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Original poster

What does "Parking on premises" mean to you? Air B&B problem ...

235 replies

Puzzledandpissedoff · 16/04/2025 10:01

Unashamedly posting here for honest opinions, based on the main question in the title

Background is that I'm on holiday with a friend, in an apartment situated in an area where street parking's well known to be almost impossible

We were therefore extremely careful to source a place that actually had it, and checked with the owner before booking that it really was provided - only to find on arrival that it isn't, and all that's available is (non existent) street parking meaning that we hardly dare go anywhere because returning means driving around ( over 2 hours yesterday Sad) in the hope of finding a space

Obviously we've contacted the owner, only to be told we've "misinterpreted it" and street parking counts as being on the premises

So my question is whether or not we were BU to expect what the listing said, and if not what would anyone else do now? What we really want to do is leave the hassle behind and ask Air B&B to sort a refund based on misrepresentation, but I'd welcome thoughts before doing this

OP posts:
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Frannyhy · 09/05/2025 12:39

Say what happened on Trustpilot. You can name the host there and put the location.

Original poster
Puzzledandpissedoff · 09/05/2025 10:09

SummerIce · 09/05/2025 09:59

Yes they’re very strict about reviews being honest, which is why I’m wondering whether there was anything in the review that could have broken the rules.

Show quote history

So am I, SummerIce, which is why I've revisited and quite genuinely can't identify anything

I did go back into the site's review rules and picked up on "guests should not write biased or inauthentic reviews as a form of retaliation against a host who enforces a policy or rule", which seems to be what they've zapped me on, but again, WHAT enforcement of a policy or rule when there was nothing to enforce and our only communication apart from arrival/leaving instructions was over the missing parking??

Even if I don't agree with something I like it to make sense, and this simply doesn't

OP posts:
SummerIce · 09/05/2025 09:59

Movinghouseatlast · 09/05/2025 09:53

As I said earlier, Air BnB don't commonly remove bad reviews, even ones that are obviously unfair. Hosts tie themselves in knots over the unfair review system.

Yes they’re very strict about reviews being honest, which is why I’m wondering whether there was anything in the review that could have broken the rules.

Movinghouseatlast · 09/05/2025 09:53

As I said earlier, Air BnB don't commonly remove bad reviews, even ones that are obviously unfair. Hosts tie themselves in knots over the unfair review system.

Original poster
Puzzledandpissedoff · 09/05/2025 09:49

SummerIce · 09/05/2025 09:38

What did you actually say in your review OP? Did you say anything about there being no other reviews mentioning the parking?

I didn't mention the lack of any other reviews mentioning the parking issue, Summerice since it seemed fairer to comment about our own experience rather than anyone else's - I just said it was a lovely apartment but that the experience was spoiled for the reasons given

As said above, the thing that really doesn't make sense is AirB&B's comment that "The review was left in retaliation for a policy or rule being enforced" when nothing has been enforced, which is what made me wonder if the host has made something up

You do get messages from services offering to remove bad reviews for a fee, word on host groups is theyre Airbnb employees which makes me wonder about this

Dear god Shock
I'd never heard of this, @Espresso25, but then wouldn't have done since I've not used the site before and won't be doing again
Maybe I've been lucky, but the one and only other time I've had to complain was over a Devon guesthouse where I'd stayed before but had changed to new owners, only to find they'd removed much of what was provided before but was still promised because they were using the last owners' script in the listing

That one was via booking dot com, and to their credit the listing was instantly removed and hasn't been seen on there since

OP posts:
SummerIce · 09/05/2025 09:38

What did you actually say in your review OP? Did you say anything about there being no other reviews mentioning the parking?

Espresso25 · 09/05/2025 09:31

This woman even criticised previous guests in her review 🤣

Espresso25 · 09/05/2025 09:30

You do get messages from services offering to remove bad reviews for a fee, word on host groups is theyre Airbnb employees which makes me wonder about this.

i had an awful review in which the guest just wittered on about herself. I don’t mind constructive feedback but she was just awful - she ignored me and my two year old saying good morning and I wished I’d invited her to leave earlier as she was just so awful to have around. An Airbnb AI bot would not remove it even though she didn’t even mention the listing or her experience!

Original poster
Puzzledandpissedoff · 09/05/2025 09:23

bigknitblanket · 08/05/2025 22:25

I can’t see how hosts can remove any reviews they don’t like - otherwise none would ever have any reviews less than 5*? That’s not how reviews work surely.

This one didn't have any less than 5, bigknitblanket, which was a major reason for my choosing it, and interestingly when I've since looked at others, I can't find any which are less than 4 * *

However if they're removing them I now know the reason why there were no lesser reviews, nor other comments about the lack of advertised parking

Messed up bolding

OP posts:
Espresso25 · 09/05/2025 09:20

Movinghouseatlast · 09/05/2025 04:41

I'm really shocked at this. Air BnB usually only remove reviews that are retaliatory or if you have threatened a bad review unless there is a refund.

I'm on lots of host forums and Air never remove bad reviews for any other reason. I know someone who has had their listing removed because of a one star review. They have lost all their future bookings.

Yes it’s really hard to get a review removed!

Original poster
Puzzledandpissedoff · 09/05/2025 09:18

Thanks once again, folks; needless to say I've read my review again and AirB&B's "reason" about "retaliation for a policy or rule being enforced" makes no sense, since there's been nothing to enforce - unless of course the host's made up something, and even then I'd have thought she'd have to prove it via the site's messaging link

I even gave 3 out of 5 stars overall, saying truthfully that the apartment itself was lovely but that the whole experience had been spoiled by stress over going out at all, for fear of not finding anywhere to park on our return - and all this over something that was advertised as being available but wasn't

Anyway I don't want the hassle of journalist involvement and there seems little point in again contacting AirB&B who appear to have this well stitched up, so the obvious answer is simply to never use them again

OP posts:
LindorDoubleChoc · 09/05/2025 05:26

I'd have to take this further if I were you OP. The owner has obviously complained to AirBnB about your review and they've removed it and had to cite on of their "one size fits all reasons".

I'd communicate again with ABNB and if that fails, approach a travel journalist with the story.

Movinghouseatlast · 09/05/2025 04:41

I'm really shocked at this. Air BnB usually only remove reviews that are retaliatory or if you have threatened a bad review unless there is a refund.

I'm on lots of host forums and Air never remove bad reviews for any other reason. I know someone who has had their listing removed because of a one star review. They have lost all their future bookings.

bigknitblanket · 08/05/2025 22:25

I can’t see how hosts can remove any reviews they don’t like - otherwise none would ever have any reviews less than 5*? That’s not how reviews work surely.

BakelikeBertha · 08/05/2025 21:29

In these circumstances I'd be very tempted to contact 'Rip Off Britain' OP. At least that way you'll be warning other people about what happened to you, and you never know, you might even get a 'gesture of goodwill' from AirB'n'B.

Espresso25 · 08/05/2025 21:17

That’s terrible! Airbnb are so inconsistent.

Flossflower · 08/05/2025 20:54

Well OP, you should put a review on another site like tripadvisor and say that Airbnb deleted your review.

Original poster
Puzzledandpissedoff · 08/05/2025 19:11

A quick update if anyone's still interested - my perfectly honest and fully objective AirB&B has been removed, because they claim "The review was left in retaliation for a policy or rule being enforced"

Very obviously it wasn't, and anyway what "rule being enforced" when my area of complaint concerned something promised which wasn't actually available?
At least though I now know why none of the other reviews mentioned the "parking on site" which didn't exist ... it seems reviews they'd rather not have are deleted

OP posts:
IfYouPutASausageInItItsNotAViennetta · 19/04/2025 12:05

I'm now wondering if she's of the same mind as the bonkers man on our road who has told us that he actually owns the section of (public) road outside his house - both sides, so also the section directly in front of the (nice, reality-understanding) people who live opposite him!

If you asked him, it wouldn't actually surprise me if he would categorise those spaces as part of 'his premises'; he gets irrationally angry enough when anybody else parks there. He has a double drive and doesn't even actually need to park there himself!

Espresso25 · 19/04/2025 10:40

Still think you should get some recompose of some sort OP - they have misled you.

FlowerFairy12 · 19/04/2025 10:22

You’ve definitely been misled. I’d be asking the owner to point out to me where exactly on their premises the parking is located. When they say it’s the street, I’d just respond with..so you own the street then? At the very least I’d want a partial refund (plus I’d leave a crap review) Ideally, I want to be fully refunded for being lied to.

zingally · 19/04/2025 10:19

You're right. To me "on premises" means that they have a driveway, carpark or allocated parking space.
I think you'd be right to complain, especially as you emailed to check and they basically lied.

Lulu1919 · 19/04/2025 09:37

I would assume there was parking available for me 24/7
I've seen the sentence 'off street parking available' ...and assumed that means there will be parking.

Original poster
Puzzledandpissedoff · 19/04/2025 09:20

Espresso25 · 19/04/2025 09:15

Sorry OP I missed that - is this a new host? They don’t sound that up to speed.

Nothing to apologise for, Espresso25, but she claims to have been doing this for years and "nobody's ever mentioned the parking before"

Yeah, right Hmm Unless of course they've all come without a car, which TBF many do as the parking's a notorious problem here ... hence why we were so careful to check

OP posts:
Mischance · 19/04/2025 09:19

Report to AirBnB. This is a misleading listing. It is not in their interests to let this stand.

On the premises means on the premises and not on the street.

Make it very clear in your review that the listing is misleading.

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