Help, am I being scammed?!

Read the OP’s post. She isn’t paying any more money for the better property.

It is if you’re used to travelling in Europe in August 😁

👍

The only thing I would say is as you have changed the booking through the host themselves that if anything were to go wrong or its is a scam you will have no come back as it was not done through AirBNB themselves.. I would check for sure through AirBNB that this is ok and covered.

If they have good reviews it sounds plausible that they would want to offer an alternative accomodation if they had some availability elsewhere. I think it will be okay. Message them asking for a bit more information about check in at the alternative place and ask about certain facilities there to see if their reply indicates all normal process and not evasive

Why would it be a scam? I'm assuming they haven't got a booking for that week in that property, are unlikely to fill it in the next two weeks, and rather than lose out on your booking altogether, they've upgraded you.

Similiar thing happened to me earlier this year with a villa - we were upgraded to one twice the cost as the one we originally booked needed urgent repairs.

Suspect the property you have been moved to is over-priced (And maybe non refundable?) and as it hasnt been booked they'd rather have your money than nothing. If they had asked you to pay extra I'd think it was bait and switch but the excellent reviews suggest they are just a decent business who want to keep excellent reviews.

considering OP is being charged only the original cheap price for the expensive property, I don't think that works.

Yes. The scam is their more expensive property isnt booked so rather than leave that empty, they've moved you there and get more money.

I think the OP has got this message now.

Because it's August in France. The country is on holiday.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1030241789735428

Because everyone takes the whole of August as a holiday in most European countries.

I wouldn’t be worried personally. France grinds to a halt for workers in summers so that sounds right. And if they have a lot of good reviews, I’d be reassured.

It isnt about the team with air con at the moment, its the parts. Demand has been so high that the parts are not available. We have an air con guy for maintenance of a relatives. He is sat around currently not working. He has loads of calls and requests but parts are delayed until sept so he cannot fix anything.

Depends where are you I think.

In nearly a year I have not experienced any direct rudeness for my shite French. It's always been 'pas grave' or 'pas de probleme' and a smile that I'm trying.

But am I am surprised an English person isn't aware of the French holiday season, I did think it was pretty common knowledge.

It is usual for French businesses to shut down for the whole month of august

Yep agree. OP wrote on here in a panic, others tell her not to panic. A lot of countries semi shut down in August as people move out of the towns to escape the heat. Most people to travel to these countries France, Italy, and a Greece know this. They are just the countries I personally know of. I suspect Spain is probably the same too. Then when it turns out it’s probably not a scam the OP turns on people and is rude 🤷‍♀️

You have lucked out. Well done you - have a fantastic time.

This happened to me recently but in the UK. I had a cottage booked for myself, sister, daughter and mum. We were half way there when the company I booked through called to say that there was a problem with the boiler and they needed to move us. We went from a 3 bedroom small cottage to a 5 bedroom riverside house in the most beautiful area. WITH AN INDOOR POOL!!!!!! We all rushed out to buy swimming costumes. It was more than double the price of the one we had booked but we got it for the same price. We had the most amazing time.

Enjoy your holiday.

France is virtually nothing like the UK in many ways.

why would it be a building site?

Enjoy your holiday @amijustnaive

For people who book to go somewhere, it should be. (Also I haven't been to France since I was kid but I know what it is).

There's been a heatwave in France just like there has here, so air con engineers will be insane busy at the moment. Plus in France it's very, very normal for people to take most of August off as holiday, so there will be fewer engineers actually working.

About five or six years ago we had a similar situation to yours - it was an issue with the boiler rather than air-con, but otherwise the same sort of thing - and we also got switched to a bigger property without having to pay any more money. We'd booked a one-bed apartment as there was just the two of us, and we ended up staying in a three-bedroom one with a massive balcony and a much better view. There was no scam involved, happily! That was in the UK, not France, but the principle was the same.

They know you can’t stay in the basement room with no windows ( I am thinking fire escape alert! But I am an over thinker) and at this point in the season if they have the better apartment free it is unlikely to be let at the full price so I think they have saved themselves a bad review re the basement room and also made your life a bit better. Good for them for having a professional attitude. I hope everything is great in the new apartment.