Help, am I being scammed?!

[amijustnaive]

I have an Airbnb booked for just over two weeks time in France. It’s a small studio, basement, air con but no windows. It cost £350 for 5 nights.

I got a message from the hosts via the app today to say that they were very sorry but the aircon has broken. They gave me two options - stay and get a partial refund, or they would transfer my booking to another of their properties. They apparently can’t get an engineer to fix it until the end of August, after my stay is done.

They explained that the studio was unbearable without the aircon and they would recommend switching. I switched.

I am now in a much nicer property and it was more than double the cost of the original one. It’s in a better location, bigger and brighter.

The booking is now all confirmed in my app, and looks legit. But now I can’t help but wonder if they’re scamming me?! They refunded me and I booked into this new apartment for the same cost as the previous one. They had the thing turned on where you basically have to ask them to book and they decide if you can or not.

Help! Am I being scammed or are they just really good Airbnb owners?!

YABU - they’re just nice people. Chill out.

YANBU - phone Airbnb support tomorrow and get them to check it out

I don’t understand what the scam would be? Maybe a slightly underhanded way to get you to book a more expensive property, but they still gave you a choice in this, so I don’t really see the problem.

It sounds like what they said: the aircon broke and they won’t be able to fix it on time for your stay, so they offered alternatives.

I personally would prefer the more expensive property anyway as I would hate to stay somewhere (especially a basement) with no windows.

You booked a windowless basement dungeon and you're being given a nice spacious airy room for the same price. I don't see how that's a scam? If you'd booked the nice one and ended up in the basement then I understand your concern. But otherwise I'd be happy!

Air conditioning engineers in their area are obviously very busy in the height of summer. Maybe they just use a one man band and he'd away?

You're definitely overthinking it!
Their second property was available and unlikely to get a last minute booking so, rather than refund you and lose money they're letting you stay there.
And just about the whole of France go on holiday in August!

Maybe a slightly underhanded way to get you to book a more expensive property, but they still gave you a choice in this, so I don’t really see the problem.

OP has stated that she is still paying the SAME price as the original windowless basement.

A team on standby? How? Hosts have to use whatever is available like every one else.

omg a basement studio with no windows?!! What if there was a fire?!!!!!

I used to live in another European country close to France and I can tell you that August is basically the month where everything stands still.

Schools where I lived finished for the summer at the end of July and pretty much all parents would take their annual leave in August and be away for weeks, so it was just a given that things were much slower in August as most people were away.

I really don’t understand the panic here - things are a bit different in different countries and it’s completely plausible that they can’t get an engineer to fix it. Trust me, in 40 degree heat, a fan from IKEA isn’t cutting it.

Ah, sorry - I missed that bit. Even less like a scam, then, and just a good deal.

Yes, I didn't read all the posts properly then it was too late to edit.

Indeed.

Any other month I would agree. But August, France. Perfectly feasible.

I don’t know loads about France but one thing I do know is that it’s not like the UK when it comes to convenience.

They live a much slower (much healthier) lifestyle, where non urgent repairs can take weeks or months.

I watch home restoration shows and it can be months before being able to get someone in to do any sort of work.

August in France is when many people take mandatory holiday. It's really not unusual.

A bit of an ironic response there … and rather rude when people are trying to help you and explain things.

To be a super host on Airbnb you need to have a high rating, if they cancelled you this would not only impact their rating but they would also have to pay Airbnb a surcharge, if they are super hosts then it makes sense to their rating to keep you happy as the ratings are what keeps them at the top when searching for accommodation.
Some hosts don't open all their properties at the same time or only open then a week or a month before as they can close when they live for their own or family holidays.

Some odd replies on here. Usual rule of thumb is if something seems to good to be true it probably is. OP is wise to be cautious and double check but sometimes things are as great as they seem and wonderful to get an unexpected boon. Enjoy the holiday!

Many people take the whole of July or August off in France for holidays so it's very likely they'd struggle to get the aircon fixed at short notice in this period.

It doesn't really cost them anything for you to take the empty property and it means they don't get a bad review which can be really damaging to them longer term!

Sounds like they are great hosts and you've been very lucky! Enjoy it!

Because they are very busy and booked up as people want AC now the world is on fire for the summer?

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.

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.

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).

Enjoy your holiday @amijustnaive

why would it be a building site?

France is virtually nothing like the UK in many ways.

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.