Please advise - Unpleasant experience with stay

1

Hi,

My first post here and I am looking for some honest advise.

We are a couple who just came back home today from an otherwise great vacation, only to receive emails from recent AirBnB host, who is accusing us for something we haven’t completely responsible.

The host said that we left the place with 10 used towels on the bathroom floor, left urine in the toilet and the bathroom is filthy. We didn’t do 2 sinks worth of dishes and this is not appreciated.

In addition, the host is asking for $100 charge for the above in Resolution center.

My first reaction is beyond outrageous and insulting with such language. The host used ‘filthy mess’ couple of times in his message, which is far from truth.

First off, we booked for 2 persons and I never met the host. His ‘dad’ received us on the road, who sat in our car for directions and oozing with sweat and cigarette smoke coming from him. I didn’t mind it…tiny inconvenience. He saw my DH and said, ‘oh, I thought it was only one person’, and hurriedly arranged a second bed. I didn’t mind that either, but I was watching. There was no welcome message or house instructions, rules, timings, wifi info etc. He just left and we started settling in.

The claims above are baseless and are false. Especially about the bathroom and towels (infact, that’s an insult). 10 towels? bad in math? and on floor? All that never happened. The stove is NOT a mess. I cleaned it before we left. About the dishes in the sink, one sink was already filled with utensils that had no relation to our usage. His ‘dad’ used them and left them in there. We did not do the dishes in another sink before leaving, as the host’s dad left his dishes on top of ours. At that time, a stranger was in the living room and we could smell cigarettes again. We felt insecure, packed our bags and left.

There’s absolutely no privacy or security. We were never introduced to the ‘dad’s’ stranger friend in the house. It’s like a hostel. That stranger was having his meal while we have to cook, pack our meals and then checkout. The kitchen was not free until 10 am as the dad and the stranger were using it. And we were expected to checkout by 11 am, even though the listing said noon. The host called me to vacate and I corrected him about the agreed check out time. He said OK and told me that ‘cleaning people’ will come. So we cleared the room and got into the car. I went back to the room after sometime as I thought I left my phone in the room. There I saw that the ‘dad’ already changing the sheets.

This makes me think that the listing just had cleaning fee of $25 in excess as there was no ‘cleaning people’. It’s the host’s dad doing the cleaning! And at one point the ‘dad’ himself said that cleaning people will come soon. Funny!

  1. The claims are outrageous. I have reasons why I didn’t do the dishes. What do you AirBnB hosts/guests think about it?
  2. How should I respond to above message?
  3. What is included in cleaning fee? Am I expected to wash the towels, dry them and iron them or what?
  4. I too had issues with the host, but since we were on vacation, I was going to give him favorable rating after the stay. But not after this issue.

Please let me know what you think. Thanks.

4

Thanks Billy,

I was emotionally charged up when I read his message to me on AirBnB. Below is his message under Resolution center:

“The way you left the place was really disrespectful. You used the kitchen to cook and left two sink full of pots and pans and the stove a filthy mess. You left 10 used towels on the bathroom floor and you were only here for one night. You left urine in the toilet and the bathroom a filthy mess. This is not appreciated and have not treated nor respected the place like it was your own.”

And the message below is from AirBnB response box:
“The way you left the place was very unsat. To leave the dishes piled up in a the kitchen was very disrespectful. I will be notifying air bnb.”

It really shook me after reading above lines while I was at the airport. Not good. He uses the words, ‘filthy mess’ out of lack of vocabulary. I find this vilifying and asinine. Isn’t there some license requirement to be good hosts? I doubt he obtained one.

Part 2 of the story - is I moved my arrival date once months ago after original reservation was made. Since I moved the date from weekday to weekend, there was an increase in price by few bucks. I politely asked him if he could waived extra charge. He said that’s fine and he would pay the difference when I arrive. So when I inquired about it the other day, he said, he can’t change anything and what I paid is final. But our conversation is captured on AirBnB. I won’t fight for 12 bucks but at least acknowledge that he agreed initially. Bad etiquette.

Anyway, from what you were suggesting:

  • Step 1: I decline to pay $100. There’s an option to ‘keep talking’ text box for me to rant. But I choose not to with him.
  • Step 2: I can leave a poor review and be done with it.
  • Step 3: Let AirBnB contact me and I explain what happened.

Would my above approach sane enough?

Thanks!

5

Btw, there was no hamper in the bathroom…not even a trash bag. In the kitchen, there was one serving spoon that his dad used for making pancakes. That’s all. And a knife that’s not sharp enough.

What we also saw were some medicines in the kitchen cabinet. I mean syringes and prescription bottles…in the kitchen?

As I said, there was no house rules, instructions, timings for bathroom use etc. I had to call him to access wifi. Wonder how he managed to get 9 good reviews. Mine will be a bad 10th review. I am already learning my lesson here…

7

You have a fair point about medicines etc. in the kitchen. I take that back. It’s not an issue at all. My point was if he wasn’t to nitpick things, then I can too - but then again, there won’t be much difference.

OK - I will contact AirBnB.

Thanks!

8

Curious… I would not have left the dishes undone. But I would also decline owing the fee. That’s ridiculous. You do need to give an answer. You cannot just not answer. And yeah, you could leave a not-so-good review… that was the chance he took when he dragged you to the resolution center. He is going to slam you in a review no matter what so… be ready.

If it were me I would decline the fee. That’s for damages. You didn’t damage anything. But next time, do your dishes! I’ve been peeved at guests who left a kitchen mess. But I never took them to Resolution over it.

9

Not to mention regaling us about your biscotti habit. :slight_smile:

10

konacoconutz -

I am all for maintaining the decorum and etiquette when in other’s house. I follow their rules without issues. But the dishes were not clean when we arrived either. We had to redo our dishes and didn’t complain about it.

I did my dishes at other AirBnB properties, so I agree this is not an exception. But the environment was not conducive for us to wash the dishes at that time, when there are some strangers in the house walking around our luggage. We just didn’t feel secure, so left the place right away.

12

This is kinda why I really just would rather book the Days Inn. :slight_smile: Free breakfast and your own bathroom .:slight_smile: No weirdos. No cleaning fees. No deposits.

Really. Is a good old-fashioned hotel all that bad… when all is said and done?? :slight_smile:

14

Well you are in a resort destination as am I. The Curious Girl did not say where the pancake place was.
I would much rather a Days Inn than this type of AirBnb.

15

I don’t charge a cleaning fee… I think that charging a cleaning fee gives the
guest the impression that they don’t have to worry about making a mess.

Interesting. I hadn’t thought of it that way, but it’s still early days for us and none of our guests have been very messy. I do a light cleaning daily anyway, focused mainly on our food service (a continental breakfast). I empty the bins, restock the fridge & other foods, do the couple of dishes, and just tidy up a bit without touching anything belonging to the guests.

Our modest cleaning fee (fifteen bucks) is meant to offset the first-day load of prepping all the bed linen and towels. One guest staying for two days is a lot less work than two one-day guests in a row. Nobody has ever complained or even mentioned it. A couple of people have even left tips, which blew us away - we’re the owners, you’re not supposed to tip us!!!

16

I think some hosts here are retired with a good income and don’t really have to worry about bottom line profits in their rentals…so can be easy about things like a cleaning fee. I believe a cleaning fee is a MUST. I charge $85 and it doesn’t begin to compensate me for the work I put into cleaning and prepping the property. It can take me 6-8 hours to do everything (yardwork as well)…

Guests do not mind paying it. No one has left the place messy because they paid a cleaning fee. If anything, this type of guest who will pay a cleaning fee is usually sophisticated and has traveled before and “gets” it.

You’ll get unsophisticated travelers if you don’t charge a cleaning and security.

I would rather not have the unsophisticated traveler. Been there done that. Not worth it.

If they also pay security and tax without complaining, you are pretty much guaranteed a good quality guest.

17

Biscotti biscuits lol … made me laugh out loud. I love reading these extra’s to everyone’s posts.

Yes, I agree with the others. If you’ve already paid quite a high cleaning fee why are they trying to make you pay another $100… that’s a lot of money! I’d stay at the Days Inn for that too (are they in the UK ? lol ) :joy:

1 Like
18

I agree you don’t need to pay and just talk to Airbnb and explain situation.
I was once through all my stays as a guest in similar situation. Though the host didnt file a claim, but he left me a review that I left his house in anti sanitary condition . He also charged me 35 Euro cleaning fee.,
I was shocked. I ve been travelling with Airbnb for 5 years and get all 5* reviews as a guest. This one was the only one ever. Especially he described the toilet. He said it was disgusting. I thought he mixed me up with someone and asked, but he said, no he ment me. I told him that I even cleaned toilet before I left despite the fact that I paid cleaning fee. I have long hair, may be there was some hair found on a floor, but i am sorry this is just ridiculous expect to not clean at all especially if a guest paid cleaning fee.
Some of my guests use excessive amount of towels. One couple used 2 towels each a day and after them staying 3 days I had to wash 12 towels. I don’t limit my guests on how many towels they use. I don’t wash them by hand, it makes no difference to me just to put them in wash.
One thing I don’t understand : where else you were supposed to put your used towels? I ask my guests to put used towels on a floor. If I had hardwood floors I would probably ask them to put in a shower floor.
The guy seems a bit off. Deffinitely dispute it and don’t take it personally, I am sure he is like this with everyone.

1 Like
19

Thank you Yana.

It will be my first time disputing or getting involved like this. So I could use some help here on the next steps from my side.

  1. As everyone agreed, I will decline to pay $100 (reason - Request payment for extra services).
  2. I will NOT contact host or respond to him (because I don’t want to).
  3. How should I contact AirBnB directly? Through resolution center or just contact directly?
  4. I foresee getting a bad guest review. And I’m sure he’ll get a poor rating as well. Should I time when I give my review or it doesn’t matter? I will have 11 days left from today.

Thanks!

20

Curious as to how many towels you did use. Do you think someone else went in and piled their used towels on top of yours? Do you think his friend went and urinated all over the toilet? Since you are saying none of this happened then it almost sounds like someone went in after you and did all these things.

I am confused about the whole dishes thing. At first you mentioned the Dad left utensils in the sink. Then later you say the only utensils in the kitchen were one dull knife and a spoon the Dad used to make pancakes. So then he puts his dirty dishes on top of your dirty dishes?..and then in his complaint he claims you left two sinks full of pots and pans. What did you actually use to cook with and leave unwashed?

You said you cleaned the stove and he claims it is a filthy mess. Do you think someone else came in and cooked up a storm, and the Dad did not realize?

I wonder if this guy meant to request $10 instead of $100 and it was a typo. I am really confused about your complaint with the Dad not introducing you to the stranger friend and he was eating his meal while you were trying to cook and pack up your meals. Was it not advertised that other people would be sharing the common areas? Or was this just one room he rents out and his friend was hanging out at his house? Were you expecting privacy in the kitchen?

Did the Dad sleep at the same house?

21

We used 4 towels, not 10. It is possible that his dad or friend may have added the pile. We were not the only one in the house. So, yes.

Yes, that is possible, as we were not the only one in the house.

When we came, there were no utensils in the sink. There were 2 sinks. We had to rewash the utensils that were in the cabinet because they were not clean. Until this point, I am not even complaining.

We cooked, had dinner and left the dishes unwashed in the sink that night. The idea was to do dishes next morning before we vacate. Next morning, Dad made pancakes and left his utensils on top of ours. Please ignore my comment about dull knife and spoon. That’s not even an issue or a strong point.

It was certainly not a “filthy mess”. It was clean. I don’t know the answer to this question of who cooked after we left. I do know that there was Dad and his friend in the house. Dad made pancakes for his friend, while we were waiting to use the kitchen in the morning after he is done.

What I meant was that I expect some courtesy to introduce us to the people walking in and out of the house. If not introduce, at least convey that he/she will be entering in/out of the house at certain times, so don’t be surprised. The Dad is obviously making pancakes to his friend. But to us, he’s a stranger and I can’t finish doing dishes there in his presence, as I felt intimidating. Am I overreacting here? Do let me know.

No, it was not advertised. Under house rules, all it said was - “treat this place as your own”. No further details at all.

He rents just a room. We didn’t rent the whole apt. Host’s dad and his friend entered the house few times. Dad took shower, so he did use the bathroom on the day we arrived. I was not expecting complete privacy, instead, I was expecting some space. The kitchen is small and I can’t work there if there is someone using the cooktop.

Yes. Dad slept in the room next door. Our room was next to his. I was not notified about it anywhere, not that I am complaining about it now.

Please let me know if I answered your questions. Also, what were my mistakes here and my weak points if I have to respond to AirBnB. I have no problem taking some constructive criticism.

What I feel so far is that I should have done the dishes either way. But I need not be punished for other claims that were blatantly false.

Thanks.

22

Should I proactively call AirBnB and explain the issue, rather than waiting for them to call me? Thanks.

23

I provide two bathsheets, two hand towels and a pile of extra washcloths for guests. I provide a small laundry basket in the bathroom so they have a place to toss their linens.

As we are in the tropics, things mildew fast… I ask that they hang towels to dry and provide a nice, strong clothesline (actually installed by one of my Norwegian guests so it’s strong climbing line and is tied with what looks like professional mountaineering knots. I’ve left it up all these years because those were two of my favorite guests and they are still good friends to this day. :slight_smile: )

The Canadians who left yesterday and who stole my shampoo left a wet towel over an upholstered chair. What happened to your common sense. It’s why my little chair has spots of mold. Why would you do that when there is a very nice Norwegian clothesline right outside? I’m disappointed in them overall even though they were nice. They were clueless.

24

Curious… No. You don’t need to call them…Just decline the charge. He’ll slam you in a review anyway (whether you pay or not). If you feel he is trying to extort you though… that’s not allowed and should be reported. if you even get a whiff of extortion, then you should call Air.

25

OK - so what I am hearing is to go ahead and click on the Decline button. Then wait for AirBnB to call me (if the host involves AirBnB) and that’s when I explain the issue. Correct?