Very interesting statistics SB. I’d prefer getting a call, as long as I’m not driving.
Then just call him and find out @SB9671111. The time you have spent on here discussing it - you could have had five calls with him.
I think we are curious too…put us out of our misery…what is it he can only share in a cal 
5 Likes
True dat! Normally I’m all about saving time so I hear you. In this case it’s more about security and boundaries. Was just curious what people thought. Latest is he messaged me with anticipated check in and out times, which I requested in my welcome message to him. So he’s giving that up. Told him I’ll call him this evening when in back in town. Will keep you updated .
1 Like
I would simply tell him that AirBnb wants all communication through them.
1 Like
So here it is… Him: " Just letting you know I booked your place for my son, not myself. He’s 20, ya know, has a girlfriend he’s visiting there. He was going to book a hotel. I said Thomas, c’mon, that’s expensive. Use Airbnb! So I booked it for him. Y’ok with that?". This, in a wiseguys style accent.
Sigh. Me: “Can I ask why your son didn’t book it himself?” (despite knowing the line up of excuses)". Him: “Last minute… yada yada… doesn’t have an account… yada yada… do you have kids?”
Me: “Fine.” Goodbyes and end of conversation. Can’t be bothered getting into it and upholding the letter of Airbnb ‘law’, though I do see the value. I’ll get my tenants to keep an eye. The good news is, I’m not hosting this guy.
So there you have it. Why does he want to go outside of air and is refusing to give reason? Cuz he’s paying up. No surprises there I guess.
1 Like
Ugh. How annoying.
…
1 Like
you can decline or cancel since third party bookings are not allowed.
Air will not support you if damages or problems happen since the guest who booked it is not the guest who is in your home.
You put yourself in jeopardy as you have no recourse or even a line of communication with the person who will be in your home; you never approved or even had a chance to approve the person in your home.
4 Likes
I would immediately document the conversation in the app and tell him you’ll be cancelling but that his son can book directly. I don’t accept 3rd party bookings, and definitely not for someone’s 20 year old son and his gf!
6 Likes
Bingo. Going off app with a phone call so the 3rd party booking doesn’t get documented in a thread!
Document it now and cancel penalty free. If you host the son give an honest review, 1 star for communication and rules and thumbs down. I wouldn’t risk it, the son might also be dishonest.
3 Likes
When I did have problems one before (different property) - heavy damage/mess from an all night jump-on-the-beds and spray-booze-everywhere prom party - air did not support me. I had cleaner and repair receipts, witness letters, photos but they ignored me. So I have nothing to lose in that regard.
It’s not great that his goodfellas dad booked it on the sly. My best bet is to get my tenants to keep an eye on him and l will pay him a visit part way through. Any problems and his things will be on the curb and the code changed. I’ve had guests book on behalf of someone else a few other times. I usually just risk it like I do with every booking I get. What difference does it make?
go for it, and good luck!
When you say tenants, is that other rooms in the same property?
I would ask Airbnb to cancel it, as it’s a third party booking. He wanted to call you because he knew that, this is not allowed on Airbnb.
The difference it makes is
a) Airbnb doesn’t have to support you as you have knowingly accepted a third party booking, if there is damage to the property or you need to get the guest out for breaking house rules. (I know you said they didn’t support you before, but that doesn’t mean they won’t most of the time.
b) you know nothing about the people staying and they haven’t been verified in anyway
c) third party bookings often lead to a mismatch in expectations.
1 Like
Not rooms, but apartments. The tenants next door have been there for well over 10 years and are very watchful of the entire building. I’ll let them know.
1 Like
0% chance that air will be supporting me in a different situation based on my experience. That first time was pretty much an open and shut case. The guest booked directly that time. She destroyed my place and broke my house rules. Immediately after, I gave air every manner of proof fully expecting them to honor the damage deposit I take for guests. But no. Each time I called to follow up it would get escalated and I’d never hear back. After more than a dozen dead end phone calls they finally told me they made the decision to give me nothing. They spoke to the guest (was was her first time using Airbnb, no track record) and she convinced them she didn’t do anything wrong. I’d been hosting on air for a year and a half, never made a claim. They would not revisit. Was mind blowing. If a first time teen bop guest can do all that and get there support, then any guest can talk themselves out of anything with Air. Zero trust in Airbnb to do the right thing. I will never go to the trouble of raising an issue to air again. It took a lot out of me. I’ve learned my lesson which is that I need to handle things myself.
I have had a couple of pay outs for Airbnb and know three or four hosts who have had quite substantial ones.
The reality is on these forums we only tend to hear about unhappy rather than positive experiences when it comes to Airbnb.
I am sorry to hear that you had a problem making a claim. It’s difficult to comment as you haven’t detailed the damages incurred or why Airbnb turned down the claim.
I think as a wider point, hosts should never rely on Airbnb’s limited so called guarantee. Even Airbnb themselves say hosts should have their own home insurance to cover STRs.
We all have a different risk appetite when it comes to guest behaviour. In your situation I wouldn’t accept this guest because the mother deliberately called you to avoid having it on record she was making a third party booking.
I would have to wonder why. Her excuse for doing so, holds no water.
I do hope this stay goes well for you.
I’m glad others are paid out. I do believe they are because you have said so and I’ve heard others say so. I wish I could count myself among them.
When the prom party happened I diligently gathered the handyman and cleaning company receipts totalling approx $700. I appealed to witnesses who wrote letters describing the scene (neighbors, cleaners, property manager and handyman). I had photos. I documented communications and forwarded emails.
I’ve copied this from an old post I made on this forum a while back when it happened:
A guest booked my place for 3 nights. She agreed to my house rules: no parties, no noise, be respectful of neighbors, 4 occupants max. She hosted a prom party with a large group until 4am and trashed my place: jumped on the bed, ripped kitchen back splash tiles off walls, left spilled booze pooling on my countertop (it seeped into the seam, inflated and warped e countertop so I had to replace it). ALL of the linen, comforters, blankets and towels were covered in food, make up and booze. The inside of the oven was black with food debris and a big pile of stinking, rotted food forgotten inside. The floors and furniture were floating in scattered garbage, half eaten food, drink bottles and left behind personal items. My dishes, decorations, etc we found tossed around into different rooms.
What normally takes 4 hours to clean took 12 hours. Cleaning and countertop repairs cost me over $700. Airbnb took 11 days to get back to me, despite many calls I made asking for an update. They responded via email, refusing to pay anything and described it as normal wear and tear! I emailed them back twice asking for someone to contact me, but they have not.
I have hosted for almost 2 years and have had hundreds of guests. I have never put a claim in.
I’m sorry that you feel we only tend to hear about unhappy rather than positive experiences with Airbnb. It is understandable that having good experiences has left you with a favourable opinion of Airbnb’s support and even-handed decision making. Indeed, if they had stepped up for me I would probably be feeling that way too. And if that were the case and I heard experiences contrary to my own, who knows, I might be sceptical. My first hand experience compared to that of a complete stranger’s which I read on a forum - ? - that’s just an unknown, right?
The thing is, most people seek out like-minded people. They gravitate towards thoughts and opinions that give them comfort and validate their own. It feels good and makes ‘sense’. The only problem with that is that it has the unpleasant side effect of steering away from truth and reality.
So sorry you experienced that.
Thanks for your detailed reply.
I think you have misundertood me. I am not Airbnb’s biggest fan by any means. Anyone who has seen my posts on this forum knows that.
The way you have detailed it here it seems unbelievable that having had receipts from the cleaning company for the extra hours and other for repairs, they wouldn’t have paid.
Did you try approaching your local media or reaching out to them on twitter.
Hopefully you now have CCTV so if this was to happen again, and I really do believe these incidents are not the norm, you or your local manager could have been over in a flash to evict these guests.
Unbelievable was what it was. I’ll never understand what happened there. Someone deep in the bowels of Airbnb saving face? None of it made sense. I called so many times. Front line staff were all very sympathetic and responsive but all they could do is take messages and escalate. No one above front line would talk to me. That was my first and last ever claim. Do not want to ever put myself through anything like this again.
Thank you. It really means a lot. The prom party, cleaning, repairs and rattled neighbours and tenants paled in comparison to the upset I felt from Airbnb’s handling of things. It really shook me up. I had my personal home listed with them at the time.
1 Like