Something Afoul in the Air

[Perezo]

Oh boy, Oh Air.

Scenario 1: Owners commandeered my Tablet, cancelled all upcoming reservations. 9 of them. Air is saying I can be penalized $35-50 for each one ($315 - 450) unless I provide proof of extenuating circumstances.

*** is someone stealing my tablet not extenuating enough? Also, I have a Dr’s note that is highly personal and confidential, in Spanish. I cannot get an answer from Air - just a 48 hour deadline to give them what they want or suffer the consequences**

Scenario 2: Our Scammers filed a request for a full refund even thought they stayed from 2pm - 2pm, plus 2 hours of a 2 day reservation. I’ve hit back for a $300 payment from them for destaging our cabin and for mental distress.

What am I supposed to be doing? This is the coast of CR - I cannot just stroll over to a Kinkos and scan stuff.

Ideas, my experts? @KKC, @cabinhost, @konacoconutz, @Garden1Gnome, etc???

[smtucker]

Take pictures of your documentation, and then email those. Pictures are almost as clear as scans. Write up what happened, but more clearly than you have done on this forum. Take a deep breath and then edit. Make sure that you have no pronouns, which can lead to misunderstanding. You might think it is ridiculous to have two consecutive sentences starting with Guest A and Guest B, but clarity is essential since you will not know WHO is reading your responses. (Some of the AirBNB staff aren’t that bright.) And, do what you can to make your response to AirBNB calm and non-emotional.

A translation might be a good idea for your doctor’s letter, but I am going to suspect that you do not own OCR software. See if you can find a “one time for free” deal on the internet at a site that is trying to sell this software.

Good luck!

[Perezo]

@smtucker

All good advice - I actually speak Spanish, so I know exactly what my letters say. Also have an email showing that the owners cancelled everything.

Question: can Air go into my bank account? I’ve offered no such authority and removed all of the money to the account. They hold no money for us so exactly how do they expect to get this $400 back - sue me? In a foreign country?

I’m trying to retain a criminal lawyer - no easy task in the land of palms and coconuts…
J

[smtucker]

@Perezo. I think you probably have given AirBNB authority to get money back from you when you signed the terms and conditions, a requirement for using AirBNB as both a host and guest. The clause would not have been as crass as “take money from my account” but the meaning would have been the same. You also agreed to arbitration, not the courts, to address any disputes that you might have with AirBNB as part of signing up as a host.

It seems that the error really was that it was your listing, but not your property. Your credit rating/AirBNB rating etc at risk here, while the owners have been able to walk away with no long term damage to their “reputation.” If you choose to do this arrangement again, I would rethink how you set up the AirBNB account carefully.

[cabinhost]

I would suggest closing your bank account, not just emptying it. I don’t know if Air can try to take money back, or if they can only try to recoup from future payouts. But “if” they can reverse a deposit, then you will be left with a negative balance and incurring daily bank fees.

I don’t see how any Dr’s note is going to help you in regards to cancellations. I would tell them you no longer work for the owners, they logged into your account and cancelled their own reservations. I would just say “sorry, but I no longer manage that property and the owners made the decision to cancel.” I wouldn’t expect to be able to use create another account later down the road - Air might be able to connect the two. But if you are done with Air, then close the bank account and wipe your hands of the whole thing.

[konacoconutz]

Read the terms regarding direct deposit. You don’t give Air rights to debit your account for moneys due when you choose direct deposit. You only agree that future money due will be taken from the next reservations. If not paid, the amount due can be sent to collections and affect your credit rating. This will be true whether you close your bank and Air accounts or not.

When your tablet was stolen, did you file a police report? You’re saying the owners were on property and grabbed your tablet, knew your password, logged in, canceled the reservations and gave you back your tablet? Or did they steal it altogether? Not quite following your story?

No matter what though if the account is in your name, you will owe the money on the cancelations. If you can provide a police report for the stolen tablet I bet they would forgive the cancellations. Although the will and intent of the owners might trump that of the host/manager. (Sorry to have to use that word, “trump” )

[Perezo]

Yes, this just gets messier and messier. My tablet was at their house, logged into both my gmail and the air account. They obviously used it to cancel all 12 or whatever upcoming reservations. I told her to give the tablet back, that she was invading my privacy and guilty of identify theft. She did give it back.

I think I’m just going to have to go directly to the police here. They are telling people I’m a thief, when if fact I’m out about US$3,000.

Air has suddenly stopped replying to any of my emails. There is no number for them for Costa Rica…

I think I’m royally screwed AND I just got a new job today managing the air listing of 4 new luxury apartments.

And my fridge is broken. I feel like I’m Charlie Brown and Lucy just keeps pulling away the football… man, what do I do!!!

I could try changing the bank account listed to my account… ugh! I don’t want to bring any trouble to my new hosts.

Anyone know a lawyer specializing in Airbnb???

[Perezo]

I finally just called Air. They said they’ll figure out a way to fix it since they have documentation that someone other than mean did the mass cancellations.

Will keep you all posted. Sleep now…