@TheInsider Another question 
Another time a guest came in 3 people. I told her it wasn’t possible but she came back in 3 again in the room late a night. I called airbnb support but she turned off her cell phone and airbnb could not reach her. Of course she didn’t respond either… What are my options in this case? Can airbnb cancel on behalf of the guest? Can I kick her out with no penalties and cancellation policy upheld? Thank you for your time!
@TheInsider Yes here it is : https://ibb.co/qRXJ81W
https://ibb.co/YPhz7r5 Let me know why you think it was removed.
I can personally tell you that I work Host Guarantee claims each and every day. I also pay out the hosts on those claims each and every day. The policy is in place to “show protection to hosts” but it doesn’t mean it’s easy. I always state in my posts that you MUST document, document, document. People may think it’s crazy, but pix prior and after each and every reservation is critical to getting the fastest possible payout/reimbursement to you without any headache because you’re already head of the game and have your ducks lined up. Yes, if you don’t have documentation and weren’t prepared/educated properly as a host, the host guarantee claim can, and most likely will be hell for you to be successful in.
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Thanks! But - the problem with that resolution is that then the host would get the money for taxes but it’s Airbnb’s duty/responsibility under the law (as explained to me) to report and send money to Mass DOR, because THEY were the agent who arranged/facilitated the booking and took the payment. Something that needs to be looked into, i believe, if not already being done by Airbnb management.
Eh is my unofficial response because I agree with you but am speechless. Officially, the review content policy doesn’t specifically state the word count as part of “breaking the content policy”. Unfortunately, the review “guidelines” are different than the actual “policy” therefore a 500 word count doesn’t make it a violation therefore eligible for removal by an agent. I understand how frustrating it is, or was, but I’m just letting you know why it wasn’t removed.
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Yes, with that being said, Airbnb may just take a “goodwill/bridging the gap” loss on these tax issues on few reservations that timeline(s) were in the middle of this tax change.
Dear Everyone, if @TheInsider has answered your question, please let him move on to another issue and member and try not to reiterate your question. At some point I’m sure the guy will need to sleep, too.
(Thank you, @TheInsider 
)
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Thank you. Just to be clear – are you suggesting that hosts need to do a full-scale photo or video inventory of their property before and after every guest ???
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That says it all really. So far I am in the 94% of hosts that rarely call Air, and never have I had a claim or anything that needed Air to get involved. I come here and vent about the small stuff.
I have battles ahead I imagine, I would rather burn my cabin down than allow a ESA cat…
RR
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And i understand that need but at this point, I’m just trying to make sure that @TheInsider can help make sure that Airbnb properly handles the tax issue because DOR will hold US as hosts responsible for Airbnb not paying the taxes correctly on our behalf since we aren’t to pay them ourselves when an agent is involved. I’m looking out for ALL hosts in MA who are going to deal with this nightmare as best i can. If Airbnb doesn’t pay MA DOR by the 20th of month following end of stay, WE will be in trouble with DOR as I understand it. Dealing with a local real estate agent who doesn’t pass taxes on is one thing. Dealing with the huge Airbnb is another.
This is out of topic. @TheInsider is a case manager at airbnb not a tax specialist/board member or involved in the company decisions as far as we know. He is just an employee there.
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I agree with Oby. @pleasantforestshores you just joined today, I suppose to participate in this thread, but we have no reason to think that the OP can make sure Airbnb does anything. If you read all the posts you would see that they clearly stated that Airbnb contracts out the customer service to call centers. You aren’t talking to Brian Chesky here.
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And i understand that - it’s why i was just wanting info on what that level/position knew so far and might then be able to pass info to supervisor/approp area about a hosts concerns which might hopefully make it back to Airbnb itself.
I am a bit more involved than most as went to public hearing on tax and have been in touch with DOR specialist and legislator’s office, etc.
I’m NOT expecting a full answer obviously today but it’s been my first chance to get ANY input from anyone connected to Airbnb about this and the answers i got initially, while certainly helpful, just confirmed that they may not yet have figured out how to handle this complex issue. That’s good enough for me now, ok?
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On the topic of banning hosts based on something the guest complains about…such as, that a toy is a gun…don’t you or Airbnb see the enormous potential for abuse if word got out that AIrbnb would simply believe everything any guest said, at face value? The approach that you’re saying Airbnb is taking is not only unjust, but it is quite untenable , abusive and cruel.
I mean, there would not have had to be a rubber toy gun in @PuppyLover s basket. There could just have been a bunch of doggie toys, balls and chew toys. Imagine a scenario where a guest might get upset at a host. Suppose hypothetically, the guest was upset that the host confronted her about her violation of some house rule…say that she had an overnight visitor when that wasn’t allowed. So are you saying that such a guest could simply retaliate against the host, calling Airbnb and saying, “oh, I saw a gun in the doggie toy basket”, and AIrbnb wouldn’t bother to investigate but would just ban the host? Wet dreams for guests out to knock out a few hosts.
And more…you say all this could be avoided if the host has announced in advance they have weapons on the premises. Well has anyone at Airbnb seen the problem with insisting that someone who has guns-- nay, everyone who wants to protect themselves from being banned because the guest MIGHT CLAIM they had a gun.— has to now broadcast publicly, to the entire world, that they have gun/s on their property? Doesn’t anyone see the danger of hosts being forced to announce publicly that they have certain valuables in their home? Or suppose they just dont’ want all their guests to know what valuables they do or do not have?
Or suppose they live in an anti-gun part of the nation, and have a firearm. Or they seek to welcome guests, who might not like guns, but who — if Airbnb didn’t demand they declare that they have weapons in order to protect themselves from retaliatory guests who MIGHT claim they saw a gun…will now possibly decide not to stay at that listing, because there is the firearms info checked off.
Doesn’t anyone see the problem with forcing a host to tell the whole world that they have a gun?
I think this whole policy is wildly inappropriate. How many hosts have a loaded gun lying around the house? This seems like it would be so rare, that when it occurs, and a guest complains, just re-house the guest!
People’s livelihoods are at stake here. Airbnb can’t just be terminating hosts like a revved up, supercharged out of control Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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First, I understand your question, appreciate the seriousness, and understand your motivation in asking the question in the first place. Myself, just like every other agent working for AIrbnb, is not a tax expert and you will not get a detailed answer to this question that you’re looking for. The best I can say, understand Airbnb has to make sure operations run smoothly over for their hosts otherwise their business model is shit and won’t be profitable. Just bear in mind that if some reservations mean that Airbnb have to take a loss and pay additional taxes then that’s what they’ll do in order save their reputation. The amount of money they’d lose is nothing compared to what they’d gain by supporting their hosts and paying some additional taxes in this unique situation.
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LOL. Airbnb doesn’t owe anyone a living. I know you are posting as a new member, who knows who you really are, but if you’ve lurked here long you know that Airbnb doesn’t give two 
about your livelihood.
Also a reminder, AGAIN, that this thread isn’t really the place to complain about Airbnb’s policies as the OP isn’t in control of them.
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PLEASE - people - let’s try to limit the posts to concrete questions. No rants. No hypotheticals. As was mentioned above, this isn’t Brian Chesky.
Honestly, TheInsider is NOT the first insider to have popped up here, but this is why they don’t come back - the forum beats them up.
PLEASE, folks: chill. Have a specific question ask and if he can answer, he will.
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I am making a logical point. If Airbnb takes whatever any guest says at face value, not bothering to investigate, then what advice does @TheInsider for hosts, to protect themselves from losing their livelihood over any random accusation by some randomly upset guest? Is there anything that a host can do to protect themselves – such as declaring they have surveillance cameras, when they dont’ – just so they are protected in case guest tells a lie – or declaring they have a gun, when they don’t – for similar protection. Is it better to lie and say they have certain things at their house that they dont’ have, just to reduce the risk of the fallout from lies of a disgruntled guest?
I mean, if there is no way for a host to protect themselves from a false accusation, then I’d like to see someone from Airbnb such as @TheInsider just come out and say that .
And if and when that is said I hope the media are listening. The Judge in @PuppyLover case certainly was upset. Maybe someone would call the judge’s response to this case in the courtroom, a “rant.”
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ALL I can say to this is documentation, documentation, pictures, pictures, pictures, and accuracy in describing your listing from time of reservation being confirmed to time of check-out. Having protection for the host, starts with the host. Follow all procedures, document everything, and Airbnb will have your back in situations that arise during a reservation even if it is a PITA for the host.
My motivation here is to help the host, educate the host, and show the host support during every possible situation that may come up as long as they listen to my advice.
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How though can a host have pictures of what is NOT there? I can understand having photos of what is there…eg…the bed is a single, not a double…the table is oak, not plastic…but how can you show photos that prove you did NOT have a gun if the guest said you did? That is not a documentable or photo-verifiable issue.
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