***The opinions expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect those of Airbnb Hell or its affiliates.***
I am a 45-year-old male. I run experiential tours on Airbnb, such as food tours, and also host a bar crawl. A female client went with me on Tuesday for a bar crawl. She said she had come here to broaden her experiences.
She said she was looking for sexual experiences as well. She wanted to come to my place and drink more alcohol like gin and rum, but not that night – perhaps the next day or the day after that. She said she had bought a bottle of Smirnoff vodka that she couldn’t take back to Dubai and needed to finish it off. I said we could drink that too.
That night after the bar crawl when I was getting her home, she said that she had a bad experience in her Airbnb host house, because she felt someone was watching her. Out of concern, I said, she could stay at my place for the night, until she found another place. She didn’t want to do that and forego what she had paid the host. Then I told her if she still felt that presence in her room to call me. She was happy at my concern and said okay.
The next day, she asked me to go with her on a private social excursion on Wednesday, which had nothing to do with Airbnb. She wanted me to take her to the bank to change money and to the mall, for a movie. She held hands with me. I didn’t pull away. She bought tickets for a movie and made plans for dinner. We walked in the mall for around two hours, holding hands, meeting my friends.
At all times she was happy and I also was enjoying holding hands with her. At the beginning I told her that if she was uncomfortable at any point we could stop holding hands; she said she was enjoying it. She planned for us to go to the movie at 8:45 and then for dinner. She also wanted to come to my place and drink alcohol. I said that was fine. Then she wanted me to do a food tour for her on Wednesday night or Thursday.
On Wednesday night she blew me off, and on Sunday had complained to Airbnb that I had acted inappropriately during the experience. I submitted the WhatsApp message thread showing that our social excursion happened on Wednesday and at her request. Regardless, within one hour of getting this message thread from me, they terminated my account and refused to give any consideration to the fact that:
- Nothing happened during their experience.
- They have no jurisdiction over a date between two adults.
- She initiated holding hands in the first place, which I reciprocated, and now she is blaming me for inappropriate activity.
- She spent two or more hours with me at the mall, bought tickets for a movie which I have the e-tickets for, and made dinner plans.
I wish to sue Airbnb for whatever I can, as they have terminated my income, and also defamed my character by listening to this person who also has said she has mental and emotional issues, has been possessed by demons, and felt someone was watching her. All this was told to Airbnb but they took her side.
I’ve never seen anything in the TOS that requires one to communicate solely on the platform. Obviously the company refers this and ‘encourages’ it to protect their income stream but it is not required. As for you, never crap where you eat.
Hah hah hah.
Now you know why all communications have to be within the Airbnb Message Thread.
Airbnb take no note of communication outside of Airbnb.
Aside from the snide comment of Sue. I feel very sorry for you in this situation. Unfortunately you cannot sue Airbnb because you agreed to their TOS. I would contact them through twitter though and lay out your case without emotion and supply the messages. Good luck