This occurred back in 2012. We made reservations for a place in Brooklyn, New York. Upon arriving at the agreed time, the host was not present to let us into the place, back and forth calls were made. The host repeatedly told us that they would arrive “in a couple of minutes”. All were empty promises, making us wait for almost 4 hours (still without resolution). Day was turning into night and to be standing in the middle of a Brooklyn neighborhood… well you get the idea. We had lost faith in the host and could not wait any more as it endangered us and made arrangements at an actual hotel nearby. Only then we get a call from AirBNB that the host has finally showed up just under the cut-off time when it would be considered a “no-show”. FORGET IT. Why continue to do business with an unreliable host and ruin the rest of our vacation? Calls to AirBNB customer service was of no help to get a refund for the prepaid week. The saving grace was requesting a chargeback from our credit card company which they granted after explaining our situation. So Kudos to our credit card company! If you will be doing any business with AirBNB defend yourself as a consumer with any credit card that gives some type of insurance for your purchases.
Category Archives: Airbnb Guest Stories
These are real, uncensored stories from Airbnb Guests. We encourage our site visitors to read and share their Airbnb Guest Stories to help warn others of the dangers of using Airbnb, and consider using alternative options in the sharing economy.
Host charged me for a service I did not accept
The 08/09/2014 at 1:16pm we(customer/guest) decided to book Sharon’s (host/vendor) place (https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/294657 cf copy of the ) through the mobile phone for the same night.
At 3:45pm we still hadn’t any news of the host and believed that she wouldn’t answer us as the check-in was supposed to be at 4pm (in 15min). We tried to cancel the booking request but couldn’t find any button on the mobile app.
She finally answered at 3:55pm saying that the place would not be ready before 7pm and asked for our approval for the booking since the conditions had changed (cf first mail of Sharon). Thus, as the contract conditions had changed the host or Airbnb should wait for the customer approval before charging the expense as specified by the FTC “charges for service you didn’t accept or that weren’t delivered as agreed”. (check in supposedly at 4pm being finally at 7pm)
We did not answer to Sharon’s mail and de facto did not approve the new contract (check-in at 7pm instead of 4pm). Meanwhile, at 4:47pm (47min after the normal check in), Sharon took the responsibility to accept the reservation, without our consent on the new conditions (check-in at 7pm instead of 4pm), which resulted on charging us the total amount of the night: $401.
As a matter of fact, I am requesting that the error be corrected, that any finance and other charges related to the disputed amount be credited as well, and that I receive a total refund of the $401.
Camper van for rent in Bordeaux
We rented 3 properties via air bnb. We were quoted all in Canadian funds, and when we were charged on my credit card it was in US funds. We are out over $ 400 and Airbnb pocketed our money. This was the BS response we received by them when we asked to have the difference credited.
Anna,
We were quoted in CAD and charged the same amount in USD!
For instance the rate in Canadian for Lloyd’s RV was 120 per day CAD.
We were charged the same 120 in USD!
Is airBnB just pocketing that extra money?
The booking for Lloyd’s alone is over 300 dollar in exchange rates!
The rate we should have been charged:
WPRETW is 2368 not 2694.76 (a difference of 326.76)
XZWTJN is 456 not 506.47 (a difference of 50.47)
MPCSSN is 68 not 75.52 ( a difference of 7.52)
The charges that you have unnecessarily added are 384.75 CAD in total and is NOT clear or stated on any receipt or any transaction record that I have been sent that I would be charged the same amount in USD as opposed to CAD. Please send a payment for 384.75 to my AMEX card.
If that is too difficult for you then credit the AMEX card and I will pay each transaction with my VISA.
I have contacted my bank and AMEX regarding this matter. Please rectify it as soon as possible.
I have attached the receipts that I was sent from airBnB for these bookings.
Regards
Trevor Leigh
Quoting response@airbnb.com:
TO RESPOND TO THIS TICKET, REPLY TO THIS EMAIL
Airbnb: Your Reservation with Lloyd
———————————————-
Anna M, Jul 18 14:28
Hi Trevor,
Thank you for your patience! This is Anna again, and I’m happy to clarify why you were charged in USD for reservations WPRETW, XZWTJN, MPCSSN.
The currency in which you will be charged is listed during the booking process before you submit your reservation request. Here are examples of the booking pages for the listings that you booked:
– http://cl.ly/image/0I3G2m0h1n1j
– http://cl.ly/image/1Y2o0f1S1A2w
– http://cl.ly/image/263x0W3m3H2Q
While filling out your payment details, you were asked to select the country in which your payment method was located, which populated the field where you entered your credit card details. This field also contained the total amount and currency to be charged.
The available currency is automatically determined by the guest’s billing country and credit card type. The only currency available for AmEx credit card payments in Canada is USD. I am very sorry that in your specific case this is not the best option!
While we cannot change your payment to CAD, I’d like to provide you with a $50 coupon to use toward future travel on our site. Your coupon code is LCSVIZPS, and it expires on the 18th of July, 2015.
I apologize for the inconvenience, and I am happy to help with any additional questions about booking on our site.
All the best,
I find this to be totally sneaky and dishonest.
Mixed review
We used Airbnb to rent two properties for a road trip. The first property was great and the host outstanding, nothing but a positive experience. While we were staying essentially in the host’s basement, the owner had spent time and effort in appointing, painting and decorating the space in such a way that it felt like a cottage. We heard the owner moving about sometimes but it did not feel intrusive. The second property however was a different story. The host was polite but we had the feeling something was “off” about them. It really is true that when you use Airbnb you are basically moving in with a stranger for however long, and anyone who has ever had a roommate can tell you these situations can be extremely irritating and stressful. So we were in this person’s basement and it was a pigsty, the bed must have been at least 30 years old and had a huge dip in the middle, there was visible dust and pet hair in the corners, soap scum all over the shower, and smears of what looked like animal waste on the walls!!!!! We ended up leaving early to stay in hotels the rest of our trip. Bottom line, I will not be using Airbnb again.
Host cancellation – Family out of luck
So… Here’s the thing. I searched for a holiday property on airbnb and found what we thought to be a great property. One week in August by the sea. Although the host had 0 reviews we were not suspicious as they had only been a member for a few months. So far so good.. Messages start to arrive, we have been pre-approved ( what does that mean ? ) confirm the booking quickly before it expires ?? A few more checks on the small print… everything seems fine , confirm the booking, pay the full amount. All happy, family happy , confirm the dates with work and make the other necessary preparations. ( travel arrangements for all the family )
48 hours go by , I have established direct contact with the host and then…… “ message from host “ Really sorry but I gave the property to a local estate agent and they have just told me that they have a rental for the whole month so.. sorry, but your rental of a week is now cancelled.
Nothing that airbnb can do , host cancelled therefore so is your holiday. Standard aibnb .. we can help you look for another property with a 20% increase. Their offers were not comparable to the original property ( why wouldn’t I have chosen them in the first place ? ) so it’s a refund.
Can I leave feed back , (to warn other potential renters that this host is totally UNRELIABLE ) … No. you can’t leave negative feedback on AirBnB unless you stay at a property, so there is no other way for us to warn people about this on their site.
The only thing that now appears on the hosts page.. ( if you click on reviews ) is The reservation was canceled 28 days before arrival. This is an automated posting
Why do airBnB not make it clear that it was the HOST that cancelled and why. I would probably have stayed clear of this property if I had known.
To airBnB’s credit, they did refund the whole rental amount very quickly and also compensated us for ancillaries that we would have forfeited ( transport to a place that we no longer could go to because our holiday rental had been cancelled ) because they cannot be used if we don’t have the property.
Beware …. You and your family can spend a fortune on tickets and suffer disappointment in your holiday being cancelled.
You have been warned !!
BS company
I have never actually been a guest or host for Airbnb but I did work for the company itself. All I have to say is the employees that work for Airbnb do not get treated equally either. The resources that were available to help guests and hosts no longer exist. to sum it up the company is all about quantity and no quality,,
Airbnb Hostel in our house
I live in an apartment block in a now very hip part of Berlin. On the ground floor a family of four used to live in the apartment. They were pressurised by their landlord to move out because he wanted to sell the property. The new owners claimed they would move in themselves. Instead they installed twelve beds in four rooms and have converted the apartment into a hostel which they list on Airbnb. That’s twelve people staying in a apartment meant for a family of four to five people with guests changing every three to four days. Our children can no longer play in the courtyard unsupervised and our privacy has been violated.
Of course, the hosts of this hostel never asked the residents in the apartment if they were ok with any of this,and they deny what they are doing. This leaves us to have to prove to the authorities that there is a hostel being run in oue house which is taking up time we would rather spend doing other things.
Nasty host conundrum
Usually when a guest has a bad experience, it is because the host is a nasty and dishonest person and doesn’t treat all guests equally. This is a no-win for the guest–if you write an honest review to warn others, they will write nasty things about you. Also, airbnb customer service was absolutely unreachable, especially outside the US you cannot call the 800 number.
I had a bad experience and on return I wrote a carefully worded review that can be confirmed by the messages exchanged on the airbnb system. I knew that she would write something really nasty and untrue which she did.
What’s a person to do other than never use airbnb again?
Airbnb stole my money!
I tried to make a first booking on Airbnb and had my reservation in Kent accepted and confirmed. Without telling me, Airbnb cancelled my booking and told the host that I was a fraudulent account and not to accept me as a guest. The host then rented out the room for my dates and it wasn’t until a couple of days before arriving when I called the host for instructions on how to get there, that they told me this.
Much to my annoyance Airbnb took the money anyway not giving any to the host and as yet haven’t given any of my near £300 back.
Doesn’t matter what country you’re in, this is theft or at the very least fraud. They as a company have obtained my money by deception and are refusing to give it back. The customer service line is useless and there’s no other person I could speak to having been told ‘this isn’t my department and I can’t help you’. Next stop for me I suppose is the police!!
dirty apt no help from airbnb
I paid 180 for 7 nights hoping I would save money by not booking a hotel in ibiza and making my own food. When I arrived I realised the place was very dirty…the bathroom looked like it had never been cleaned! I was told I couldn’t cook meat which was no problem but the cooker didn’t work anyway. The cleanliness was the biggest issue so I left and booked into a clean hotel for the same price. I emailed my host and cancelled online only to be insulted by the host called ‘sneaky’ and accused of using tactics against her and that I really just wanted to stay with my friends…ludicrous! DO NOT use Airbnb!!!!