I can see where this topic is going to end up 
JF
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Support in what way? What would this support look like to you? In other words, what do you specifically think hosts should do to achieve the desired goal?
Companies stay afloat by having buyers. Retailers have customers, Airlines have passengers and Airbnbs have guests. I believe Airbnb already has an ample supply of hosts and is actively working to recruit more. And for every post we see here from the fed up host like yourself we see three from someone anxious to start their Airbnb. So Airbnbâs approach to hosts is burn and churn.
But that paradigm could change given the right host with a clear and intelligent strategy for implementing change.
âŚClose their Airbnb listings, go with the other companies. I am doing that now. I actually have more business from VRBO than I do Airbnb anyways, I have several listings and one of them is only through Airbnb; thatâs where I went wrong. I have experienced their CS fluctuate over the years where when I started, they were fair to hosts and then and now they plummet into not even entertaining the simplest of things with hosts. Basically their motto is, the guests are always rightâŚ
When I claimed an amount of deposit for smoking on the property from VRBO, there was no question, I was issued the amount out of the deposit, I didnât even have to show proof, although I had it if needed. I was blown away how simple it was. I have claimed several times and the experience has been the same⌠VRBO doesnât veer from their responsibility to hosts⌠with Airbnb; itâs one out of three times they have cheated me; by guests bringing more people into the reservation against my House rules, having parties, or pets, or smoking, or drug sales even. Every bad experience I have had, has been in an Airbnb booked stay. Iâve also learned that the clientele generated from VRBO is simply much better, much more honest, more upstanding. Those who are looking to join Airbnb as hosts will learn the same that we have, but for us to stay with them only confirms that they can continue doing what theyâre doing to hosts. Iâve had great success with VRBO and is why I am closing my Airbnb listings once Iâve fully transitioned.
I think that is excellent advice for hosts with entire homes. For hosts like myself and the OP of this thread, Airbnb is pretty much the only game in town because we host rooms in our homes. And apparently what part of the world you are in or maybe what city, Airbnb dominates some places, booking dot com does well in others, VRBO in others. And then there are the dozens of other US and foreign listing sites. But again, Airbnb owns the private room space.
Perhaps eventually Airbnb will be forced to see the host as their customer just as much as the guest and that will benefit us all.
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Because it will never happen. You are truly naive if you think most hosts would take a walk. Until something horrible happens, hosts will put up with it as long as the moneyâs coming in. Remember that this forum is not the world, where mosts hosts bumble happily along, blissfully unaware of our complaints and concerns.
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