How do you see it as it being the customer service agent’s fault for not risking his job just to give you what you want in violation of the policy?
How is he/she “being difficult”?
I would remove it myself too. Not because of the Bed Bugs claim, but because you shared details related to an Airbnb investigation, by mentioning you should go to a hotel. Review has been removed according to the guidelines we have and no matter how hard you push you won't get it back on the platform. Sorry man.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/546/what-is-airbnb-s-content-policy
Depends on the listing type
Entire place: Guests have the whole place to themselves. This usually includes a bedroom, a washroom, and a kitchen.
Private rooms: Guests have their own private room for sleeping. Other areas could be shared.
Shared rooms: Guests sleep in a bedroom or a common area that could be shared with others.
Hosts are charged fees for canceling on a guest without an emergency situation. ($50 if it's more than a week out, $100 if less) . Your host is trying to get out of paying this fee. Tell him to cancel it if he can't keep up his end of the deal and then report to AirBNB. The rest of us need to follow the same rules too.
there's no need to be an asshole. I never said I trashed the place, but I certainly have never gone through and cleaned everything in the apartment, and I shouldn't have to.
All I see a cleaning fee as is when a seller wants to attract you with a lower rate, then add a cleaning fee. It's bullshit.
anyways, it doesnt look like you have a cleaning fee anyways: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/6839142?checkin=10%2F06%2F2015&checkout=10%2F12%2F2015
Sorry, but your view is all kinds of wrong. Getting top search rankings, and being a superhost are REWARDS for good service and providing superior accommodation and guest experiences and not something you deserve simply because you're a host. If you aren't keeping your calendar up to date and have to cancel on your guests for reasons within your control, guess what? You don't deserve to be top ranked nor a superhost. Sorry.
Hosts, just like guests, can cancel without a penalty for extenuating circumstances, so if the cancelation is truly outside of your control there's nothing to worry about. But if the host is bitching because they fucked up their scheduling, too bad. Deal with it.
OK, so this tells me that you guys were in fact violating AirBnB ToS because, and stop me if you've heard this a dozen times in this thread, your travel manager didn't know what the fuck she was doing.
Had she set things up properly, you would have logged in to your profile and the trip would appear on your itinerary. Your travel manager, from her dashboard would be able to view your, as well as any other business travelers from your company, profile and itineraries and handle billing.
AirBnB is absolutely set up for business travel.
Your Travel Manager, unfortunately, decided not to do it properly. So instead, she booked a room for you under a company account. Meaning that the host received a reservation from someone other than the guest who would be staying at her property.
This rule isn't some joke. This is what protects us. That whole verified ID thing falls apart if we accept third party reservations.
The only glaring oversight here was on your company's side.
https://www.airbnb.com/companies
Btw, here is a link to the very simple process to set this up properly. In the screenshot you'll notice that the dashboard shows the business travelers individual profiles.
I'm really sorry you work for a company that doesn't value business travel enough to hire someone with a triple digit IQ to do it. However, I'm not compromising my safety or the safety of my property because some fuckwit can't click through a few pages and follow simple instructions.
No, because it's a violation of Airbnb's terms. They claim they do background checks and that theft and property damage are disqualifying.
Sounds less than legitimate to me. You should never pay for your reservation off of the Airbnb website. You can read more about it in Airbnb's help center: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/209/why-should-i-pay-and-communicate-through-airbnb-directly.
If that's true, then she can call Airbnb and they can cancel her bookings at no penalty to her. Property damage and maintenance issues are covered by Airbnb's extenuating circumstances policy.
Since she hasn't done that, I would definitely assume she wants you to cancel so she can re-list and make more money. Eff that! Don't cancel. Sorry your host ended up being sucky. :(
It sounds like you're pretty unfamiliar with what AirBnB is. I would suggest you read some basics from the AirBnB hosting page and then look at listings in your area. You'll find a large number of people list their spare bedrooms.
Like everything else you post this is completely false. Any offsite transaction except the collection of occupancy taxes is against the terms of service and will get you a cancel by host. Just because you put something in your listing page doesn't mean anyone has to pay it.
Source for clarification: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/199/what-should-i-do-if-someone-asks-me-to-pay-outside-of-the-airbnb-website
I seriously doubt your even an Airbnb user let alone a host considering how pathetically ignorant you are to the basics of the platform.
You, presumably, signed up with Airbnb. If so, you agreed to terms and conditions that allow them to do so. If you don't like them, then I suggest you vote Democratic, who have been trying for years to ameliorate such legal overreach.
FYI
"Race, Color, Ethnicity, National Origin, Religion, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, or Marital Status
Airbnb hosts may not Decline a guest based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. Impose any different terms or conditions based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status. Post any listing or make any statement that discourages or indicates a preference for or against any guest on account of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or marital status."
You are liable to 2x the rate for overstaying. Bummer they treated you like that but, in terms of your damages that you need to pay, that's in the TOC:
>Guests agree that the Host can charge the Guest, for each 24 hour period that the Guest stays over the agreed period without the Host's consent, an additional nightly fee of two times the average nightly Accommodation Fee originally paid by the Guest to cover the inconvenience suffered by the Host, plus all applicable Service Fees, Taxes, and any legal expenses incurred by the Host to make the Guest leave (collectively, "Additional Sums"). Airbnb Payments will collect Additional Sums from Guests pursuant to the Payments Terms.
Reach out to the host. Some of them are easily remedied, some of them are really trivial... like the ice cube maker... buy some ice cube bags instead (we get them at the dollar store, they look like this https://www.amazon.com/Disposable-Food-Grade-Material-Self-Seal-Freezing/dp/B088T7MXF5 and you just fill them and stack them in the freezer and they don't get an off-taste because they are closed. The garbage foot pedal... shouldn't have had a foot pedal, they break constantly because people abuse them... should have just gone with a garbage pail.
The host may look at this as a time to do a refresh or a reminder that they need to do a refresh.
Just be nice about it and let them fill in the blanks.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure I talked to AirBnB because we were contacted through the app after calling. Apparently the fees were listed in the 'House Rules' but not in the 'Additional Prices' section so we have to pay them. Honestly I think it's pretty misleading. I just want to find something about this deal because it's nowhere to be found in the terms of service, which looks pretty sketchy to me...
Btw they removed the listing before we arrived, but here is another one from the same company in case it's useful: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/18562906?guests=1&adults=1&s=41&user_id=152870085&ref_device_id=489c5a47a5cbd134
It sounds like Airbnb has already made a decision in the host's favor. I'm sorry that doesn't feel fair. There are certainly tons of stories, of both hosts and guests, who feel they judged unfairly, but that's just how it works.
You can appeal their decision through binding arbitration, but it costs $200 to do so. Probably not worth it. https://www.airbnb.com/terms#sec19
You can refuse the pay the additional amount. Airbnb can't charge you for more than the 150 security deposit. The host can file in small claims court (or whatever applies in the host's location), but most wouldn't bother.
It's really shitty for the host to put you in that position and quite frankly I'm tired of hearing the hosts on here whine about how they get penalized when they cancel. Yes, hosts do get penalized if they need to cancel, BUT if you were to cancel this reservation yourself you would not get your Airbnb fees back. (If you cancel within 48 you get your fees back but you were outside that window). How is that fucking fair? Hosts, sorry, this is a part of doing business. Keep your calendar up to date, and don't try and make guests eat fees when YOU need to cancel.
This sub-thread on the ethics of the international drug trade is a tangent, completely unrelated to OP's concerns.
OP's concerns are that AirBnB, as a private company, is taking steps to continue punishing ex-cons beyond the point when the criminal justice system decides they've paid their debt to society. Anyway, here's what AirBnB says on no-go convictions:
"We will remove users if our checks show convictions for the following:
A violent crime Certain sexual offenses, including serious sex offenses and prostitution Felony drug-related offense Certain fraud and dishonesty offenses, including identity theft Certain theft offenses Offenses involving certain types of property damage Certain invasion of privacy offenses"
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1308/does-airbnb-perform-background-checks-on-members
Like a lot of us over here in the civilized world/21st century, I'm of the "one of these things is not like the others" mentality, and I appreciate OP bringing it up.
"If you’re a host and you have any type of surveillance device in or around a listing, even if it’s not turned on or hooked up, we require that you indicate its presence in your House Rules. We also require you to disclose if an active recording is taking place."
"we require hosts to disclose all surveillance devices in their listings, and we prohibit any surveillance devices that are in or that observe the interior of certain private spaces (such as bedrooms and bathrooms) regardless of whether they’ve been disclosed."
To be honest, if I ever host, inside cameras would only face exterior doors. Caneras deter even good guests.
There is no issue to resolve. The host isn’t obligated in any way to disclose other listings in the home or other occupants. I’m not sure why you think that. When you book a private room that is what you are guaranteed, a private room and access to the shared or private bathroom and that’s all. People in the living room does not constitute a valid travel issue per Airbnb’s Guest Refund Policy which you can read here: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/544/what-is-airbnb-s-guest-refund-policy
I wasn’t surprised that your post included this language: “to find somewhere else” as almost everyone of yours incorrectly does as I’ve mentioned time and time again.
Go ahead and write a review, just make sure that it abides by the Guidelines and it won't be removed.
Beach guy's right, write without fear and write what you want others to understand about this listing. Airbnb doesn't edit or remove reviews unless you violate their content guidelines, typically.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/546/what-is-airbnb-s-content-policy
I've accepted plenty of guests with no reviews, and a few with no ID. I've never hosted anyone without a photo. I also recently stopped accepting guests who aren't verified. I have a saved message that I send to guests like this, it works every time and people are usually happy to do it.
"Hi there!
Thanks for your inquiry about our Airbnb listing! We'd be happy to have you. I notice you haven't verified your ID with Airbnb yet. If you wouldn't mind doing that, we'd really appreciate it. I'm sure you understand, we like to know it's been confirmed by airbnb that people are who they say they are, before we host them in our home. We don't see your info or the photos you submit, only that it's been verified by Airbnb.
I'll happily accept your booking request as soon as your ID has been verified.
Here is a helpful article that explains the process in more detail: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1237/how-does-it-work-when-airbnb-asks-for-an-id
Looking forward to hosting you!
Cheers, [YOUR HOST]"
Usually the friendly reminder that we are all strangers on the app, as well as the official airbnb article explaining how it works is enough to calm any of their concerns about verifying.
Make sure you flag the communication with the information about the reservation being for a 3rd party, Airbnb will monitor this guest for this, and flag the host's profile - he must provide a picture and a real name - Airbnb needs to be aware of this situation. https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/67/why-do-i-need-to-have-an-airbnb-profile-or-profile-photo
Also be prepared to be removed from the website if you film your guest/host with an undisclosed camera in a shared space.
If you rented a shared room it sounds like that's exactly what you got. The hosts don't need your consent to put other people in that shared space and Airbnb isn't obligated to refund you anything.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/5/what-does-the-room-type-of-a-listing-mean
7 guests instead of 4 - I understand your shock. I suggest putting the emotion aside for a moment, and considering other explanations. I didn't see anything in your post that eliminates the possibility that the guest made an honest oversight. Some guests, especially ones that are new to Airbnb, simply miss the # of guests field. And guests might assume that a large-sized listing would easily accommodate seven people. In my experience, guest oversights far outweigh malice. What would it be like for them if you're incorrect, and they're without a place to stay in an unfamiliar city? Unless you have some proof that they are ill-intentioned, I would highly recommend that your next step be either to ask them what happened, or just modify the reservation using the link below. Airbnb will penalize your search result ranking if you cancel a reservation; and if there's no proof that the guest was ill-intentioned, then you have no recourse.
You can modify the reservation by following the instructions in this link:
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/50
I also suggest if you haven't already, to write in your description the base number of guests you accept, and where they should specify a higher number.
Being a host, as in most roles in the field of hospitality, often requires giving guests the benefit of the doubt.
You're right on your instinct. Don't cancel. If you do, you will not get all of your money back; if you cancel then you do not get the Airbnb fee back.
The host does not want to cancel, because if he does you're entitled to get all of your money back, and he has to pay the Airbnb fee. Additionally, he is totally disqualified from the Superhost program for up to 3 months and a negative review is put on his profile. Also, if he cancels on you, you can call Airbnb and they will find a similar or better listing and take care of everything, and if they can't find one then they'll put you up in a hotel.
We purchased this set from Amazon, as we occasionally have weather related outages. There is an option for it to be off unless there is no power. HTH
>Note to the uninformed: AirBnB explicitly permits ~~a female host~~ any host to decline booking requests from ~~male guests~~ guests of a different gender when it’s a shared space with the host.
Just a little extra clarity for anyone coming by. AirBnB link
I'm trying but there is very few properties left and the cheap ones they look really bad for five adults...
99% of the properties are reserved... We decided that we will go for the first one as is the only one with a reasonable number of reviews... We are pushing the support on the chat but they are not answering as we still don't have any money in the account aside of the refund so the 500$ extra are just a promise now
Yes, but you have only three of those.
This is incorrect. Airbnb has changed their policy. Instant Book hosts now are permitted an unlimited number of cancellations of reservations if the host is uncomfortable with the guest.
This sounds a bit misleading. Age at time of stay doesn't matter. An AirBnB booking is a legally binding contract, and a person must be at least 18 years old to enter one of those. That means guest and host have to be at least 18 at the point of booking.
Obviously there are minors under the age of 18 on AirBnB's platform. Obviously people do things that violate AirBnB's TOS all the time. People will agree to all kinds of things knowing money's green regardless. But if you violate AirBnB's TOS and anything at all goes wrong with your stay -- if you need a refund, or if you need AirBnB to mediate a guest/host dispute -- you're on your own, and you can't count on AirBnB's support.
A person who's at least 18 can book a stay for a group that includes minors under 18; it's at the discretion of the host whether they want to host minors in a party. But in order to create an account, you need to tell AirBnB you're at least 18.
The TOS is pretty unambiguous about this:
"2. Eligibility, Using the Airbnb Platform, Member Verification
2.1 You must be at least 18 years old and able to enter into legally binding contracts to access and use the Airbnb Platform or register an Airbnb Account. By accessing or using the Airbnb Platform you represent and warrant that you are 18 or older and have the legal capacity and authority to enter into a contract."
Technically speaking, is it against AirBnB's terms of service to have someone book a room for you.
>I’m booking for another person, why should I use this booking mechanism instead of just booking a trip myself?
>It is not permitted. Booking for another user is not permitted on our platform unless you use our defined 3rd party booking flow. If a user books for another user and puts themselves down as a guest, that reservation is outside of our terms of service and can be cancelled by our system or agents, or by a host.
Also adding to that: this is from Airbnb's hosting standards:
>If you won’t be greeting your guests when they arrive, you can send them a message at their check-in time to make sure everything went smoothly... If you won’t be in the area during their stay, you can give your guests a local point of contact... Let your guests know if you’ll greet them at the door or if they should plan on getting the key from a lockbox or neighbor.
YOU had the expectation that your host would personally check you in. Airbnb does not expect that of hosts.
So the listing said it could accommodate up to 12 guests and you're confused why you can't bring 14? That's simple. It's because the place can only accommodate 12. If you're bringing 14, you need a place that accommodates 14. It doesn't matter that two aren't sure yet. As for the lease, he is allowed to have you sign a contact, as long as it is disclosed in the listing.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/465/can-hosts-ask-guests-to-sign-a-contract
It sucks that your first (and possibly only) Airbnb experience was a bad one. For future reference, you would of been entitled to a full refund as per Airbnb's Guest Refund Policy.
Hello AlexMcCarthy1,
Precursor: I am an Airbnb employee.
If your listing says no smoking and your guest smokes, you should absolutely report it to support. That being said, it's not considered damages as far as your security deposit goes, and if you want to request additional funds for reimbursement on the cleaning, then you'll need to go through the resolution center.
Your next best step, and the real solution, is to leave an honest review. I know you've said you'll leave one, and I hope you do - please remember not to personally attack the guest, but rather to review your honest experience in hosting them. Follow review guidelines.
Finally, and this is important, keep your house manual and rules specific. Saying no smoking will result in internal action against the guest, notes, and potential bans from the site; if you want to be able to claim a deposit, you'll need to make it clear ahead of time in your rules, and even then, you'll need some assistance in enforcing that. I cannot guarantee that it will be enforced every time; you can't exactly submit a photograph of the smoke smell in your fabrics.
If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to address them.
Best,
aCrewbie
No, this is not usual, and against AirBnB TOS.
If you haven't agreed to pay the amount, mention to them that you know this is against their TOS, and you're not comfortable paying. Report them.
One option that costs a little bit, and has a little bit of technical overhead is to hook the router to a VPN service, such as Private Internet Access, so that all traffic is routed through a VPN. It makes things a bit slower, but overall it reduces/removes the risk of our ISP cutting you off or getting fined over what your guests are downloading.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/544/what-is-airbnb-s-guest-refund-policy Guest Refund Policy, where it is stated that Airbnb will verify your messages in case of travel issue
Also in the Terms of Service section 5 (Content), it is said that Airbnb has access to all members content, including messages, reviews, etc. Can't link those on the phone but a google search will get them for you easily!
> It’s a contentious issue with insurance and with the Host Guarantee
I am not an host nor a lawyer but this sounded very suspicious to me, so I went ahead and did what a (not so) reasonable person would do and read part of the Host Guarantee Terms on AirBnb.
They define two relevent terms, one is "Responsible Guest" and the other is "Invitee".
"Invitee": means a person invited to be present at a Covered Accommodation by a Responsible Guest.
"Covered Accommodation": The AirBnb apartment. (there's a well defined description/definition for it, but it's long)
In this whole document I did not find one occurrence which exclude the Host Guarantee for "Invitees". But maybe I did not search well enough. Mind giving some reference to your claims?
EDIT:
Ok so I found a statement in a blog post covering AirBnb Host Guarantee that contradicts yours:
"The Host Guarantee provides payment for theft or physical damage to your listing caused by the responsible guest, or the guest’s invitee(s), during their stay."
Per Airbnb's website:
>Can I split the cost of my reservation across multiple payments?
>Yes, if you select a credit or debit card or PayPal as your payment method and your reservation meets the requirements listed below . When you check out, you can select the “Pay less upfront” option to split the cost of your reservation into more than one payment.
>How it works >Your reservation must be with an eligible listing and:
>Have a total value of $250 or more, including any taxes and fees
>Start at least 14 days from the date you book it
>On the checkout page, select Pay less upfront. You’ll pay part of your reservation now, and you’ll be automatically charged the remaining balance before you check in. When you check out, we’ll let you know when your next payment is due. We’ll also send you a reminder 3 days before we collect the second payment.
You are probably aware at this point but the security deposit is never charged at the time of booking.
>If a host requires a security deposit, the guest doesn’t pay the deposit when they make the reservation. Instead, the guest will be charged if a host makes a claim on their security deposit. Learn how to add a security deposit
More info at the following link: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/140/how-does-airbnb-handle-security-deposits
We lost Superhost after one cancellation (we had to cancel because my family planned a visit 3 months out that coincided with one Airbnb, we also knew that we were going to lose it and it wasn't really a big deal for us, we still get basically the same amount of bookings, We just hit 100 total reviews).
You should be covered by the Airbnb policy though : https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1637/what-are-the-terms-of-the-instant-book-trial-with-penalty-free-cancellations
Then you are subject to the “long term” cancellation policy. You have to give at least 30 days notice or you lose the first month payment.
Totally off topic, but if you are going to be travelling around Ireland at all, I have to recommend this place I stayed at.
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/14619479
In Louisburg. This place was incredible. So beautiful. Right next to the sea. Sheep all around. I will never forget sitting in the sunroom in the morning with my friends drinking some Irish coffee just loving life.
Reading some replies from a similar host, it seems that if the host cancels, then they are not allowed to book anymore guests that weekend. Can't find the relevant section in AirBnB's terms. But the big one is: https://www.airbnb.com/terms#sec7. Which makes me think this isnt okay what they're doing.
There should be an anonymized email provided to you if you have an accepted reservation. Should be under your photo on the left side of the screen in the message thread, if you're using a laptop/desktop.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/694/how-will-my-email-address-look-to-other-people
http://blog.atairbnb.com/introducing-anonymized-email-addresses-airbnb/
Edit:
Additionally, it's up to you if you want to provide your email to your host. Try and keep all communication on the platform if you can, this'll help Airbnb provide assistance later should you need it, nothing like having solid documentation if anything does go wrong.
There is a listing in my country where the headline is "Grí(SENSITIVE CONTENTS HIDDEN)es" because the place is called Grímsnes. It's ridiculous.
I mean, you agreed to the cancellation policy so you're kind of stuck with that. I'd say just reach out to your host and see if they're amenable to a refund outside of the cancellation policy.
The Resolutions Center lets you request or send additional funds for an Airbnb trip. When you use the Resolutions Center to come to an agreement with your host or guest, Airbnb can confirm the amount and easily process the payment or refund on your behalf.
Direct communication is the key to a quick resolution, whether you've decided to pay extra for a special homemade dinner or if you experience an unexpected problem. This is why the Resolutions Center depends on two-way communication between guests and hosts. For more information on the Resolution Center, read this article from their Help Center: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/767
To open a Resolution Center request with your host or guest, head to:www.airbnb.com/resolutions
As every case is different, it's really hard to gauge how your host will react to the cancellation and refund requests, I've found that most tend to be okay with refunding if they alter the reservation down to end, or cancel, when it's needed and refunding the guest if someone else books those nights.
YMMV - good luck
They are actually against the TOS. https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/427/can-i-book-on-behalf-of-a-friend-or-family-member
The link above is a private referral link for someone named Sierra, and this post could potentially get her account disabled. Anyone that uses Airbnb has their own referral link they can share with their friends, but it's against the TOS to share it publicly. For the sake of whomever sent you that referral link, I suggest you take down this post.
You can find your own referral link here- https://www.airbnb.com/invite?r=5
Okay, let me help you buddy. I'll go step by step and slowly, because you genuinely seem to believe your own insanity.
First, a guests expectations are set by the web store hey are using to book. That is Airbnb - not Merriam Websters dictionary. According to Airbnb, guests who book a private room SHOULD expect to use common spaces AND to interest with the host. See the following for sources: (A) https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/317/what-do-the-different-room-types-mean (B) https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/5/what-does-the-room-type-of-a-listing-mean (C)
Second, a guest expectations can be modified (and SHOUKD be modified) by he actual listing. You admitted yourself that you never said "don't talk to host" and you never said "don't use living room" in your earlier listings. Ergo, YOU failed to modify the expectations of the guest as properly set by Airbnb.
Third, a guest who expects what Airbnb promises and you fail to modify is not "exploiting" a system, they are simply using what they paid for. Some guests use 100% of what they pay for (you call these exploitive guests) while others use part of what they paid for (I would call these suckers not "normal").
This all comes down to YOUR fundamental misunderstanding of what "private room" means. Private room is NOT meant to convey that all the customer gets is a private room. What it is meant to convey is that they will have, at minimum, a private space that the host will not enter. This is meant to differentiate against a shared room.
Please, continue to double down on your stupidity. At this point I'd be disappointed if you did otherwise.
This is poor advice. When OP shows up and appears young they could be turned away by the host. It's also against Airbnb's TOS.
>Eligibility > The Site, Application and Services are intended solely for persons who are 18 or older. Any access to or use of the Site, Application or Services by anyone under 18 is expressly prohibited. By accessing or using the Site, Application or Services you represent and warrant that you are 18 or older.
Whether it's legal or not is not the issue here. If the host doesn't let the guest know they're being watched, that's just bad hosting. I would immediately contact the host and get a statement from them about it. I would also think this is reason enough for Airbnb to legitimately get you out of that situation if you so desired. Airbnb's guidelines...
Sucks this just happened to you! You can get refunded for any unstayed nights with a flexible policy as stated on AirBNB's cancellation policies page: If the guest arrives and decides to leave early, the nights not spent 24 hours after the official cancellation are 100% refunded."
The link to the cancellation policies is here: https://www.airbnb.com/home/cancellation_policies
Hope this helps!
> As a host we can only cancel 3 times in a 6 month period before we start to get penalized.
Are you a host on Airbnb? The penalties start at the first cancellation, and the host's cancellation policy has nothing to do with a host's cancellation.
>As soon as I saw her leave, I remotely turned off the one unit that I could. Obviously, I did not enter the house to turn the other one off.
Better would have been: message her that she left the A/C on and the windows open. Send pictures/videos. Ask her if she wants the A/C turned off or the windows shut, then pick one if she doesn't. Let her pretend forgetfulness, even though she did it on purpose; you get the same result with a friendlier conversation.
>She did however turn the AC back on immediately when it turned itself off. Every time she did, I got an error message. I looked out my window and heard the unit turn off, then turn back on, turn off, and turn on. This happened about ten times.
She probably thought you were remotely turning off the A/C every time in a childish little tug-of-war. The heat thing the next day was payback.
>I do have it in the rules that if AC is on, windows are to be closed, but no one ever reads the rules.
It's just plain common sense not to run A/C or heat when the windows are open, but we all know common sense isn't all that common. You can put a sign next to the A/C controls.
Smart thermostats can be set to require a passcode, but some non-smart thermostats can too. If you have an old analog thermostat, look at a thermostat lock box (or build your own if you're handy).
Or you can get a tamper-proof thermostat that won't let you set the heat above 72F or the cooling below 72F (there's another model with 76F/76F). Of course for a little more you can just get an actual smart thermostat where you can lock the keypad.
I'm sorry you had a bad experience!
I would like to address this:
> .they don't allow reviews to be modified resubmitted after 14 days. That bears repeating...they don't post them until 14 days have passed, AND they don't allow new ones to be submitted or existing reviews to be modified and resubmitted after 14 days have passed
They have a BLIND review system. That's to ensure that hosts and guests don't influence each other's reviews.
They DO post them before 14 days...if both host and guest have reviewed each other. If I review a guest and they don't review me, just my review will be posted once the 2-week deadline passes. You CAN change your review so long as the other party hasn't left their review of you, and it's still within the 14-day window.
Once both reviews are "live" you can't change your review. Of course!!! What review system would it be if I left a poor review for a guest and they could change their glowing review to a terrible one because they didn't like my feedback?
I understand it's frustrating to have your review removed because it doesn't comply with guidelines. As a host, I have to be careful to word my review in such a way to not violate TOS. We're playing by the same rules, so I don't think you have anything to complain about.
Perhaps you can educate yourself on the review system before you use Airbnb again.
Call Airbnb, mention that it's an instant booked third party reservation and you need it cancelled.
You should be good to have it cancelled with little to no issue.
There's also this: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2022/how-do-penalty-free-cancellations-work-for-instant-book-hosts
Recommendations aka "Guidebooks" do already exist, but are visible only if the host has filled them out for their respective listing.
On another note, you come off as quite an unpleasant person. Maybe dial back on the unwarranted arrogance and passive-aggressive commentary?
You're confusing Strict and Long-Term cancellation policies.
Since the OP is talking about a reso of over 30 days, he was automatically assigned the long-term policy which means that by default the first month's payment is not refunded (even if check-in is next year).
A strict policy is chosen manually, not assigned like long-term. With the current iteration of the strict policy, a guest will only receive a 50% refund of accommodation fees automatically if they cancel at least 7 days before check-in.
The cancellation policies have changed at least 3 times in the last 3-4 years.
EDIT: Reply was meant for feralparakeet (Hey other Airbnb guy)
Nah...
Age and Familial Status
"Airbnb hosts may not: Impose any different terms or conditions or decline a reservation based on the guest’s age or familial status, where prohibited by law."
Can confirm, no self-respecting case manager would approve the removal of that review.
Guest can reply to the review publicly, but outside of that, Airbnb does not remove reviews unless they've violated the review guidelines
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/32/can-i-delete-or-respond-to-a-review-i-disagree-with
From AirBnB Help:
"If you’re a host and you have any type of surveillance device in or around a listing, even if it’s not turned on or hooked up, we require that you let guests know by including this information clearly in your listing description and photographs. If a host discloses the device after booking, Airbnb will allow the guest to cancel the reservation and receive a refund. Host cancellation penalties may apply."
Full Help section article about surveillance devices: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/887/what-are-airbnb-s-rules-about-electronic-surveillance-devices-in-listings
I likewise have no memory of being prompted to disclose security cameras around my building when I first set up my listing, and learned about the rules by following this sub.
I think it's polite to give your host a heads up.
Here's the instructions Airbnb has for changing a reservation as a guest.
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/913/can-i-change-a-reservation-as-a-guest
Hosts can cancel an instant book reservation without penalty if the guest is in violation of house rules (like says they're arriving at 2a and host doesn't check-in past 9, or dog in pet free home) or if they're "uncomfortable". When they first started this policy, it was limited to 3 times. See the instant book section here: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/990/i-m-a-host--what-penalties-apply-if-i-need-to-cancel-a-reservation
"Uncomfortable" is so broad, and can definitely get taken advantage of, but meant for creepy, shady (some suspected prostitution or human trafficking) etc.
If she cancels that's on her. She failed to read your listing thoroughly and as such has waived the right to a refund. If it's still within 24 hours of the reservations start she still could go to the guest refund policy... but this is all on her.
Hopefully she won't leave you a bad review :(
https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/544/what-is-airbnb-s-guest-refund-policy
No previous reviews or references is the problem. Here's the boiler plate response I send to people like that:
Hi there!
Thanks for your inquiry about my Airbnb listing! I think you'll love the neighborhood but since you don’t have any Reviews or References, you’ll need to follow the steps here (https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/173) to start the process to obtain a Reference. It can be from a close friend or family member, and ultimately, you get to decide which References are shown publicly on your profile. After everything is squared away, we’ll be good to go.
Thanks again for your inquiry and I look forward to potentially hosting you in the future!
Best regards,
- (name of host)
Agreed that doesn't seem right. But if you do decide to cancel, Airbnb just changed a line in the cancellation fees where the service fee a guest would normally lose if they cancel, will be refunded. >The Airbnb service fee is refundable (up to 3 times per year) if the >guest cancels before the trip starts
Get in contact with Airbnb, tell them you don't wish to host this guest. You generally get a few penalty free cancellations a year for instant booked reservations.
Additionally, you can ask for a security deposit upfront, but be sure that you request it through their resolution center, not offsite as that breaks Airbnb's ToS.
>US persons who have earned over $20,000 and had 200+ reservations
The US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires US companies that process payments, including Airbnb, to report gross earnings for all US users who earn over $20,000 and have 200+ transactions in the calendar year. If you exceed both IRS thresholds in a calendar year, Airbnb will issue you a Form 1099-K.
Nope. Airbnb will just tell you to leave a response to the review. Source: Can I delete a review I disagree with? and Airbnb Content Policy
Assuming you are in the States, my understanding of ADA is that you aren't in violation of the law because it's a room in a shared house that you also live in. It's illegal to advertise "no service animals," for example, but not to decline having an animal in your home. It is, however, not in line with Airbnb's new nondiscrimination policy though: https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/1405/airbnb-s-nondiscrimination-policy--our-commitment-to-inclusion-and-respect.
I'll go ahead and post the entire link with the relevant parts quoted.
>Submit a valid claim for refund > >To submit a valid claim for your reservation, you are required to: > >Contact us within 24 hours of check-in to document the issue and place a hold on the host's payment. Include photographs or other evidence of the issue as part of your claim.
>Be responsive to our requests for additional information and cooperation.
>Not have directly or indirectly caused the Travel Issue.
>Have used reasonable efforts to remedy the circumstances of the Travel Issue with the host prior to making a claim, including messaging your host on Airbnb to notify them of the issue. We'll verify this in your account.
From the Terms of service:
'As a Guest, you are responsible for leaving the Accommodation in the condition it was in when you arrived.'
That is the first sentence of article 12. https://www.airbnb.com/terms