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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

That this Airbnb host deserves a terrible review

196 replies

Finknottlesnewt · 27/08/2021 17:09

My sister is travelling to my home town for my other sisters' daughters (our niece) wedding . The date has been long known . 6 months ago she booked a cottage nearby for her husband and three children. Paid a large deposit and the balance taken last week. (By Airbnb - it seems the host doesn't get the money until after the first night).
They are going to make a week of it - so a 6 night booking.
Last night - at 10:30 the host sent a message to say that she would have to cancel the booking as she had hurt her arm and couldn't clean the property between guests.
My sister is distraught. Cannot get anywhere else to stay. (We are in a popular holiday area and it's a BH weekend. ) The prices are also 3x what my sister paid - and she paid over £1k for 6 days ! the amount stated at the time of booking.
Obviously we are not going to let my sister and family miss the wedding so will literally put them up on any floor space we can find between my home and my other sister but we all already have other family staying so will be a very tight squeeze.

No my question. Whilst driving to my sisters to drop off some stuff for the wedding I passed the cottage my sister had booked. Only to see a car parked in the drive with a roof box on top and a man and woman obviously unloading suitcases ...

It is also obvious what has happened. The host got a 'better offer' and dumped my sisters booking in favour of this one. With less than 12 hours notice. . and didn't have a single moral issue with screwing up someone else's long made holiday wedding plans for simple greed.

AIBU to say that my sister should write a review of this 'host' to warn others off.. as well as telling Airbnb what she has done. ?

OP posts:
pascheretloire · 27/08/2021 18:38

Dreadful, unscrupulous behaviour. She deserves naming and shaming on as many forums as possible.

Doubledoorsontogarden · 27/08/2021 18:43

I don’t think that you can leave a review of somewhere that you have t stayed in. I would call the host and say that your local and can arrange a cleaner, then ask why a family were unloading, if they were

VenusTiger · 27/08/2021 18:54

I would go with the enquiry re. the price they've paid as you're interested in renting your 'similar' property out.
If they've paid more than your sister, then you'll know.

VenusTiger · 27/08/2021 18:55

Or.... you could call the host and tell her Airbnb have confirmed that they're sending a cleaner round and that your sister can stay as planned - see what her reaction is?

Hairyfairy01 · 27/08/2021 19:01

I would either say you are looking for an air b&b in the area and thought this was one bit wanted to confirm. Or act really thick and knock on the door expecting your sister to answer, then act all shocked and confused.

hellcatspangle · 27/08/2021 19:02

I don't think you can write a review on air bnb until after you've stayed, but definitely report it to them.

OhWhatFuckeryIsThisNow · 27/08/2021 19:03

She could email the cf and say “Oh so sorry about your arm, my sister though was pleased to see that you’ve recovered when she drive past today.”
Isn’t there a travelodge or something nearby?

AnotheChinHair · 27/08/2021 19:06

Absolutely report in every way possible
Despicable behaviour

Snowpaw · 27/08/2021 19:12

Airbnb can ban you from hosting again for doing things like that - it’s really poor form. Definitely report it.

HarkeyQuim · 27/08/2021 19:17

I know someone who this has happened to for this weekend. The host said they couldn’t find the booking so my friend couldn’t get her money back until the check in time had passed this afternoon.

aaaaah · 27/08/2021 19:25

@Hairyfairy01

I would either say you are looking for an air b&b in the area and thought this was one bit wanted to confirm. Or act really thick and knock on the door expecting your sister to answer, then act all shocked and confused.
That's a point, for all they know your sister might not have told you she'd been cancelled on yet.
fruitbrewhaha · 27/08/2021 19:25

I'd reply as you have to be there for a wedding you are happy to take it uncleaned and she can take off the cleaning fee from the booking or will find a cleaner for her.

Queenoftheashes · 27/08/2021 19:29

I just wouldn’t use air bnb after stuff I’ve seen on here

Lairymary · 27/08/2021 19:30

Ha ha, I like the idea of messaging her to say, don't worry I've spoken to Airbnb and they said they would organise a local cleaning company to go in. Make her sweat for a bit.

MsFogi · 27/08/2021 19:32

This will be AirBnB's downfall if they don't get this sorted - people can't rely on hosts not to cancel at the last minute, it is totally undermining their business model.

TheWeatherWitch · 27/08/2021 19:46

Airbnb will already know the host has had to cancel.
The host will lose out because her ratings are not only from her guest review but from her availability, so cancelling will have cost her points. Points from Airbnb go towards her super host status.

You can not review a place you’ve not stopped at.

Hope this helps and hope you never have an injury that means you have to miss work. I doubt a self employed Airbnb host has hurt her arm just to piss you off. What a thoroughly nasty thread.

HirplesWithHaggis · 27/08/2021 19:56

Most of us are doubting that a self employed Air bnb host has hurt her arm at all.

Faevern · 27/08/2021 19:57

She hasn’t hurt her arm though, if she had she would have paid a cleaner rather than lose the rental money. She’s making more money out of it.

Disfordarkchocolate · 27/08/2021 20:00

That immortal. Review, email, Facebook - I'd be full on naming and shaming. Possibly even popping around to the Airbnb to ask the people in there too because I'd be fuming.

LemonSwan · 27/08/2021 20:01

Ooo cant wait to hear the update about the great confrontation

MaggieFS · 27/08/2021 20:01

Everything pp have said. Check facts and then let air bnb know, plus factual reviews on Facebook/ tripadvisor.

Woolver23 · 27/08/2021 20:05

There is a host in an area we visit regularly who has multiple properties and many awful reviews for double booking / cancelling at the last minute. This host is well known amongst locals as a cowboy. You could argue that holidaymakers should read the reviews more carefully before they book but it's clear that visitors are frequently getting caught out. I looked for somewhere to flag this host to AirBnb so their listings could could be reviewed by a human rather than an algorithm, but found nowhere that I could do so. In the meantime I book cautiously and hope this host doesn't set up a new profile which catches me out.
In short, yes your sister should definitely report what has happened but don't necessarily expect AirBnb to act. This kind of behaviour gives the whole self catering industry a bad name. Doesn't help your sister in the mean time though :-(

COPPER3 · 27/08/2021 20:08

Shocking behaviour! Your poor sister and family.

fabulouslyglamorousferret · 27/08/2021 20:19

I think subterfuge IS necessary.

If the OP shows her hand (as such) the new occupants might not want to get involved and give her short shrift

Sandsnake · 27/08/2021 20:20

There’s a vanishingly small possibility that the hurt arm is real. It makes zero sense. Even if the host couldn’t clean herself then it makes far better financial sense to employ a professional cleaner than lose over £1k from not being able to let it.

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