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How do you actually know this? And if washing towels together is such a big issue, why not just buy some different towels?
In your review, you stated, “I don’t expect guests to wash towels or linens.” Nowhere did you say that they broke a house rule by doing this, as others are implying. If you have specifically instructed guests NOT to do laundry, that would be one thing, but it doesn’t sound like that’s what you’re telling them. You’re just telling them to leave the towels in the hamper. A guest might think they were going above and beyond by washing them, not breaking a rule.
I get that you’re frustrated about the discrimination issue, justifiably, but I think your review was pretty out of line. And maybe he did honestly think that it was a race issue because why else would someone give a thumbs down to other hosts for something as silly as crumbs (hypothetically)?
Whatever your opinion is, it isn’t really material. I suspect that many hosts have varying opinions about what Airbnb ‘should’ do but we all agree to their TOS when we sign up and by continuing to use the service we are agreeing to the terms.
It says quite clearly in the TOS that:
Ratings and Reviews are not verified by Airbnb for accuracy
If I understand your question, it is not whether your review was just or not - it is whether Airbnb will punish the guest for falsely claiming discrimination. I highly doubt it and even if they did they wouldn’t tell you. Airbnb has a strict “privacy” policy and they wil not tell you what action if any is taken with another user.
how do I know this? the formerly white towels were in the hamper with the green and white striped towels. Those formerly white towels were now a bluish greenish tone. All were damp. I made an assumption.
This is what is stated in the hardcopy house manual. LAUNDRY: The Washer / Dryer is for your personal use. We do not expect you to launder linens or towels.
Please put used Towels in hamper (in closet)
If you’ve used the Robes, please place them in the hamper. It allows us to know they need to be laundered
The sheets, duvet cover, pillow covers are ALWAYS laundered between guests but it’s not necessary for you to remove them.
It doesn’t specifically say not to do Laundry but the implication is there. And if someone chooses to do laundry, I’d hope that they actually follow basic laundry rules of not mixing colors and whites. Too much to ask, I guess for this board (and this guest).
I think HH_AZ is actually quite lucky in that they did not get their account suspended forever …
We have seen quite a number of threads here where Airbnb won’t even discuss what lead up to the suspension.
And quite frankly, I don’t separate laundry in my own home unless items are a bright color AND brand new or are a special fabric that needs to be washed in a delicate load. Otherwise, everything goes in one load. I have a family and kids and a LOT of jobs, and I don’t have time for sorting.
So when you assume that EVERYONE in the world does laundry like you, well… you know what assumptions do.
But I wouldn’t make assumptions when washing other people’s property either! I 100% separate colours because it is not worth the risk. However I wash at 40 degrees, I’ve asked plenty of guests when doing their washing and they think that’s too hot for their clothes and want 30 degrees. Anyone should take special care when washing things belonging to someone else.
Well, I wouldn’t either. But I think that people often think they are doing something good and helping when others might not see it that way.
My guests last week hand washed all their dishes, which they probably thought was great and helpful… but I had to rewash everything in the dishwasher when they left because there were little spots that they missed. (Not obvious unless you were looking really hard.) But that’s not something that I would review them poorly for. I think they had the best intentions and just didn’t do as good of a job as I would have.
He was a 50+ white man with an English accent. I’m a 50+ white man from the US. as such I can only assume his discrimination claim was based on he being Jewish. I only know that his religion because I had made some lemon cake for the guests and he asked if I would mind removing it from the refrigerator as they were celebrating high holy days. I responded that it wasn’t any problem and then, trying to be helpful, I asked if he was aware of the synagogue nearby. That is the only time I met the man or spoke with him live.
So if you can extrapolate discrimination from that, I guess that this CA liberal must now also be antisemite. However I’ll state that the only time it was an issue for him was after I left an honest review of him, albeit probably too detailed. Prior to seeing the review that he described me as “absolutely delightful host” and was wanting to return, so my supposed “antisemitism” only became an issue when he was disappointed in having his rating lowered.
The OP says he is only guessing that the guests washed the towels with the bright colored pool towels. He doesn’t know and frankly, it doesn’t make any sense for them to launder the towels and then put them in the hamper. There are a number of things that can cause blue staining. Another possibility is that a new unwashed bathing suits were worn and they dried off with bath towels instead of pool towels. Anyway I find the endless speculation and instructions on laundry amusing given that it’s probably irrelevant.
And that is why the ABB system is flawed. @HH_AZ has a valid point, and it is regarding the handling of a discrimination claim.
The post was not a request to correct the review, or to teach @HH_AZ how to respond to this guest or future guests.
The Post was about how ABB reacted to and handled, a discrimination claim.
I would not have wanted to be @HH_AZ. It would be scary to know that they are both the judge and jury and held my financial future in their hands without any due process.
Yes, their rules and yes we sign off. We all do what the Gorilla says to do. @HH_AZ I understand your point about discrimination complaints. I am glad it all turned out ok.
And this has been discussed multiple times about other issues too. People with disappearing listings, being suspended for not allowing service animals, being suspended for who knows what reason. A local host here was complaining that his listing was disappeared, Airbnb wouldn’t tell him why and he was asking if anyone knew why. We really do have to consider that any guest could get our account suspended by claiming we had a hidden camera, we sexually harrassed them, we discriminated against them, we stole from the guest, etc. It’s really our word against the guest in so many instances.
I don’t think the guests should have taken it upon themselves to wash the host’s property, especially when he asked them to put towels in the hamper.
Most b&bs have proper systems for laundry and this is commonly known, I don’t know what they were thinking. Yes don’t like people hand washing crockery and cutlery either, I think it’s unhygienic.
For some people. I have reduced my rules not increased them but what works for me doesn’t work for all. And the whole towel issue is just a non-starter for me. This is a post about unfair Airbnb practices, not laundry. LOL.
Where does that rank compared to cat’s ass on kitchen counters?
Lol. The scientific answer to that is the dishcloth in the kitchen has more bacteria than a bum hole and perhaps an ill washed plate. The cat’s bum hole does not go on my plates which have been sterilised in the dishwasher, so we are in danger of not getting enough immunity.
My part of the house is seriously rife with germs and I haven’t been sick since I retired. (Even dog germs didn’t fortify me against snotty nosed kids)
