All of a sudden there was a listing for a place in Amsterdam on my Airbnb account. I started getting emails about the space – 183 to be exact. I called Airbnb and waited about twelve minutes until someone came on the line. I explained that somehow someone else’s rental was showing on my account. The representative did not understand what I was saying and I had to explain it several times. Once they understood, they said they were writing a ticket and escalating it and I should get an email the next day. Two days later – no email. My account was suspended because I had unanswered emails; they are not mine. I called again, waiting another twelve minutes before someone came on the line, and had to explain the problem for a second time. The representative said that an email was sent to me by the case manager. I informed him that I did not receive an email. I asked him what email address it was sent to. He gave me some random email address that was not mine. The person I spoke to two days ago confirmed the email address. I asked to speak to the case manager. He said everyone was unavailable and sent them a message to call me immediately. Five hours later… no contact.
Tag Archives: airbnb customer service
Airbnb Has the Worst Customer Service
I’ve taken three trips in six months with Airbnb. Each was wonderful on its own and each experience with a host has been great. However, on my last experience, due to an issue with our passports at the airport, we had to cancel our trip less than 24 hours before the check-in time. As a result, per the terms of agreement, Airbnb charged us the service fee and the first night of stay. However, once I received my credit card bill I noticed I was charged more than that. It seems that an issue with the time zone calculation cost me an additional nightly charge and a cleaning fee to a place which I never checked in. After calling Airbnb (twenty minute wait on the phone) and explaining this, the customer service representative on the phone proceeded to hang up on me. When I called again (another 27 minute wait on the line) they hung up again. I called in a third time (21 minutes’ wait time) and they hung up again. I understand the company is trying to make money. However, this is not the way to treat its customers.
Potential Account Hacking – No Way to Contact Airbnb
It looks like someone tried to access my Airbnb account last night. It was no big deal as it happens all the time. I decided to try and reset my password this morning and that’s when the issues started. Their system asked me to verify my email. Again, no big deal. I clicked on the link only to be presented with the same steps again. I continued, and received the same email to verify my email. Multiple times. At no point did I actually get access to my account. I tried to use a different PC (at work) and now my account is locked due to suspicious behavior. I sent an email to contact Airbnb. With no link, no phone number or anything telling me how to contact them. I went to the website and tried to find a way to contact them. It turns out you need to be logged in to be able to contact them, and obviously I can’t log in. So in short: my account is locked and there is no simple way to contact them or even delete my account. Customer service certainly does not seem to be their strong point.
Airbnb Insurance for Damages is a Joke
This is a real story that proves that Airbnb insurance is a fraud. Although they state that they cover all costs for any damages caused by guests up to $1,000,000, when it comes to paying they simply don’t. I have a house in Crete, Greece, and hosted a family this August. During their stay, they burnt the counters in my kitchen by placing a hot pot there. The guests accepted their responsibility, so I filed a claim for a refund. Unfortunately, the bench had to be completely replaced, as there was no way to fix the marks. This cost me 877 Euros and Airbnb replied that the cost was too high for such damage; they refunded only 160 Euros. Their response:
“We’ve determined that that you should be compensated for your losses, however your guest has offered a higher amount than what we concluded would be the appropriate amount for the damages. As such, the total that we are able to provide for the damages through your guest’s offer will be 160 EUR. I have gone ahead and processed this payout to your current preferred payout method.”
This is totally unacceptable for Airbnb and its reputation. The eventual result is that I paid 877 Euros to cover my guests’ damage and Airbnb refunded only 160 Euros, just because they decided so. I’m really disappointed by them and their service.
Rittenhouse Square Filthy Philadelphia Airbnb
I recently stayed at an Airbnb in Philadelphia. It was so disgusting: black mold in the shower and urine stains on the sofa. The window to the fire escape did not lock. I had my family with me. It was New Year’s Eve weekend. We bravely stayed for one evening. I thought I would wake up with bed bugs. I contacted the host the day we arrived multiple times. He was very responsive. I contacted him again in the morning asking for a refund because his place was just so filthy and unsafe. He said he’d refund me. He’s not so responsive anymore. Two weeks later, and I’m still waiting. Airbnb customer service said to read over the cancellation policy. I guess they don’t care what type of accommodations their hosts offer. I will never, ever, use Airbnb again. Unbelievable.
Expensive Bedwetting Accident in Airbnb
My first Airbnb experience was so awful it was nearly my last. Unfortunately for me I endured an embarrassing accident on the second night of a two-week stay when I wet the bed. It wasn’t just a little bit that could be hidden; everything was totally soaked through the mattress to the bed base. I was burning with shame but had no choice but to get up, shower, and change the sheets. In the morning I took the mattress out to dry in the sun and explained the situation to my host along with a thousand red-faced apologies. She wasn’t happy in the least but what was done was done. I remade the bed the next night and tried to put the embarrassing situation behind me. I’d forgotten about it until two weeks later when I received my review and a damage bill for $1200 for a new mattress. My review (which is public and has my photo) said something like “Joel has problems controlling his bladder at night and was made to pay the full cost of replacing the mattress he ruined when he peed on it.” I overheard the host telling two of her friends and a customer service lady from Airbnb. I learned a valuable lesson that stay and every time since I bring my own waterproof mattress protector… just in case.
Airbnb Customer Service Still Won’t Refund My Money
We stayed in an Airbnb apartment that had not been cleaned when we arrived. The place was filthy and smelled bad. We contacted our host who said the cleaner was running late because of the recent holiday period. We were very annoyed because we had both traveled a long way that morning and had already waited outside the apartment for two hours in the heat, as we arrived before check-in time. We asked for a partial refund due to the inconvenience, which our host kindly agreed to. Seven business days later and we still have not seen the refund in our account. First of all, it was really difficult to get in contact with Airbnb, and when we finally did after being on hold for a long time, the lady that answered was very rude and not helpful at all. We originally paid for our stay with my friend’s PayPal account. Months after we paid in full for our accommodation, her account was hacked, her money stolen, and then her account was permanently closed by the hacker. Airbnb refused to pay our refund to any other account other than the one with which we paid, fully aware of my friend’s unfortunate circumstance. Calls were made back and forth trying to get our money back and we spent a lot of time on hold. In the end, they did not give us our money back, even though PayPal customer service said it was their responsibility. Not only has our host missed out on money, so have we (and a substantial amount of time), Airbnb was the only one to benefit. I am really disappointed and annoyed, and will let everyone I know not to trust them. Their customer service is horrible, they are not empathetic at all, and their policies need some serious reviewing.
Airbnb: Worst Customer Service In The World
I was a host with Airbnb and for whatever reason they disabled my account with no explanation. I tried contacting them over 100 times, and all I got was a runaround and no explanation as to why they took the actions they did. Airbnb is making billions of dollars right now so I guess they feel like they can treat all their guests and hosts like pieces of trash off the street. I want to do everything in my power to try to shut them down, or alter their income in any way I can. They have the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my life, I don’t understand how a company making billions of dollars can’t spend a few extra dollars on their customer service to accommodate their guests and hosts. I only found this site out of the frustration I was going through after going through Airbnb customer service hell. I knew there had to be a platform like this, as I thought I could not be the only one going through this experience. It is only a matter of time before a real competitor steps up to the plate, busts Airbnb’s bubble, and they float back down to earth and realize what they are doing is not right.
All of you that have been through the Airbnb nightmare: we have to unite and somehow stick it to them. After all, they do say there is power in numbers. I love hosting and I will not let Airbnb dictate what I can and cannot do, with no good reason or explanation as to why they terminated me. The best thing we can do as frustrated and pissed off guests and hosts is to bring the business to their competitors; I see that being the only way to stick it to them, and hit them where it hurts in their pocket books. Please, everyone that reads this post should check out Homestay, FlipKey, Tripadvisor or Homestayin. Out of all these sites I find Homestay to be the best alternative to Airbnb; they are still upcoming and not that well known, but the more exposure they get and as the word gets out they will be just as big as Airbnb, minus the horrible customer service and lack of appreciation for their hosts and guests. Please everyone who has gone through the nightmare with this overpaid unappreciative company: please do your part and spread the word about their competitors.
Airbnb Customer Service All But Impossible
We were supposed to spend a month in an apartment with good reviews. We arrived there pretty late. The place had not been cleaned at all. There were mounds of dust on one of the doors, a refrigerator filled with half-eaten food, a bed sheet that was very old with hairs of debatable origin on it, toothpaste on the countertop, brown stains and hair on the back of the bathroom door, soda cans and bottle caps under the bed, and hair and dust at accumulated levels in the bedroom. Large food particulates were in the toaster oven, most drawers had things in them, and nothing seemed cleaned. It was late and we called Airbnb for help. They told us we could not get a refund because the unit owner had a strict refund policy and we were already in the apartment. Of course we were in the apartment; that’s when we learned that it was disgusting. Are they really that stupid at Airbnb? Whatever genius was working that day should be fired. Supposedly I am getting some money back, but so far nothing has been refunded. We are talking about thousands of dollars, and I have heard nothing about getting my security deposit back even though we never stayed in the apartment. I tried calling Airbnb; it’s all so automated that you can’t speak to anyone. Big time nightmare. Bottom line: the concept seems good when it works. But if your host is a pig, Airbnb could care less. Never will I use that company again.
Airbnb Dubai: Cancellations Can Be Costly
I am sharing this story to warn my fellow travelers for making bookings through Airbnb. The company provides a platform and charges money for it, but does nothing to secure your stay. I made a Instant Booking at a five-star property – in IMPZ Dubai – for $890 from December 25th to January 1st on August 1st, 2016. I paid in full, and received a confirmation mail from Airbnb that the booking was done. We were content and planned other details for the trip. On December 6th, we made a call to the host just to touch base. He flatly refused to accept the booking, saying he did not have any ties to Airbnb and the booking had not been confirmed. On being told that Airbnb was showing the booking as confirmed, he cancelled the reservation. We received an automated mail from Airbnb informing us of the cancellation, with their regrets and suggestion to make an alternative booking. With great effort, I found the email address for Airbnb, where the customer service representative first apologized and then suggested I make an alternate booking. She took a couple of days to share two listings; both cost double the price of the original booking. The representative simply refused to do anything beyond provide a $100 coupon as compensation. Many email exchanges followed and finally they closed the case with a blunt mail stating that this was their final decision and they would not entertain any further communication. I had to make another booking on my own which was worth $1900, suffering a loss of more than $1000 over my original booking.