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airbnb seems to find new ways to burn any goodwill they had. I've heard about more friends getting scammed and having their reviews deleted, and dragged out re

airbnb seems to find new ways to burn any goodwill they had. I've heard about more friends getting scammed and having their reviews deleted, and dragged out refunds if they happen at all. Almost all of them ended up with chargebacks on their credit card, and then airbnb bans them. I wonder if they're looking for a history of that, and just hoping people don't care about what info they're giving away.

spoiler 4y ago
My mum, as a long time host, has a similar experience with scumbag guests occasionally. So, I guess Airbnb is doing this to protect both hosts and guests
- dazc 4y ago
  Cynical me thinks Airbnb is doing this to protect Airbnb.
  - spoiler 4y ago
    In all fairness, your probably right. It's likely they're doing this to cut down on support demands regarding complaints. There's probably going to be a downsizing of their support teams soon.
throwaway290 4y ago
I booked a place and it turned out to be unlivable due to noise, I left the next morning, requested refund for remaining week+, raised a ticket, spent time on the phone eventually Airbnb refunded their fees but maybe because I booked it in advance somehow it was up to the guy to refund and he declined. At a few hundred USD it was the most expensive night in my life (I can't splurge). Never saw the guy in person either, of course. If you have a cute listing description in a major city and a couple of friends who wrote you positive reviews you can get a steady airbnb income mostly without people properly staying in your place with tricks like this (In this case some reviews specifically claimed superb soundproofing but it turned out to be an apartment subdivided into rooms with cardboard-like walls) I stopped using Airbnb after a couple of such incidents. I actually don't miss it at all so far. It's mostly been a source of bad travel experience, and 99% of places that are good also publish listings elsewhere
- dotancohen 4y ago
  I've had similar experiences with AirBnb. I booked a place in a building that is residential on one side, commercial on the other. The place, as it turns out, was on the commercial side in a room attached to a travel agency. With a sex shop right outside the door. When I got to the place - with my daughter - we passed a man defecating on the sidewalk outside the building. And inside the building, right next to the entrance of our "travel agency room" was a prostitute in an indiscreet position with a client. And I'm with my 15 year old daughter. We left and got a nicer place. Airbnb refused the refund. And they haven't had my business since.
  - throwaway290 4y ago
    I feel like they have internal guidelines on what is a refundable complain, and unless it is proved with a photo of the interior that shows something broken or not per description then it's fair game to unscrupulous host. (If you don't wish to engage and negotiate with the host, document everything and spend time with support, the host gets to pocket the money. If the host ensured the place visually matches the photos even if it's awful in some way, smell, noise, etc., the host gets to pocket the money. And so on)

spoiler 4y ago

My mum, as a long time host, has a similar experience with scumbag guests occasionally. So, I guess Airbnb is doing this to protect both hosts and guests

dazc 4y ago
Cynical me thinks Airbnb is doing this to protect Airbnb.
- spoiler 4y ago
  In all fairness, your probably right. It's likely they're doing this to cut down on support demands regarding complaints. There's probably going to be a downsizing of their support teams soon.

throwaway290 4y ago

I booked a place and it turned out to be unlivable due to noise, I left the next morning, requested refund for remaining week+, raised a ticket, spent time on the phone eventually Airbnb refunded their fees but maybe because I booked it in advance somehow it was up to the guy to refund and he declined. At a few hundred USD it was the most expensive night in my life (I can't splurge). Never saw the guy in person either, of course. If you have a cute listing description in a major city and a couple of friends who wrote you positive reviews you can get a steady airbnb income mostly without people properly staying in your place with tricks like this (In this case some reviews specifically claimed superb soundproofing but it turned out to be an apartment subdivided into rooms with cardboard-like walls) I stopped using Airbnb after a couple of such incidents. I actually don't miss it at all so far. It's mostly been a source of bad travel experience, and 99% of places that are good also publish listings elsewhere

dotancohen 4y ago
I've had similar experiences with AirBnb. I booked a place in a building that is residential on one side, commercial on the other. The place, as it turns out, was on the commercial side in a room attached to a travel agency. With a sex shop right outside the door. When I got to the place - with my daughter - we passed a man defecating on the sidewalk outside the building. And inside the building, right next to the entrance of our "travel agency room" was a prostitute in an indiscreet position with a client. And I'm with my 15 year old daughter. We left and got a nicer place. Airbnb refused the refund. And they haven't had my business since.
- throwaway290 4y ago
  I feel like they have internal guidelines on what is a refundable complain, and unless it is proved with a photo of the interior that shows something broken or not per description then it's fair game to unscrupulous host. (If you don't wish to engage and negotiate with the host, document everything and spend time with support, the host gets to pocket the money. If the host ensured the place visually matches the photos even if it's awful in some way, smell, noise, etc., the host gets to pocket the money. And so on)