One of the terms of my settlement was to NOT discuss the terms ‘of the settlement’ with any parties outside the settlement agreement.

So with this – suffice it to say that I have learned a VERY valuable lesson as a Host (and also as a would-be Guest – once I began to dig very deeply into the inner workings of Airbnb, discovered Airbnbhell & met many other damaged & disgruntled Hosts & Guests alike) that in the larger scheme of things I got off very cheaply for what could have & might have been (meaning future NEGATIVE dealings with Airbnb Guests.) I have severed my account with Airbnb and unfortunately (for the GOOD Guests of Airbnb) I will not be taking on anymore of Airbnb bookings. The risk vs reward is far too great – I was a Host that was burned by a Guest and then in turn ultimately burned by Airbnb. The claim process, the tightly written terms/policy agreement, the outcome – all are not worth the pain I had to endure when I became one of the “that rarely happens to a host”.

I hope those that still choose to continue on with Airbnb (believing that the world is all rainbows & sunshine) never have to go through a ‘nightmare’ Guest (or Host) – but all I can tell you is this: My nightmare Guest is still out there on the Airbnb platform – even after I asked to have her banned from the site. My review of her was deleted by Airbnb at the onset – when I mentioned that I had to contact the Resolution Center about her damages. So if you are Hosting – She could very well be YOUR next guest, and then may god bless you…

Same SONG for 6 yrs – ugh (especially when we are FORCED to listen to it for HOURS at a time)

While I just started with them in Feb 2016 – they are TERRIBLE in just one year. It’s a shame too – I didn’t know they outsourced to Ireland – can’t even keep the business end of it in the US and employ US people? Interesting ~ typical

Can they please change that stupid song too, drives me up the wall after listening to it for six years. Aweful support and no respect for hosts.

So – when done properly it is POSSIBLE that the sharing community COULD work. However, like Jane said above – it’s all about keeping the rentals going – and the money flowing in. Sure there are going to be casualties – there always are. But Airbnb has grown so fast that they have lost total control of the company. They CANNOT control the actions of Guests (or Hosts) – having been renting out homes for myself and the management of others for 22+ yrs – I know pros do slip threw the cracks. They know how to present themselves and they know how to play the game. Seasoned veterans like myself still take hits now and again. The vetting process of Airbnb is not sufficient. Who care that someone has a Facebook Acct. My cat has one~ The verifying of phone numbers – I had a guest that had a verified phone number and when ‘I’ verified it- it belonged to a nightclub. When I called Airbnb about it- the response was, “Well, if we call and ask for them and they answer the phone – it’s verified.” Wow – great job Airbnb. Their ‘verification’ means nothing and quite honestly is worthless when it comes to the safety, health & well-being of people, their homes & their property (for both guests & hosts alike.) Because of this platform – ANYONE can register with Airbnb as a Host. Most other rental sites require a FEE for any home, etc to be registered. This is going to eliminate most of the ‘undesirables’ from participating. These sites are ‘policed’ and enforcement is made when necessary. With Airbnb all you have to do is know how to type and upload photos (of your own listing or that of the neighbors house down the street) and you in. To be a Guest – rename your cats FB page to that of your own, be at the bar when the phone rings for verification and you are in….

Luckily for me I understand how the pros think. When you rent my home you might have to jump through a LOT more hoops than the one down the street. But I KNOW what people are capable of and I have spent many years in the court system in my town working to stop the carnage that renters can cause. We require much more ‘verification’ outside the booking of that Airbnb supplies us. Guests must supply current ID’s and DL’s. These are checked against the Guests by the caretaker before anyone is allowed past that front door. A lot of paperwork is created and information gathered. A person my come into my home, trash it, Airbnb remove their personal information from my dashboard – however, I have long ago protected MYSELF and I know MORE about those Guests than their parents probably do. And this is what will ultimately save me in the end. Airbnb may not pay up – but I have enough information to take the Guests into the court system myself. And all this effort in itself gives MY Guests coming in the security that I KNOW who has been in my home before, I can track and trace them so CURRENT Guests sleep well at night. And ALL my Guests happily comply with anything I ask of them because they WANT to have a great rental experience and they KNOW they will get it from me the moment we begin our initial contact.

It is also unfortunate that Airbnb removes the reviews of Hosts & Guests alike. Yes, one must take any information supplied to them in the form of a REVIEW and interpret it to the best of their ability. Their are angry Guests & Hosts. There are dishonest Guests & Hosts. And there are Guests & Hosts that will NEVER be satisfied no matter what is said, done or performed. However, when all reviews ARE allowed – trends can be formed and it is at this juncture that Hosts or Guests can start to see a pattern – and that does NOT take a rocket science mentality. The only reviews that should be taken down, altered, etc are when vicious name calling becomes the focus of the review instead of the facts.

And as for the ‘Million Dollar Host Protection Policy”. This is merely a ‘feel good farce’ for Hosts. Hosts are given the option of including a ‘Damage Deposit’ amount on their listing. However, Hosts are NOT made aware that NO monies are actually collected from the Guest concerning such ‘Deposit’. Therefore, this is a falsehood that we are going to work on exposing Airbnb of being guilty of. A ‘Deposit’ is the “transfer of monies from one party to another for safekeeping.” There is is TRANSFER being done prior to or during a rental – therefore there is NO ‘deposit’.
What this is merely implying (but NOT easily disclosed) is that an amount (the amount you set) is the amount that you can ASK (ask, being the operative word here) the Guest for after their departure for damages to the home/property. After that amount is exhausted then the ‘Million Dollar Policy’ kicks in. However, try getting any amount of monies from either the Guest or Airbnb. Airbnb had written their Terms/Policies so tightly that MOST of your damages/claims/etc will be excluded from the right to collect.

Unfortunately I have to say that I hope Airbnb becomes illegal in all towns, states, countries. While I am NOT one for having the Government interfering into our lives on a daily basis – Airbnb has proven that they do not have the ‘ability’ to protect Guests & Hosts and until that day comes – they need to be shut down.

Airbnb is illegal in my city. I have reported it since May 2014, but they will do nothing.

Signs? Nah – they know what they want.
Now streetlights… they are another story- I find them to be quite indecisive –
don’t you?
Thanks for sharing.