Help! Currently in an air b&b and having a dispute with the host!

[UpsetMummyofOne]

Hi all, advice much needed ! Currently in an air b&b, a whole flat rental, with my family and two dogs. The listing said dogs and small pets would be considered. I booked this back in November as soon as we got the save the date, and in my very first message to the host I said we had two dogs. Since then, we have had messages back and forth about the keysafe, provision of towels, linen, amenities etc. We arrived earlier this evening and settled in, met the neighbours and let the host know we had arrived via message on the app. A few hours ago I have received a message from the host saying that we have been seen with dogs that we didn't declare and she has respectfully asked that we don't leave the dogs alone in the property while we are here as previous guests dogs have whined when they have been left. I have wrote back apologising that she didn't realise we were bringing dogs and that wasn't my intention and I mentioned them in my very first message to her ! We are here for an event which takes place tomorrow that the dogs will not be able to come to and I am not prepared to leave them in a car for hours, especially with this heat we have been having. Any advice where I stand with this ? I am tempted to open a dispute with air b & b - not familiar with this process. The property was described as modern in the listing - it is farm from modern, quite worn and dated like a lot of dog friendly accommodations are that we have been to before! I am upset that the host thinks I tried to sneak dogs in behind her back. I have looked back at our correspondence and the dogs have definitely been mentioned. Where do I stand and what should I do next ?

The people who said air b and b are fab. There are loads of stories recently of people turning up to their air b and b home. And the house is owned by someone else, and he knows nothing about it. LOADS of stories. It is not regulated or checked at all

who takes dogs to a wedding? it was all there in the first message.

I also know someone whose house was mistaken for the one next door. She was in the bath.

Surely as you're in her B and B, therefore her rules?

Never had a problem with Airbnb. Been using them for a good few years and, as I said, at least once a month. Have used them all over UK and in France, Holland, Belgium, Germany and Sweden.

All places have been good but a few have been excellent. I can never believe how cheap it is to rent a whole property compared with just a poky hotel room

We go away a couple of times a year with our dogs and have never been somewhere that states they are not to be left alone (except center Parcs so we don't take them there). I accept others have had different experiences but I certainly wouldn't expect I had to always take them with me, especially in the summer when we can't leave them in the car. My dogs are perfectly happy being left for a few hours. They are old now, don't chew, don't go upstairs or on furniture (though we always contain them to one room if we go out anyway).

Surely as you're in her B and B, therefore her rules?

Agreed, as long as it was set out before OP booked. You can't introduce terms afterwards. It's very basic contract law.

Our only Air BnB experience - a cheapish flat in London as we shared it with a cat - he let himself in and out - loved it :-)

"We sat out in the garden last night for dinner, which is quite a way away from the flat (I had the door locked as we couldn't see the property from how far the garden is) and the dogs didn't whine. "

This confused me, you took your dogs away with you, and you left them in the flat last night rather than have them in the garden with you while you had dinner??

If they don't whine then they will be okay. No one will be the wiser.

My dogs would go ape shit. No question of that.

Why is that confusing gaelicgirl? The garden may not be dog proof, of course it's better to leave then safely inside than possibly have them escape.

I use AirBnB about once a month. Never had any problems with it but I am aware that it is not a hotel. From talking to the hosts of places I have stayed, it seems like a lot of people expect hotel standard and then are disappointed and complain. I guess it is a bit like budget airlines where people expect great service for little money. As ever in life, you get what you pay for.

@sonjadog, no Airbnb is not a hotel it's much better than any hotel I have ever stayed in. Maybe if people can afford a top class hotel they would be disappointed in an Airbnb place but they too range from cheap and cheerful to first class.

We are using Airbnb next weekend. We have booked a detached 3 bed house which is costing £50 a night. The cheapest hotel in the area is Travelodge which is £70 a night!

we have been seen with dogs that we didn't declare and she has respectfully asked that we don't leave the dogs alone in the property while we are here as previous guests dogs have whined when they have been left.

They're two different issues. I guess the event has happened now; what did you do? I'd definitely give private feedback to the host that you were taken aback by the 'undeclared dogs' comment, and that she could be more specific about dogs being left alone (or not) at the property. I'd also flag the latter issue to AirBnb.

I don't think you should leave dogs unattended in holiday accommodation either.

My dog is fine left alone in my flat, but definitely not fine in an unknown airbnb flat. Tried it once (30 minutes only, going to supermarket) and never again - came back to find two people standing in front of the door talking and the dog going mad on the other side. In my flat I can lock her in a room further away from the front door, which helps, but that's not always possible in an airbnb. In a detached house it would be different.

Even if dogs are allowed, ive never stayed anywhere that didn’t ask that they be created if we went out. We always had to sign something that they would not be left unattended.

I dogsit and would NEVER leave a dog alone. I'm not so bothered about the house, it's not their home and they would fret.

I have 2 dogs and regularly leave them in holiday accommodation when permitted.

If you accept dogs in your rental, allow them when the owner isn't there or dont allow them at all. It's completely strange to only allow them they're if owner is present unless you're expecting a lot of heiresses with handbag puppies who can take them everywhere.

Disregard. You made your booking details clear and were accepted. Surely you wouldn't take your digs to such a place unless you knew they would settle.

Stick to your plans. You mentioned that you were bringing dogs. You are the customer and are paying for the property.

Have you taken a screenshot of the first message? Please do so.
Did the host mention anything about dogs in subsequent messages?

The people who said air b and b are fab. There are loads of stories recently of people turning up to their air b and b home. And the house is owned by someone else, and he knows nothing about it. LOADS of stories. It is not regulated or checked at all

Oh yeah loads and loads, you rarely find that Airbnb are actually genuine..... so many stories and I've not heard one! I call this type of statement utter bollocks!

I'm utterly baffled that even in accommodation that accepts pets people assume it's OK to leave them unattended for long periods. It's a completely different situation to having them supervised and I totally understand the owner's point of view. No one loves your dogs as much as you do, and nor do they have to (speaking as very much a dog person!).
Also if the owner has never acknowledged your statement about bringing dogs, and their listing is 'by arrangement', I'd have made absolutely sure before arriving that they were both aware and accepting of your dogs.

Can you find a local dog sitter who could look after them?