To say be VERY careful when booking an Airbnb

[Shineynew]

Just an Airbnb word of warning...
We stayed in one in London lately. Apparently it was ‘newly renovated and chique’ (I think he meant chic).
Anyway - it was neither.It was dirty and mouldy and the sofa bed was broken so I had to sleep on an air bed which kept deflating.
I won’t go into the million and one things that were wrong with this place but fortunately Airbnb refunded us half so we were ok with that...
Ffwd two weeks and the listing is still there. They are still selling this mouldy flat as ‘newly renovated’ and ‘chique’. There is another review after mine saying exactly the same things. I contacted Airbnb who said ‘if we have a number of similar reports we will talk to the lister’. How many people does it take to say the place is a dump before Airbnb will pull it? More than 2 apparently.
And in the meantime, people are still booking it!!
Beware of Airbnb guys especially in London. I’ve attached some photos of this ‘chique’ place for you to judge for yourselves...

Were the feedbacks all really positive when you booked?

@isadoradancing123 Omg Scarlett Blaize, are you the owner of a dump. No need to be so rude

Nope. Just don't like these tedious attempts to 'shame' companies/individuals etc. Just post the fucking link, or don't.

Also, Airbnb is destroying London (and many other cities).

@halfsoaked

Is it the one described as being 3 minutes from Oxford Street? Comes up on the first google.

That only has two reviews, both positive. I think the OP is talking bollocks.

Blimey, what is up with you @ScarlettBlaize? I wasn't going to post a link but guess it helps to compare the two.

OK - link HERE

And I 100% promise you I do not have an Airbnb in London @halfsoaked. Wish I did, then I wouldn't have had to have stayed where I did.

My review is up there - as is the guy who stayed after me.

That only has two reviews, both positive. I think the OP is talking bollocks.

Yes, me too. I think the OP owns that one and is trying to drum up business. It has the spelling errors hinted at in the OP to make sure we find the OPs right property.

That link just takes me to the front page of Airbnb, OP.

Link doesn’t work for me

OP that link goes to the home page.

Here's a photo of the reviews from my Airbnb account - be interesting if you saw different ones @ScarlettBlaize.

OP the link says property taken down

£300 for two nights?

What's wrong with a Travel Lodge?!

Airbnb is destroying London WHY?

Says “no longer available “ to message

We have stayed in air bnb many times and have never had the slightest problem. We always choose a superhost, read all the reviews and ignore the very cheapest. Always been great.

Link doesn't work. If this is some kind of stealth advertising for airbnb then it's a bit of a gamble.

😂 at the owner’s response

Not sure how else to get you there other than go to Google and copy and paste this

Chique & Spacious top floor 1BR 3min Oxford St

It takes me to the flat via Airbnb, not sure if it would work differently on someone else's browser?

@JustInCaseCakeHappens Airbnb is destroying London WHY?

Short-term lets are very, very well known for causing huge problems for cities - not only London. Other cities such as Barcelona and Paris have imposed limits and restrictions to try to reduce the negative impact.

E.g.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/31/airbnb-sharing-economy-cities-barcelona-inequality-locals

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45083954

It comes up on safari but directs to the homepage. Is this the same place?

www.booking.com/hotel/gb/chique-amp-spacious-top-floor-1bed-oxford-st.en-gb.html

www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/33952463?source_impression_id=p3_1583441650_HKJG%2BqTb56zJWUM7

this one?

the reviews on booking.com are not great! Photos look ok, but I wouldn't touch it.

If you have £150 a night to spend, just stay in a hotel, not some shithole being illegally sublet by some scuzzy liar in a residential neighbourhood.

Short-term lets are very, very well known for causing huge problems for cities

that maybe, but it's not AirBnB who created them, such let have always existed! (maybe not always, but far before Airbnb was launched)

I use Airbnb a lot, always been happy with all my bookings. I do check the reviews though.

Yes, it redirects to the homepage. The reviews on Booking.com are terrible and are from mid-2019. It's really not that difficult to sift out the shit properties if you pay a bit of attention. if you don't have the time/patience/ability to read the reviews, then stay in a hotel.