Travel Troubleshooter Christopher Elliott
Dear Travel Troubleshooter: I recently stayed at an Airbnb in the US. I spilled food on the couch during my stay. I spoke to the host and they said they would file a claim with Airbnb's insurance. Airbnb contacted me and said that after reviewing the available information about my Airbnb account and bookings, they determined that my account should be removed from the Airbnb platform. Why? They wrote, “You are not following our ground rules for guests.”
Travel Troubleshooter Christopher Elliott
I have 10 years of positive reviews. I am also an Airbnb host so this will affect my income. Can you help me get my Airbnb ban lifted?
— River Roberts, Lisbon, Portugal
Answer: It seems like an overreaction to ban you for spilling food on a host's couch. So what's going on? I reviewed your interactions with Airbnb and your interactions with the host seemed polite. You spilled food on the couch and it needed to be professionally cleaned up. Your host had never filed a complaint with Airbnb before your accident and it seems like he didn't fully understand how seriously the platform takes complaints.
Neither did I. But apparently filing a claim with your insurance company (which is part of their AirCover for Hosts program) is taken pretty seriously. As you know, one of the possible consequences is that you may be removed from the platform.
Did I violate Airbnb's Ground Rules for Guests? Technically, yes. Airbnb requires that rentals be kept clean, trash-free, and damage-free. “Guests should not leave a property in a condition that requires excessive or thorough cleaning (such as moldy dishes, dirty carpets, or pet stains),” it says.
However, you did follow Airbnb's guidelines regarding damages. If there is damage to the home, Airbnb asks you to contact the host as soon as possible and find a “reasonable solution.” Based on your interaction with the host, it sounds like you agreed to pay for damages.
So what happened? I suspect Airbnb used some artificial intelligence to review the complaint and decide how to proceed, because a human would never ban you from the platform. Your interactions with the host suggest you were cooperative.
Complaining to one of Airbnb's executives might have made a difference — I've published their names and phone numbers on the consumer advocacy site Elliott.org — but complaints alone will not be enough to resolve this case.
You contacted the host and the two of you talked it over. You explained that after the host filed a complaint, Airbnb banned you and disabled your hosting account, so you left the platform for good. The host was surprised and agreed that banning you was an overreaction. He decided to write to Airbnb on your behalf and ask for you to be reinstated.
I contacted Airbnb separately because I was really worried the same thing would happen if I accidentally spilled something on the couch while staying at an Airbnb.
The company considered your request and sent you the good news: “After careful review of all documentation and related communications provided by both sides, we have decided not to charge you for any damages incurred during your stay. We have also reactivated your Airbnb account, which you should have access to shortly,” the rep wrote. (This time, the message was definitely from a real person.)
Hopefully, if the situation is reversed and someone spills something on your Airbnb couch in the future, they'll remember this incident and try to resolve it without involving AirCover, otherwise they'll just have another problem.
Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or contact him at elliottadvocacy.org/help/ for support.
(c) 2024 Christopher Elliott
Distributor: King Features Syndicate, Inc.
