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Unfortunately @Astaire
Reading stories on this and other forums, hosts who have done nothing wrong can get banned.
There was a case last year where a Morrocan host with over hundred great reviews got banned because one set of guests said he has discriminated against him.
This is sad @Helsi And scary too.
I wonder if there’s legal recourse to such actions. I mean, many people rely on this for their livelihood.
Personally I don’t think people should rely on a single channel for their livelihoods. Airbnb is purely a listing service, it’s in their T&Cs that they can delete profiles at will.
There are a fair few others listing portals that can be used or hosts can market their properties themselves.
All hosts and guests have agreed to a Binding Arbitration Agreement. This means that the only legal recourse you have is arbitration.
Indeed, this is the contract between Airbnb and the user. But I’m alluding to the feasibility of appealing to the courts of the land if one thinks Airbnb’s arbitration or treatment of a user was unjust.
@Astaire. No. You have signed something as part of the TOS which precludes going to court. That is the definition of an arbitration clause.
The better question is, can you take the guest to court for defamation of character or slander?
And presumably a better course of action too! If the guest can be made known that they cannot get away with defamation of character or slander, they might act with a bit more restraint.
@azreala, is this something you have tried or would? Like get or hire someone who is Korean and directly speak to the guests calmly but sternly?
I"m honestly done with these particular guests, because I am sure they are only crying ‘discrimination’ in order to get a free stay. If there was a real concern, I would, of course, do whatever possible to rectify the situation.
Hi @azreala
I agree getting guests out is difficult. For me if I am away a local manager to handle things is a given.
And I agree with Airbnb we need to be willing to ask our guests to leave. Fortunately this has never happened to me but I do have a few friends who can help and of course if the guests don’t have permission to be on your property they are trespassing.
Please learn from my lesson, friends/police/etc it doesn’t matter if the guests refuse to leave. The police really do not care if a renter has overstayed their welcome because that is technically a ‘civil violation’. If you cancel a reservation for bad behviour just be forewarned it is not as easy as saying ‘get out’. That is the moral of my story.
My advice is to not ‘depend’ on being able to ‘kick’ a guest out, regardless if you are well with in your rights too.
@Astaire - the longer you’re around the forum the more you will become aware of some vary questionable Airbnb practices, especially when it comes to hosts. I will say it flat out, as I have many times, Airbnb is not here to help hosts. They are here to book guests. Instant Book, increased fees for Strict Cancellation, the pushing of “Smart Pricing”, so many things … and yes, Airbnb can cancel your account and all your future bookings with no word to you as why and there is no recourse. End of story. It is in the Terms of Service.
Can do and have done.
Although I agree that Airbnb is blind to the value of its hosts, they are not alone. In the U.S., in all but one state, your employer has the same right to fire you without citing a reason (unless you are represented by a union).
Or a protected class.
You can still be fired if you are a member of a protected class. You just can’t be fired for being in the protected class.
I have a 3 bedroom 3 bath house on AiirBnB - it can sleep up to 11 guests. I rarely meet my guests. I give them access to the house via door code or key location and leave it up to them to explore their new surroundings unhindered by my hovering. 95% of the time I will get an immediate message from them. Letting me know they have arrived and are happy with the space.
I am not “careless” It is a system that works for me
As a frequent guest who books entire units, I must say that I prefer self check-in and no face-to-face contact with a host or manager. I personally just find it more relaxing that way. Stuff can be strewn around the apt (esp with the kids) and I’d rather the host not see that when they’re at the door. Even when it’s not intended to be surveillance, it can feel that way to those of us who are sensitive.
Agreed. You have to show cause. And in truth, depending on the area, you have to show cause even if you’re not in a protected class because no one wants to be sued. Employment-at-will is not often upheld by juries.
Hi @azreala
Thanks for sharing this. I think my situation is a little different as I offer accommodation in a shared property.
“We had a great time at Mr X’s place, but we left very disappointed and thus we’re leaving a one-star review because they never met us. If we couldn’t see our hosts’ faces, they’re not getting 5 stars, hrmphh!!”