by Gary Leff
There are all kinds of scams on Airbnb. Properties may be advertised that aren’t really there. People may advertise and rent out places they do not own or rent.
And the number of fees – Airbnb’s own fees, cleaning fees, and other items that owners come up with – have made Airbnb rentals less attractive.
But another risk is that you rent a property, complete your stay and all is fine, and the owner tries to extort you for more money after your stay. Invariably the demand comes after you’ve left your positive review (or the period to review a property passes).
Here’s the story of one Airbnb guest that received a demand for $500 for “extra cleaning” after their stay, claiming they’d smoked in the home even though they are “not smokers and never have been smokers.”
The owner “placed cigarette butts in a coffee cup and sent the pictures to Air B&B” and claimed the guests stained the unit’s mattress. (The guests claim that the sheets in the photos are not even the same color as the sheets on the bed during their stay.)
Air B&B has backed the host and their staged photos. I will not be paying $500 for something I did NOT and would NOT do. Has anyone delt with this kinda thing before or have any advice??
Unfortunately, I had already left a positive review after checking out, and before receiving an email for reimbursem*nt over 24 hours later. I have posted a review on my profile. But was unable to figure out how to undo my positive post
Several readers chimed in on their own similar experiences with Airbnb prperty owners, for instance:
- “host claimed we’d smoked weed in the property and asked for extra money for deep cleaning only minutes after we left a positive review.”
- Another tried “to extort additional money/threats of escalation due to surface damage on counters, 6 weeks after we rented and left” but they had taken video of the unit, including the counters, and that ended the discussion.
Photos and videos of rental cars, before and after rental, are a good idea. Usually things go smoothly. That’s especially true with the major rental companies at on-airport locations. But when they don’t the backup is useful.
I’ve never considered taking photos of my hotel room to show that I haven’t caused any damage. I’ve never considered taking photos of my airplane seat. Rental cars are usually the scammiest part of travel, but it seems like taking video of your Airbnb before you check out is a good idea.
Videos aren’t fool proof. You may not get the spot you need. Time and date stamps can be modified, indeed deep fakes can be made. But they’ll create enough of a presumption or rebuttal to put you in a stronger position if the unit owner decides to go after you. Their evidence probably isn’t better than yours!
