Menu
CB Travel and Vacations Airbnb airbnb - the online platform for cheating host
Airbnb

Airbnb review: airbnb - the online platform for cheating host 6

S
Author of the review
3:50 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

Airbnb - the online platform for cheating host
I am duped both by airbnb & the host. Airbnb just won't intervene when the host sneakily added a surcharge to my bill by calling it a discount and fees waived in a vague message at payment time. All because airbnb payment system billed me in a different currency (euros) from the currency quoted ($) by the host thereby obscuring the total amount. Payment was also just a 1 page credit card confirmation without showing breakdowns, warning or any essential information. No breakdown is displayed on their bills or receipts.
When I discovered the discrepancy (1 day after payment), airbnb insisted that it is my fault as i've paid up and refused to do anything even though all their email threads showed that the host has admitted to me of her false info and that info on listing was not consistent with what was charged. It does not matter to airbnb that the host has violated the critical airbnb's 'transparency' rule.
I'm trapped now (with thousands of $ of cancellation) as airbnb will uphold nothing fair for the guest but will uphold only the strict cancellation policy - in the interest of the host & themselves. Clearly, airbnb has no intention of enforcing their own 6-simple rules - at least not the rule for host's misbehavior or cheating ways. The rules are as good as window-mannequin to deceit first timers like me.
Now, even after my acceding to the host's new price, airbnb still claim they're unable to contact the host to effect the changes. (so much for communication between airbnb & the host). Come 1 day later from now, I'll b forced into the 0% no-refund timeline. I can't help but feel like the stupid fool who has unknowingly &gullibly stepped on a boobie-trap. 
Cust service had only robotically cut&paste lines of their policies to bypass the issue that i brought up about the host and their system; and had only suggested the penalty cancellation as the only solution - that I take the rap for the host and airbnb mistake. From this experience, i can only conclude that airbnb had not taken (and would not take) an impartial stand before issues are sorted out. The concept of fairness for airbnb as a mediator has no central role in the mediation process. Airbnb is as good as the gangster on the streets.
I've never had such a harrowing experience with other booking system as airbnb - 2 weeks of constant daily emailing & follow-up, pushing both airbnb & host is exhausting.
U R better off going to other matured booking systems.
I'm writing this so that others do not have to go through my nitemare. A nitemare for a holiday is something u dun wanna have - although i'm still hoping this nitemare will end soon. And I've too much screen dumps to load here. Just need a rest for now, for another day of battle with them.
BE CAREFUL, BE VERY CAREFUL!

6 comments
Add a comment
A
A
Aymaksan
, TR
May 20, 2014 1:33 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Extremely Bad Experience With Host Ms Barbara Weber in the web site: www.airbnb.com

We were one of the participants in Interpack 2014 Packing Machinery Show İn Dusseldorf Germany.
We sent them many mails that we are looking for apartments. They gave their prices bu they didn't warned in any mail that they don't offer apartments and they gave us a fake and misleading contract with any explanation about the apartments and the rooms their.
We didn't expect that they can be such liers and frauds and we trust them entirely.
We were so loyal and we made all payment on time. Ms Barabara offered to us to make our conversations and payment procedures out of the web site airbnb. The biggest mistake we done is to trust them and to continue our communication out of the site airbnb.
That way we havn't the opportunity to claim our victimization to any institution.
The photos of the apartments and the rooms we very very different from the rooms and the apartments where our company staff were accomodated. Ms Barabara Weber and her husband didn't warned us that we have to share our apartment with other people in the same apartment. The bathrooms and the lavatory was bad and damaged. The rooms were empty even without gardrobes. Our company was circumflected. Such cheater have to be evicted from this web site airbnb because they can cheat and another victims like us. We were so affected from these people and from now we will not trust to any host. We will use only booking.com because they have proven their loyal work.

B
B
Bad experience customer
, JP
Nov 05, 2013 3:19 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Airbnb is the biggest clown I've ever dealing with, yes I did have good experience with them in the past, but once a little problem came up, they do not care and absolutely ridiculous to deal with, as I said on last post I start tracing my refund of booking since early Oct, until 20-Oct Airbnb email me and told me they will refund me within 5-7 business days, I been really patient and wait over 10 business day so I escalate my claim in Paypal to claim my funding, now they use Paypal as a protection said due to the claim status allow them to answer back to Paypal on 8-Nov, so they not prepare to do anything until then, what a joke, once they pay I can close the dispute straight away, this guys is real losing their conscience heart to run their business, they will not care what situation you are in, they just want to keep the funding as long as they can and who care about your life, your job, your marriage! they charged me two booking full fee close to A$4000 straight away after the booking, and my trip is in March next year, think about if they do this to every customers, how much interest or investment can be return to them? SO STOP GO THROUGH AIRBNB! is not worth it!

B
B
Bad experience customer
, JP
Nov 05, 2013 3:17 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Airbnb is all cool until when you need to do a refund, they usually do not respond your emails for days, last month in 7-Oct I booked a unit for next year March 2014 for 28 days, cost $1445 australian dollars, security deposit is $144, they charge the full fee from my credit card straight away, after 24 hours I find out it was a mistake booking because I need a full unit, so I cancelled the booking and booked another one from Airbnb and 9it cost A$2450, so this is a genuine mistake because I book another one just after 24 hours, I ask for the refund of the full fee but happy to lost the Airbnb service fee, even Airbnb approved and ok with the refund, now I keep tracing my refund nearly one full month, I still not receiving any confirmation from them, also they charge full fee on both booking not the security deposit is totally wrong, I'm not check in until next year March, why I have to paid upfront full fee for six months in advance? Now I am in extremely stress and may cause my job and even worst my health and my wife.

Extremely bad experience!

P
P
ProblemSolved23
Piscataway, US
Sep 26, 2013 9:13 am EDT

AirBnB is a greedy, sneaky company. File a complaint at the better business bureau. Do what I did called my credit card company and they resolved me of all the costs.

S
S
SaaBen
, TN
Jul 21, 2013 9:40 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Bad customer services. Airbnb traveler cheat me. be careful
I'm a hoste. I have no problem, many real positive reviews... one of last guest extend her stay and I accept because the room was free. Unfortunately, She (Journalist girl from Washington DC) doesn't want to pay immediately (only109 § the week). I was patient during one week When I asked her to book because one guest need the room she did, the same day she lived home at 3am without informing me and cancelled the booking. what does airbnb do, they quarantined my account without any evidence, because she said that I upset her . I just asked the guest to pay or I will inform the authorities. Very bad Customer service on airbnb. I have still no answer. My payment for the booking is still pending. So my guest stayed for free and no payment for the cancellation she did. I lost 15 days rent. Airbnb want only to take money from guests and hosts. You can try Bedycasa it's better service and their phone is well working.

A
A
ashley Court Savarin
Miami, US
Oct 15, 2012 12:45 pm EDT

AIRBNB IS HORRIBLE...I WAS IN A VERY UNSANITARY PLACE WITH RATS AND COCKROACHES
THEY DID NOTHING...THIS IN ONE OF MANY HORROR STORIES, FOR EVERY BOOKING THAT GOES WELL THREE GO WRONG
AND AIRBNB NEVER LOOSES
STAY AWAY AND WARN UR FRIENDS...AIRBNB DOES NOT HELP YOU, ONCE THEY HAVE YOUR MONEY FORGET IT!